For the first time in more than two years, Cam Atkinson will be a health scratch as the Blue Jackets face Arizona on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena.
Head coach John Tortorella confirmed the winger will be out and recently recalled Sonny Milano will slot into the lineup for the 7 p.m. game.
#CBJ John Tortorella confirms Cam Atkinson is a healthy scratch. You may think Im crazy but Im helping him.
— Kristyn Repke (@kristynrepke) December 9, 2017
Tortorella has been outspoken about needing more production and even effort from the team's veterans of late. When asked earlier this week if he had seen improvement from Atkinson in either of those realms of late, Tortorella's quick reply was, "Nope. Haven't seen him."
Coming off a career-best 35-goal campaign, Atkinson scored four goals in the first 10 games this year but has had trouble finding the scoresheet since. He has just two tallies since the start of November, both in the same game Nov. 24, about a week after he signed a new seven-year contract.
Atkinson doesn't have a point since that game and is minus-4 in the last four games. He didn't play in the third period of last night's win at New Jersey, a game in which he was minus-2.
According to The Athletic's Alison Lukan, Atkinson has not been a healthy scratch since October 2015.
If Atkinson is scratched, will be first under Tortorella. Last happened in Todd Richards final game with CBJ - Oct. 20, 2015. https://t.co/c9h21wQ4Ev https://t.co/c9h21wQ4Ev
— Alison (@AlisonL) December 9, 2017
It's been one of those years for Atkinson, but clearly the Blue Jackets think spending a game watching from above might be just what he needs to get back on track.
