Welcome back to Columbus Blue Jackets News & Rumors. The first week of the regular season has come and gone. We have a game to discuss as well as roster moves and rumors being linked to the team.
The Blue Jackets got a much needed win Saturday for more reasons than one. A recent mainstay of the team finds himself reassigned. And could there be a match between the Blue Jackets and Canucks on a deal? Let’s dive in.
A Big Win Saturday
The Blue Jackets came into Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers off a home-opening loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that many believed would finish below the Blue Jackets in the standings. An 0-2 start to this new season would have raised the level of anxiety around the team. It was a big game for that reason.
After a crazy start that saw three goals taken off after review, captain Boone Jenner took over. He scored a natural hat trick to help pace the Blue Jackets to a 5-3 win.
Jenner did what NHL captains are supposed to do. They’re supposed to rise up and help lead their teams by example. He went to the front of the net and impacted the game.
Jenner’s first goal was a slam dunk off a Johnny Gaudreau rebound. His second goal was a perfect deflection over Igor Shesterkin. His hat trick goal was just like his second one. He deflected Jake Bean’s shot and in.
In order to have success against a goalie like Shesterkin, the Blue Jackets needed to get bodies in front and create havoc. Jenner said postgame that was a focus for them in preparation.
“That’s definitely a focus no matter who you’re playing, but that’s a good goalie over there,” Jenner said. “And the more you can create those secondary chances or take his eyes away, it’s gonna benefit your team. Definitely in (part of our system) in just getting guys to the blue paint and making it hard on them.”
The game-winning goal was scored by David Jiricek in his first game of the season after being called up due to Zach Werenski’s injury. His shot from the right circle made it 4-1 at the time. That was his first NHL goal. Besides the goal, he’s a more confident player in his second go-around.
Jiricek was close to making the team out of camp. Even when Werenski comes back, the Blue Jackets could try to find a way to keep Jiricek up. Games like Saturday make this a distinct possibility.
The Rangers dominated the third period trying to mount a comeback. At one point, they led 13-0 in shots. However the Blue Jackets got a goal on their first shot of the third by Justin Danforth. That proved to be a huge goal as the Rangers got one late to make it 5-3 but could get no closer.
Coach Pascal Vincent liked the first two periods from a managing the game standpoint. Then he said the third period was tight for his team.”
“We managed the game pretty well the first two periods and then we got a little tight in the third,” Vincent said. “But that’s a process, learning how to win and bouncing back from a loss.”
The win puts the Blue Jackets at 1-1-0 heading into Monday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Robinson Reassigned
The Blue Jackets had a decision to make. With Mathieu Olivier coming off IR and ready to play, they had to make room for him on the roster. They decided to waive one of their mainstays.
Eric Robinson was designated non-roster and then placed on waivers Saturday. A CBA rule states that a team can non-roster a player like this in the event of an IR activation. This opened the necessary spot for Olivier to rejoin the team.
Robinson cleared waivers on Sunday and was assigned to the Cleveland Monsters. There’s a couple of interesting angles about this.
First, Vincent is not afraid to make this kind of move. Placing a respected veteran like Robinson on waivers will resonate in the room. If it can be him, it can be anyone in that position.
Also, the Blue Jackets have several players that can play in a bottom-six role. If they play and don’t stand out, they can and will be replaced.
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Although he didn’t have his best preseason, Robinson made the roster helped by the fact that he would have needed waivers to get to the AHL. Now he’s in Cleveland. When will he get his chance to play with the Blue Jackets again?
That’s a good question. Given his salary and potential role, the Blue Jackets could elect to call others up based on merit. Should Robinson enjoy success in Cleveland and find his game, then we could see him again this season. He is a pending UFA and it’s fair to wonder if he’s a part of the future plans.
Both Olivier and Danforth recently got extensions beyond this season. There is a chance this could be Robinson’s last season with the Blue Jackets. It’s also possible he’s traded to a contender later looking for depth at a cheap cost.
The main takeaway for now? Others in a similar position to Robinson need watch their backs. They could be next.
Blue Jackets & Garland?
On the second intermission of Hockey Night in Canada Saturday night, Elliotte Friedman gave an update on Garland and the Canucks. As part of this report, Friedman mentioned the Blue Jackets potentially having interest.
Garland would be an upgrade on the Blue Jackets roster given the number of bottom-six forwards on the team. He’s under contract beyond this season. The Canucks also would want a defenseman in return that would help shave their cap.
Since the Blue Jackets have an abundance of right-handed defensemen plus their desire to make room for Jiricek, it’s easy to see why this could make sense. Garland’s career-high in points was 52 back in 2021-22 in his first season with the Canucks.
Garland is known as a streaky scorer who can play away from the puck. His shot is underrated at times. His shooting percentage has dipped in recent years but plays the game with energy and could fit in a defined role.
As with anything, we’ll see if this gets any traction moving forward. We know the Blue Jackets are looking for anything to make them better. Garland would make their top-nine look better overall but is he worth the cap hit? There will be no shortage of teams deciding that very question.
