The CBJ 10, Part III: Ranking The Top 10 Players On The 2023-24 Columbus Blue Jackets

By Coby Maeir on December 19, 2023 at 10:17 am
Columbus Blue Jackets center Alexandre Texier (42) celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period against the New Jersey Devils at Nationwide Arena.
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
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Welcome to the third edition of The CBJ 10, 1st Ohio Battery's top 10 Blue Jackets right now. Six ballots were submitted ranking each person's top 10 players. 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 10-17-5 start, here's the third edition of The CBJ 10. For the first and second editions, click on the highlighted words. 

1. Zach Werenski, LD (Edition No. 2 Ranking: 1)

Werenski keeps his top spot on The CBJ 10, and for good reason. His 22 assists are seventh among NHL defensemen, with only four of those helpers coming on the power play. He has yet to play his best hockey, though, only tallying one empty-net goal so far this season. 

2. Adam Fantilli, C (Edition No. 2 Ranking: 2)

Among rookies, Fantilli is tied for third in goals and second in points while playing 15:19/game, which is seventh among first-year forwards. He continues to show flashes of why he was so highly-touted ahead of the draft.

3. Boone Jenner, C (Edition No. 2 Ranking: 3)

Despite being out for approximately the next five weeks due to a broken jaw, Jenner keeps his No. 3 spot. He still leads the team with 13 goals and his 55.9 face-off percentage is 11th among players who've taken at least 400 draws. This team misses him, dearly. 

4. Kirill Marchenko, RW/LW (Edition No. 2 Ranking: 4)

Marchenko's 10 goals are second on the team, and they've all come in the last 23 games, where he scored 10-5--15, which is a 35-goal pace over an 82-game season. He's also doubled his assist total from last season, posting eight helpers this year. 

5. Dmitri Voronkov, C (Edition No. 2 Ranking: 5)

Voronkov in the No. 5 spot means the top five in this edition are the same as the last one. He's been a force for the Blue Jackets, and his six goals and 16 points are tied for seventh and fifth among rookies, respectively.

6. Johnny Gaudreau, LW (Edition No. 2 Ranking: 7)

Gaudreau rises one spot in this edition's rankings, and it's because he's been playing better, posting 3-7--10 in his last 13 contests. However, the Blue Jackets are going to need him to be much better if they want to escape the basement of the NHL. 

7. Yegor Chinakhov, LW/RW (Edition No. 2 Ranking: NR)

Chinakhov is on fire right now, scoring five goals and seven points in his last four games. His elite shot and speed give him the potential to be a highly productive NHLer in the future.

8. Ivan Provorov, LD (Edition No. 2 Ranking: 6)

With 2-15--17, Provorov is tied for fourth on the team in points in his first year as a Blue Jacket. However, he's fallen two spots in this edition's rankings. 

9. Kent Johnson, LW/RW (Edition No. 2 Ranking: NR)

Since being recalled from the AHL, Johnson has been fantastic, posting 2-4--6 in eight games, including his first-career three-point night on Thursday in Toronto where he scored the overtime winner.

10. Justin Danforth, C/RW/LW (Edition No. 2 Ranking: HM 11)

Danforth has played all over the lineup this season and is currently the top line's right winger. His seven goals are fifth on the team, though, which earns him his first appearance in The CBJ 10's top 10. 

Honorable Mentions

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