The Columbus Blue Jackets have followed one of two paths for much of the past 10 games, and neither of the paths leads to success.
The first route is to start the game flat, look completely helpless, then awaken and dig out of the hole. The second is to play genuinely well enough to win the game, but to let a late lead slip. Not a recipe for success.
Here are three thoughts on the state of the organization after a disappointing weekend:
Is The Team Trying To Win Games This Year?
Not to be coy, but if the answer is yes, why is David Jiricek not in the lineup? I actually understand the idea of load management with a young player, who needs to understand the ebbs and flows of the NHL. A healthy scratch could at least be defended. But demoting him to the AHL to play games, right after he was reportedly told by management, according to The Athletics' Aaron Portzline, to "get a permanent place in Columbus, meaning he was done living in a downtown hotel and was viewed by the organization as a full-fledged NHLer", is perplexing.
So, what's the deal? The only logical conclusion I can come to is that the club wants to get ice time for Adam Boqvist and/or Andrew Peeke, which the intent to trade one of them. Otherwise, I can't find any compelling argument to demote a player like Jiricek, since just days ago he was told that he's definitively not an AHL player. Why not just tell the 19-year-old that he's going to be up and down again this year? To quote Portzline:
"The mixed message with Jiricek is nothing more than an echo of the mixed messages the Blue Jackets have been sending in the first month of the season."
The Voronkov-Fantilli-Marchenko Line Is Going
Adam Fantilli, Dmitri Voronkov, and Kirill Marchenko are showing excellent chemistry. Marchenko had a three-game point streak snapped against the New York Rangers, while Fantilli and Voronkov both extended their personal streaks to three games in the loss. Fantilli, especially, looks as advertised. He's now scored in back-to-back games and is tied for the team lead with nine points (4-5-9) in 13 games.
The reason the line works is a commitment to individual identity. Fantilli is the puck transporter, easily moving the puck from the defensive zone and into the offensive zone. Voronkov is the plumber, always in a position to support the puck in the offensive zone, and is clearly not afraid of the dirty areas in front of the net and on the back wall. Marchenko is a shoot-first type, and while he isn't the most talented player on the roster, he understands how to be an available option on the wing.
Whereas there are question marks throughout the lineup, Pascal Vincent has to be pleased that he's found a trio that is working well.
Johnny Gaudreau Needs Help
Let me caveat what I'm about to say with this: Gaudreau looked much better in Sunday night's loss to the Rangers. If Jack Roslovic elevates his shot on a 2-on-1 pass, we're probably talking about how Gaudreau is back in business, tallying points on rush plays like back in the olden days.
But that didn't happen, and even if it did, that, too would have a caveat. All of the things I wrote about the Fantilli line are the opposite with Gaudreau and whoever he is playing with that night. Last night, Gaudreau played on a line with Cole Sillinger and Jack Roslovic. And while Roslovic has looked better this season than last, he's not the ideal linemate for Gaudreau. Sillinger is T-11 in scoring on the club with 0-5-5 this season, meaning he's scored just three goals at the NHL level in his past 79 games.
It's easy to remember the success that Gaudreau had in Calgary playing alongside Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk. In some senses, Fantilli is a combination of the two of those players. He's a center who is capable as a puck transporter, like Lindholm, and is a big-framed prick to play against in battles and a generally all-around excellent player, like Tkachuk. Why, then, has the coaching staff done everything in their power to keep those two apart this season?
Confidence breeds confidence. Gaudreau is a veteran in this league, and I trust that he and the coaching staff will be able to reconcile this slump. But I'll be candid - the status quo is not working, and that was obvious before it even happened.
