Numbers And Nuggets: Blue Jackets Look To Reach New Heights In New Year

By Will Chase on December 31, 2024 at 11:00 am
Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Justin Danforth (17) celebrates his shorthanded goal with his teammates during the third period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.
© Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
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Four points out of a playoff spot.

That's where the Columbus Blue Jackets find themselves as the calendar gets set to turn to 2025.

Few would have predicted the Blue Jackets to be in this spot before the season. Before Johnny Gaudreau's untimely passing. And yet, that's where head coach Dean Evason's club is.

Among the surprise storylines this season, Columbus has been through ups and downs on the ice since opening night.

Record-Setting Offense

Columbus has scored at least six goals in a game eight times this season. They've scored exactly six goals on seven occasions and they scored exactly six goals in their first four wins including the first three wins at home.

In October, the Blue Jackets went 5-3-1, the team's first winning mark for the month since 2021-22.

On the season, Columbus is ninth in the league in goals for per game (3.30), the best team on home ice in that area (4.06), and among the worst-scoring teams on the road (26th, 2.58).

Streaky

Perhaps those strong October marks were a precursor for what was to come. However, it provided a glimpse into the streakiness to follow for the club.

Fresh off a winning month of October, the Jackets dropped its next six straight including five straight on the road. Going back to their 2-0 Oct. 30 win over the New York Islanders, Columbus did not score more than two goals in a game until their 6-2 win on Nov. 15 back at the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena.

The Jackets closed November with a five-game point streak before following that up with a three-game losing streak, once again, on the road during their trip to Western Canada.

Shots Giveth, Shots Taketh

Columbus is seventh in the league in shots for per game (30.1%). They're eighth at home (30.4%). They're fourth on the road (29.8%). Columbus is 21st in shots allowed per game (29%), 26th at home (29.9%), and 13th on the road (28.1%).

Special Teams Success

During this stretch, from Nov. 12 until Dec.10, the Blue Jackets penalty kill struggled to shut down opposing power plays, surrendering shorthanded goals in 14 straight games.

Since Dec. 12, the Blue Jackets PK have been 16-for-17 in killing penalties, ranking fourth in the league at a 94.1% clip.

Continuing with the special team's success is the strength of its power play.

We've wondered for years how the power play can be so consistently bad and waited for the turnaround.

Has the turnaround finally come?

In December, the Blue Jackets' man advantage is eighth in the league (24.4%) and 18th overall in the NHL (21.0%). Columbus will take that but there's room for more.

Leveling Up

Kirill Marchenko leads the team with 40 points and had a career-best seven-game point streak that was snapped in Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins. He leads Columbus with 14 goals and is 22nd among all players in points — tied with Sidney Crosby.

Zach Werenski has done his part to lead on the ice and off of it. The 27-year-old will represent Team USA in February's inaugural Four Nations Face-off and has simply leveled up this season.

Werenski is riding a 12-game home-point streak into Tuesday's New Year's Eve game with the Carolina Hurricanes and had seven assists in a two-game span last week in the 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 23 and 6-2 win over the Bruins on Dec. 27.

Werenski became the first Blue Jackets defenseman to have double-digit points in a five-game span when he had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) from Nov. 15-23. He's the first defenseman in team history to have points in eight straight (five goals, 11 assists) and became the third player in franchise history to have 16 points in such a span.

Werenski had his first career five-point game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, capping off the 7-6 win with an overtime goal. He had his second career four-point game last Friday against Boston.

On the season Werenski is second with 39 points and leads the team with 28 assists. Among all NHL defensemen, Werenski is third in points (39), fourth in assists (28), and tied for first with 11 goals.

It's truly been a Norris-level season by No. 8.

The Blue Jackets have two players averaging over a point per game. Marchenko (1.08) and Werenski (1.05). Kent Johnson (0.91), Sean Monahan (0.89), and Dmitri Voronkov (0.79) round out the top five for the Blue Jackets.

Kent Johnson got off to a sizzling start with points in nine straight (six goals, six assists) and has 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) heading towards the new year. He also missed time between Oct. 21 and Nov. 9 due to injury with the point streak saying intact after injury.

Voronkov started the season late due to injury and has been a wrecking ball — offensively, and otherwise — ever since. Voronkov made his season debut on Nov. 1 and has 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists). After recording 34 points last season (18 goals, 16 assists), he's well on his way to setting new career totals this year.

Monahan signed with Columbus on the first day of free agency and is looking like one of the best free agents in franchise history so far. Monahan has 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists). He scored twice in his 800th career game during last Friday's win over the Bruins. A plus-13 on the season, Monahan does more than score.

He's also one of the best face-off men on the team (50.9%) and is among the reasons for a resurgent power play.

The below is from The Athletic's Aaron Portzline from Sunday:

The Blue Jackets’ power play is the best they’ve had in at least eight seasons, and Sean Monahan has been a key component. Evason spoke glowingly about Monahan, not just about his play with the man advantage but his acceptance of a role — “the bumper” — that many players find less than ensuing. The bumper sets up in the slot, his back to the net when the puck is on the perimeter and his face to the goalie when the puck is on net. The job requires plenty of tenacity and a willingness to play in traffic, but it doesn’t reward the player with many clean looks on net. Monahan is third on the team with four power-play goals and fourth in points (six), but he’s done plenty of work to help open the ice for others.

Here’s Evason on Monahan’s “bumper” play: “I’ve been on so many teams — coached and played — where guys are like, ‘I’m not going to play on the bumper. Why would I play on the bumper? It’s not a scoring position.’ Not once has he ever asked to play on the flank. He’s phenomenal at it because he’s committed to it. The team asks him to play the bumper, so he plays the bumper, and he does it to the best of his ability. It’s leadership. That person on the power play keeps pucks alive down low. They support everybody on the ice. he’s rotating and getting everybody involved."

It's been a fun season as we prepare to flip the calendar to 2025. As the Blue Jackets have one more chance to add to the numbers, they want to add to the total that matters most. A win over the Hurricanes. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

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