The preseason hasn't begun, and the offseason is nearing its end, but that doesn't mean the lists praising Columbus Blue Jacket players has to end.
The Sporting News released their NHL top 25 under 25, and a couple of familiar names are on the list. Specifically, they play on the defensive side of the puck.
Here is the criteria in which they were ranked from the Sporting News:
A 10-person panel comprised of Sporting News hockey editors and contributors submitted ballots ranking the 25 best NHL players under the age of 25 for the 2018-19 season. The resulting order was determined by a weighted point system. Points were allocated for each slot, starting at 100 for No. 1 overall and decreasing by increments of four from 2-25. A No. 2 vote received 96 points, No. 3 received 92 points, and so on. A player's score was then calculated out of 1,000 possible points.
With all of the weighted rankings taken into consideration, Zach Werenski was ranked 14th by the panel, and Seth Jones was named 9th. Werenski was sandwiched in between Aaron Ekblad at 15 and Mitch Marner at 13. Jones on the other hand was in between Mathew Barzal at 10 and Filip Forsberg at 8.
A partial snippet on Werenski from the Sporting News:
He's one of hockey's brightest "rovers," meaning his offensive potency is on par with defensive ability — both accentuated by high-end skating and smarts.
A tiny bit on Jones from the Sporting News:
Following his trade to Columbus, Jones graduated from touted top pick to one of the most complete defenders in hockey. He's anchored the Blue Jackets' blue line — and, by effect, their rise to relevance — the last two seasons, turning in a career performance in 2017-18 with 16 goals and 57 points.
While having their names appear high on these lists are all fine and dandy, they still have time to move even higher up the list if they put out a strong 2018-19 campaign. Their potential is otherworldly, and they both have a chance to take their game to an even high echelon.
