Welcome back to the second edition of The CBJ 10, 1st Ohio Battery's top 10 Blue Jackets right now, listing who we think are the top 10 Blue Jackets 14 games into the season. Six ballots were submitted ranking each person's top 10 members of the team. If a player was ranked first, they received one point, second place received two points, and so on. If a player wasn't ranked on all lists, they were given an 11 ranking for the lists they were missing. The list is 10-lowest average rankings. We will be updating these rankings throughout the season.
After a 4-7-4 start, here's edition No. 2 of the CBJ 10. For the season-opening edition, click here.
1. Zach Werenski, LD (Edition No. 1 Ranking: 2)
Werenski's 1-7--8 through 13 games has him second on the team in assists, but it still feels like there is another level to his game. However, it's important to remember that he missed almost all of last season, so he may need some more time before he's playing up to his full potential. Nevertheless, his presence on the ice is noticeable and there are many times when Werenski shows that he's an elite NHL defenseman.
#CBJ Werenski (1) goal pic.twitter.com/FjtnaZ0ZA6
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) October 21, 2023
T2. Adam Fantilli, C (Edition No. 1 Ranking: 8)
Fantilli has been everything the Blue Jackets hoped for through his first 14 NHL games. He's tied for the team lead in points with 4-5--9, and it feels like the team can already pen him in as its No. 1 center for the next decade-plus. He's that special of a player.
#CBJ Fantilli (4) goal pic.twitter.com/DfeZm24gjg
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 13, 2023
T2. Boone Jenner, C (Edition No. 1 Ranking: 4)
With 7-2--9, Jenner is the team's leading goal scorer and showing why he's one of the league's most underrated players, playing at a 38-goal pace to begin the season. If the Blue Jackets are going to start racking up some wins, Jenner will need to continue to score at this pace.
#CBJ Jenner (6) goal pic.twitter.com/20fuAcM4ia
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 7, 2023
4. Kirill Marchenko, RW (Edition No. 1 Ranking: 7)
Since sitting as a healthy scratch for two games at the end of October, Marchenko has recorded 3-2--5 in his last six games and has been one of the team's most effective players. So far this season, he's posted 3-5--8 in 13 games.
#CBJ Marchenko (1) goal pic.twitter.com/ek85ib4oY2
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 2, 2023
5. Dmitri Voronkov, LW (Edition No. 1 Ranking: NR)
Voronkov has certainly made his 6-foot-5 presence felt on the ice, recording 2-5--7 in nine games since being called up while playing a physical and gritty style of hockey. However, he playing just 12:01 per game so far. Will his ice time increase?
#CBJ Voronkov (2) goal pic.twitter.com/zR8mQmCGD7
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 5, 2023
6. Ivan Provorov, LD (Edition No. 1 Ranking: 9)
Provorov has done a decent job on the blue line in his first season with Columbus. On the second pairing, he's certainly an upgrade over what the team had last season. He's posted 0-9--9 and leads the team in points and is tied for the lead in assists.
#CBJ Provorov's (9) clearance fails and the puck finds the stick of Cousins (21), who beats Martin (30) from the slot. CBJ 4-4 FLA https://t.co/nIVVShZdFR
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 7, 2023
7. Johnny Gaudreau, LW (Edition No. 1 Ranking: 1)
It has been a dreadful start to the season for Gaudreau, who has posted just 1-5--6 so far and his only goal was scored into an empty net. If the Blue Jackets want to be remotely competitive, he's going to have to start producing at the level that he has in the past.
#CBJ Roslovic (96) does well to evade Suter (20) on the wall before he centers to Gaudreau (13) who finds Jenner (38) in the slot for the goal. DAL 0-1 CBJ https://t.co/yfdNH2Y1UI
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 10, 2023
8. Patrik Laine, RW/C (Edition No. 1 Ranking: 3)
Laine missed nine games after suffering an upper-body injury from an illegal hit by Calgary's Rasmus Andersson but scored in his return on Saturday. He's registered 2-1--3 in six games. In the two games he's played since returning, he's played exclusively on the wing as opposed to center, where he was before the injury.
#CBJ Laine (2) goal pic.twitter.com/nbWstMphMA
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 11, 2023
T9. Damon Severson, RD (Edition No. 1 Ranking: 6)
Severson has shown flashes of why the Blue Jackets signed him to an eight-year, $6.25M AAV contract, but there have been some costly mistakes as well. Overall, he's been a major upgrade on defense and has been part of an effective top pair along with Werenski. He's posted 1-4--5 so far this season.
#CBJ Severson goal pic.twitter.com/qZIzd9Nolz
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) October 31, 2023
T9. Jack Roslovic, RW (Edition No. 1 Ranking: HM 12)
On Monday, Roslovic was placed on IR with a broken ankle that will sideline him for four to six weeks, but he had posted 2-6--8 in 14 games up to this point. His production to begin the season has been a positive for this struggling Blue Jackets squad.
#CBJ Roslovic (1) goal pic.twitter.com/ohyPxkWQrH
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) October 22, 2023
Honorable Mentions
- 11. Justin Danforth, LW/RW (Edition No. 1 Ranking: HM 11)
- 12. David Jiricek, RD (Edition No. 1 Ranking: NR)
- 13. Elvis Merzlikins, G (Edition No. 1 Ranking: NR)
