The Columbus Blue Jackets have struggled this season with offensive production, and to be more specific, consistency from their depth scorers. Outside of the top forward line of Kirill Marchenko, Adam Fantilli, and Dmitri Voronkov, the Blue Jackets haven’t found a lot of goals, and the biggest struggle has been on the second line.
The top line currently accounts for 64 points, I think Columbus is comfortable with that. However, the second line currently totals 35 points, which is far below the expectations for that unit going into the season. The real shock is Kent Johnson only having six points through 28 games thus far.
However, the problem does not only fall on the second line and their lack of production. This Blue Jackets team is behind schedule from last season’s production to this point. Last season at this point, through 29 games, the Blue Jackets had 97 goals for, and at the same mark this season, they only have 90.
Where the Scoring Is Coming From
The main part of the problem early on in the season was inconsistency of linemates across the board for the team’s offensive structure. However, now we have seen the lines stay primarily the same, with a few minor adjustments, and guys are beginning to settle into their role.
The top line is producing well right now, and it’s not something the Blue Jackets are going to plan to alter at all. However, with the addition of Sean Monahan to the second line, the team and coach Dean Evason was expecting some juice from them.
The brightest spot in terms of depth scoring for the Blue Jackets has come courtesy of the third line of Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood, and Isac Lundestrom.
The third line has given them a pop of offense they really haven’t gotten from any other line outside the top line. Led by a couple of veterans in Coyle and Wood, the line plays an extremely smart brand of physical hockey. Lundestrom has been a major addition and infusion of forechecking as well.
Too often, however, it seems they are reliant upon the third line to keep them in games, when the second line, if they could find an offensive burst, could be the X factor.
Offense Creates Chances But Needs More Finish
If you look into any sort of expected goals for model, or any expected offensive outputs, the Blue Jackets consistently rank among the elite in the league. So, why then do they so often struggle to stack high-scoring performances together?
A big piece of the puzzle offensively has been finishing. The Blue Jackets have not been able to finish or put goals away at an elite rate this season, but the chances have been there. I don’t think you need to discount this Blue Jackets team from the standpoint of not creating offense, but the production has to coincide with the chances created.
5v5 xGoals For per 60 – December 7 pic.twitter.com/v0e9MGLpUE
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) December 7, 2025
There are many cases where the Blue Jackets look to be swarming a team offensively, and basically bury them in their defensive zone. Unfortunately, more often than not, the Blue Jackets have come away from these situations with chance upon chance but no tally on the scoreboard.
If the middle-six forwards can find a way to produce more consistently, the Blue Jackets will be able to make a bigger push toward playing playoff hockey. Their production just hasn’t been enough to put them over the top in a tight Metropolitan Division as yet.
They are currently last place in the division, and have the worst goal differential of the eight teams at minus-9. The scoring has to become more consistent, and it needs to come more consistently from the middle-six forwards for the offensive attack to succeed in Columbus.
