Columbus Blue Jackets: 3 keys to offensive production in 2019
After the departure of Artemi Panarin to the New York Rangers, and Matt Duchene to the Nashville Predators, the Columbus Blue Jackets have major offensive roles that need to be filled during the upcoming season.
With Cam Atkinson being the only returnee to the Columbus Blue Jackets top line, this season’s success will heavily depend on the offensive production the Jackets receive from their former stars’ replacements.
Alexandre Texier and Emil Bemstrom are high on the Jackets list when it comes to young rookies needing to step up to the plate this season. But all of the offense cannot ride on these two. The Jackets will need production from young guys who have spent the past few seasons as mid-production players.
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With this in mind, the Blue Jackets have had a luxury of young offensive prospects coming through their system the past few years, along with a few key free-agent signings.
Of those, the following three players will be depended upon all year to stabilize an offense that is losing their top scorer over the past two seasons and a key playoff producer.
1. Pierre-Luc Dubois – The Anchor in the Middle
Pierre-Luc Dubois is heading into his third year with the Jackets franchise. After being selected with the third overall pick in 2016, in what was quite a shock to the hockey world, Dubois played lights out in his rookie season.
Scoring a quiet 61 points last season, giving him a career total of 109 the past two seasons, he has shown incredible promise for Jackets management to rely on him for top-line minutes. They selected him to be number one center by year three. It is finally time for him to assume the role he was drafted for.
2. Gustav Nyquist – The Setup Swiss Army Knife
After being traded midseason from the only team he’s ever known, Gustav Nyquist was a huge part of the San Jose Sharks playoff run. Scoring 22 points over his short time in San Jose, Nyquist proved to be an influential setup man with the Sharks.
Nyquist scored 16 of his 48 assists last year in the final months of the season and the postseason. An almost consistent 40+ point guy during his time with Detroit, the Jackets will rely on Nyquist to stabilize their top 6. With a four-year contract in his back pocket, Nyquist will be relied upon heavily come mid-season when scoring production goes down.
3. Josh Anderson – The Grit and Grinder
Josh Anderson, the Jackets big bruising right-handed winger, has been a mainstay with the team since his true rookie season in 2016-17. He has been an integral part of three straight playoff appearance. Also, he’s had more consistency in performance compared to Oliver Bjorkstrand.
Anderson eclipsed the 40-point mark last season for the first time in his career. The Jackets are hoping he can find a level above that with his inevitable bump up to the top lines. Whether it’s getting under other teams since with physical play or burying an overtime winner in a low scoring game, the Jackets will rely on Anderson to put up production in more ways than one.
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After buying at this past year’s deadline, and losing all of their rentals, the Jackets must gain production from both their bottom-six forwards, and more importantly their top six. These three forwards will be tasked with making up for lost ground, and ramping up their previous production to equal what could’ve been had the Jackets resigned even one of their formerly pending UFA’s.