5 Columbus Blue Jackets who need to turn things around
5. David Savard
Last season, it was a tale of two seasons for Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard. The worst of times came when he was paired with fellow blueliner Jack Johnson. The two were among the worst duos in the NHL, consistently getting outshot and outscored.
Meanwhile, the best of times came after the Blue Jackets traded for Penguins defenseman Ian Cole. Savard posted much better numbers with him, as Columbus was far better with those two on the ice than they were with the former duo.
Johnson has since signed with the Penguins, which is a good thing. However, Cole has departed and signed with the Colorado Avalanche. It’s up to Savard to play well with whoever he is paired with this season. Whoever it is, it will most likely be in a second pairing role.
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Markus Nutivaara will likely get the first crack at an increased role. Ideally, the Blue Jackets would like to keep him with Ryan Murray (more on him later) because that pairing did pretty darn well last season. But with a lack of other options, Nutivaara stands out and is deserving of some more ice time.
If the Blue Jackets can have a strong second pairing, that would be a significant boost to their lineup. Zach Werenski and Seth Jones already form an elite top pairing. The Blue Jackets would love to keep them together. Hopefully, Savard and (most likely) Nutivaara will keep head coach John Tortorella from getting tempted.