Last night's blowout loss notwithstanding, it's good to be Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko.
It's even better for the Columbus Blue Jackets who boast not one, but two impact players on the shortlist among top rookies around the NHL.
Marchenko is tied for second among all first-year players with 21 goals. Johnson is fourth among rookies with 40 points.
And they might not even be Calder finalists for being the league's top rookie.
Now obviously, the Calder race features an extremely talented group of players that will ultimately be up for the award, like Matty Beniers leading the crop in points (56) and goals (23) and is second with 33 assists. He also helped the Seattle Kraken clinch the franchise's first playoff spot in just their second year.
There's Wyatt Johnston, tied with Marchenko in goals, who helped the Dallas Stars back to the playoffs and who are trying to win the Central Division. Johnston is fifth in points (37).
And there are many others with something to say about it.
It goes without saying that with the Blue Jackets being as bad as they are, it's not like they have much to say in the way of major awards, and the individual successes of Johnson and Marchenko might in part cancel each other out for Calder votes anyway.
Kirill Marchenko, Evolving-Hockey
Kent Johnson, Evolving-Hockey
While it would be nice to see a Blue Jacket up for a major off-season award, the important takeaway here is that there is a brewing dynamic duo in Central Ohio and we're not talking about Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine.
Although that one is nice, too.
On Tuesday, Johnson became just the third rookie in franchise history to achieve the 40-point mark. With 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists), he joined Pierre-Luc Dubois (48—20-28 in 2017-18) and Zach Werenski (47—11-36 in 2016-17). Rick Nash had 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) in 2002-03 before exploding for 41 goals and 57 points the very next season, winning a share of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy with Jarome Iginla and Ilya Kovalchuk.
Of course, it was just under two weeks ago, on Mar. 28, when Marchenko tied Dubois for the rookie franchise mark for goals in a season with his 20th. The goal came in only his 50th game. Then he set the franchise mark on an overtime goal last Sunday against the Ottawa Senators.
With the goal, Marchenko is now the franchise leader for goals by a rookie in an individual season with 21. Assisted by Gaudreau. pic.twitter.com/vocfYnIpK1 #CBJ
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 3, 2023
So while neither Marchenko nor Johnson may make it as an official finalist, the Blue Jackets will take 65 points (37 goals, 28 assists) from their rookie duo.
KENT JOHNSON HITS THE MICHIGAN pic.twitter.com/gw3MyJtse4
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 25, 2023
Johnson is fifth on the club in points and goals and fourth in assists. He's among the co-leaders in game-winning goals (three) with Gaudreau and Boone Jenner, and his five power-play goals trail only Marchenko and Jenner (seven) and Laine (eight). He's third on the club with 12 power-play points.
Marchenko is third in goals, trailing Laine (22) and Jenner (26) with four games left. Still plenty of time for Marchenko to take a serious stab at the team goals lead.
We had a chance to see both rookies play on the top line, ever so briefly, centered by Jenner during Thursday's loss 8-1 to the New Jersey Devils after Gaudreau left the game due to illness after only 2:15.
The trio did not combine for a point but we'll probably see the offensive fireworks for the two on a line together well into the future.
