Film Session: Blue Jackets Showcase Much-Improved Transition Offense In Win Over Maple Leafs

By Dan Dukart on October 25, 2024 at 10:15 am
Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko celebrate a goal in a 6-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs
Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
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The Columbus Blue Jackets looked the part in a dominating 6-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.

Much of the discourse in the early goings of this season has centered around the team's new-found confidence - and competence - that was sorely lacking last season. The engine driving this has been, in my estimation, a team that has been given more leash to play fast. In other words, think less, and just go. And nowhere is that more evident than the team's confidence in transition. 

Here are four(!) goals from the win against Toronto that all came in transition:

Justin Danforth Capitalizes on Zach Werenski Read

It's hard to tell on the live version of the above video, so you'll need to wait for the replay, but Zach Wernski makes this goal happen by himself. He starts with a tight gap in the neutral zone, baits Oliver Ekman-Larsson into an ill-fated cross-ice pass, and then immediately goes on the attack. Justin Danforth, realizing he's on a 2-on-2 with a sublime passer, attacks the space behind Ekman-Larsson. Werenski feathers a saucer pass that Danforth controls out of mid-air, settles, and buries.

Mathieu Olivier Snipes on a 2-On-1

The Maple Leafs, down 2-0 early in the game, are looking for offense, and make an ill-informed pinch. Danforth, who receives a bump pass from Jake Christiansen, spins and makes a perfect high-leverage outlet pass that springs Mathieu Olivier and Zach Aston-Reese on a 2-on-1. Color commentator Jody Shelley does an excellent job breaking down Danforth's excellent execution and turning a defensive zone set into instant offense. 

Elite Defensive Zone Structure Leads To Monahan Goal

To date, this has been my favorite goal of the young season. It perfectly illustrated all the elements I hoped to see with the new coaching staff. As I wrote after the hiring of Dean Evason, it will be nice to see a team that is aggressive and stifling defensively. It won't always work out, but at least when they get beat, it will be due to the other team's execution, not this team's passivity.

All five players were within a few stick lengths of the puck along the wall. Werenski's physical play forced an errant pass that Cole Sillinger was in perfect position to intercept, and he made a key play to bump the puck to his release valve, Damon Severson, on the weak side. Severson hit a streaking Werenski, who activated up-ice after the turnover. Kirill Marchenko made himself available streaking up the wing. He had a half-step on Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Reilly and took the puck to the net, shooting to the far side. Sean Monahan, the fifth player mentioned on this play, was there to clean up the rebound. 

Marchenko Finds Quiet Ice For Final Goal

Sillinger, who has quietly put together a very strong start to the season, cleans up a dangerous puck by chipping it to Monahan, who cleanly catches the puck and skates up the ice. An innocuous 2-on-2 with back pressure turns into a goal as Sillinger pushes back the Maple Leafs' defense and they fail to sort out the high slot. Monahan, who makes a smart turn, finds Marchenko late, who makes no mistake in scoring the sixth goal of the game.

Seeing the defensive zone structure that ailed them so much in years past turn into a strength - even if this is just a one-game sample - has to be encouraging for the coaching staff. The team swarmed the puck, then turned turnovers into offense, and capitalized on their chances.  

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