Through Dec. 8, the Blue Jackets had the fifth-best penalty kill in the NHL at 86.8%. In the five games since then, their penalty kill is an abysmal 50%, which is the worst in the league.
What changed?
On Dec. 8, Boone Jenner suffered a broken jaw that the team expects to sideline him for six weeks.
Among Blue Jackets forwards, Jenner is fifth in shorthanded time on ice per game, so it might just be a coincidence that the penalty kill has struggled amid his absence. It also could be a very real reason why the team's shorthanded unit is just 6/12 in its last five games, including allowing two power-play goals to the Washington Capitals, who have the league's fourth-worst power play, on Thursday.
#ALLCAPS Mantha goal pic.twitter.com/DS8RlgcKNh
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) December 22, 2023
Jenner does everything for the Blue Jackets, and his absence has been especially noticeable when the team needs a kill.
#ALLCAPS Ovechkin goal pic.twitter.com/bLUt63HsUW
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) December 22, 2023
Although the five games he's missed is a small sample size, the early returns are concerning.
Will they be able to turn it around before he's back in the lineup?
