Confirmed with Link: [MOD WARNING post #272] CBJ acquire Provorov for LA first round pick (#22), conditional ‘24 or ‘25 2nd round pick

[Toe Pick]

FWIW Blue Jackets continue down curious path with Ivan Provorov trade

I think this article largely jumps the gun as the offseason roster revamps are just starting. But I do agree with these points:

Their top two centres, Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic, would be bottom-six players on many teams. Their crease is a mess, with Elvis Merzļikins — signed through 2026-27 with a $5.4 million cap hit — coming off a disastrous season. The blue line is well below average even with Provorov in tow.

These are all legit holes but I expect them to still be addressed.

Here's the offseason shopping list as I see it from the bits and pieces we've gotten from mgmt and just common sense roster building:

Center
*Sign/trade for top 6 vet
*Draft future #1 C -- likely contributing in D +2 season.

Defense
*Sign/trade for vet top 4 LD -- Provorov -- CHECK
*Sign/trade for vet top 4 RD

Goalie
*Sign/trade for vet goaltender

Coach
*Sign vet coach with proven track record -- Babcock - CHECK

I think it's VERY realistic to expect the remainder of these bullets to be checked off.

Then add in Texier, Werenski, (maybe) Voronkov, and I think it's reasonable to expect this team to at least be in the playoff hunt for next year and be an overall team "on the rise" as the young core (#3/Jiricek/Marchenko/Johnson/etc) matures.

 

[Randy d Wiseman]

i think jiricek will be in the top 4 when camp is over.

 

[morehockeystats]

Getting really tired of this variety of "analysis". It really is as though people have completely forgotten about what we've been doing in the draft the last two years.

That's a 'write-only' analyst.

 

[morehockeystats]

I don't think labeling Boone as a bottom-six is fair.

 

[CBJx614]

I don't think labeling Boone as a bottom-six is fair.

On a Stanley cup worthy team, he's not a top 6 center. He just doesn't produce enough. He's brings a lot to the table, but he's never topping 60 pts.

 

[majormajor]

On a Stanley cup worthy team, he's not a top 6 center. He just doesn't produce enough. He's brings a lot to the table, but he's never topping 60 pts.

He can be a role player in the top six. Even cup winning teams need jam in their top six and have guys there that score under 60 pts. Heck the Kings won two cups with only one player to top 60 pts.

 

[VT]

He can be a role player in the top six. Even cup winning teams need jam in their top six and have guys there that score under 60 pts. Heck the Kings won two cups with only one player to top 60 pts.

I don't see his partners.

 

[thebus88]

As I said yesterday these people are so lost.

Why on earth do everyone elsewhere act like this can be only seen as a win now move and thus makes no sense for Columbus?

Unlike what some seemingly believe, you don’t actually gain any sports/hockey knowledge when studying to be a (sports) journalist ….

Same goes for all the mathematicians and their “advanced statistical models”.

 

[koteka]

I think it's reasonable to expect this team to at least be in the playoff hunt for next year and be an overall team "on the rise" as the young core (#3/Jiricek/Marchenko/Johnson/etc) matures.

Boston
Carolina
New Jersey
Toronto
NY Rangers
Tampa Bay
NY Islanders
Florida
—————-
Pittsburgh
Buffalo
Ottawa
Detroit
Washington
Philadelphia
Montreal
Columbus

I really don’t see playoff hunt. Passing Montreal, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington is a maybe if Washington and Pittsburg finally collapse. Maybe getting into the Detroit and Ottawa up and coming realm is possible. But I think the top 9 teams are the teams that made the playoffs last year plus Buffalo and then there is a gap. Maybe Ottawa or Detroit makes a step up. My guess is we finish 11th or 12th in the Eastern Conference.

 

[thebus88]

On a Stanley cup worthy team, he's not a top 6 center. He just doesn't produce enough. He's brings a lot to the table, but he's never topping 60 pts.

Like a Foligno/Dubinsky/etc, Jenner brings so much more to the ice, and has a much bigger POSITIVE impact on the CBJ than many players who are more “offensively “productive”.

With a team with ANY sort of center depth, Jenner would easily be the 4th “best” winger on almost any team, and/or be a guy who would add a different element to 2 overly offensive players in a “top 6” situation. It’s also something to note, that in 2023, the 2nd/3rd lines, the “middle 6”, is essentially interchangeable in the vast majority of situations, IMO.

 

[thebus88]

I don't see his partners.

Maybe we need to change these “partners” and not Jenner….

We’ve been plenty fine and had GREAT teams with Jenner playing high in the lineup in the past….

Why?

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I don't see his partners.

The good news is that his partners will be revealed by play and coaching. We don’t have to know who they are.

That said, I could guess. But I love my “we don’t know” statement so much I’m not going to.

 

[traffic cone]

Boston
Carolina
New Jersey
Toronto
NY Rangers
Tampa Bay
NY Islanders
Florida
—————-
Pittsburgh
Buffalo
Ottawa
Detroit
Columbus

I really don’t see playoff hunt. Passing Montreal, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington is a maybe if Washington and Pittsburg finally collapse. Maybe getting into the Detroit and Ottawa up and coming realm is possible. But I think the top 9 teams are the teams that made the playoffs last year plus Buffalo and then there is a gap. Maybe Ottawa or Detroit makes a step up. My guess is we finish 11th or 12th in the Eastern Conference.

I bolded and cursived the teams I think will 100% make the playoffs. The teams to likely make the playoffs are bolded. I removed the teams that are 100% out. The teams that are in cursive are likely to be out. Isles and Pens are 50/50. And then there’s CBJ.

 

[Crede777]

On a Stanley cup worthy team, he's not a top 6 center. He just doesn't produce enough. He's brings a lot to the table, but he's never topping 60 pts.

There are spots in the top-6 for a physical, sub-60 point producer. Think Tom Wilson in Washington, Dustin Brown in LA, Patric Hornqvist in Pittsburgh, etc.

The issue isn't Jenner's ability to play net front, retrieve pucks, and play physical. The problem is having an Ovechkin, Kopitar, or Crosby to do it next to. Without a gamebreaker, I agree you can't use a top-6 spot on a guy with limited production.

 

[morehockeystats]

Top-6 is Danault, Trocheck, JT Compher, Hayes, Nelson, Cirelli. I don't think Boone is below this cohort.

The 2nd-line centers on the current finalists are Sam Bennett and Chandler Stephenson.
The 2nd-line centers on the losers of the conference finals are Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Max Domi
Compared to these four, I think Boone is a boon to crave.

 

[CBJx614]

Top-6 is Danault, Trocheck, JT Compher, Hayes, Nelson, Cirelli. I don't think Boone is below this cohort.

The 2nd-line centers on the current finalists are Sam Bennett and Chandler Stephenson.
The 2nd-line centers on the losers of the conference finals are Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Max Domi
Compared to these four, I think Boone is a boon to crave.

Vegas has 3 centers who all scored more than Jenner.

Florida has 3 centers who all scored more than Jenner

Carolina has 2 centers who scored more and 2 centers who scored just as much as Jenner

Dallas has 3 centers who outscored Jenner and 1 who scored just as much.

We have 3 centers who scored 40 pts.

I still stand by Jenner being a perfect 3rd line center, if he's playing on the top 6 it's gotta be on the wings. If we're making the playoffs it's because guys like KJ and Carlsson are putting up 60-70+ pts at center, which just means better matchups for Jenner. I don't see us making the playoffs with Jenner as a top 6 C.

 

[Ice9]

i think jiricek will be in the top 4 when camp is over.

I have a feeling he will crack the lineup also. I dont believe (or hope) it's too overwhelming for him jump up now.

 

[JacketsDavid]

I don't see us making the playoffs with Jenner as a top 6 C.

I don't see us making the playoffs.

But I think Jenner is a perfect 2nd/3rd line player. Not sure if it's at center or wing?
But if you look at what we have on top lines we need Centers (and I could probably end the statement there) who play defense. Johnny G and Laine are who they are. Whether they are on the same line or separate lines they need guys who are defensively responsible, who are not anchors in the offensive zone.

 

[yubbers]

Provy is a solid pick-up if he can get back on track. He needed a new spot.

 

[morehockeystats]

Vegas has 3 centers who all scored more than Jenner.

Florida has 3 centers who all scored more than Jenner

Carolina has 2 centers who scored more and 2 centers who scored just as much as Jenner

Dallas has 3 centers who outscored Jenner and 1 who scored just as much.

We have 3 centers who scored 40 pts.

I still stand by Jenner being a perfect 3rd line center, if he's playing on the top 6 it's gotta be on the wings. If we're making the playoffs it's because guys like KJ and Carlsson are putting up 60-70+ pts at center, which just means better matchups for Jenner. I don't see us making the playoffs with Jenner as a top 6 C.

Vegas:
Stephenson played Eichel's wing for half of the season or so. Then he had Mark Stone on the wing. Karlsson had a 0.64ppg season.
Carolina:
On the 2nd line mostly played Kotkaniemi at 0.53ppg. Necas was not playing center, neither did Jarvis. Below Kotkaniemi it was Jordan Staal, followed up by Stastny.
Florida:
On the 2nd line it had Bennett at 0.63ppg, with Tkachuk on the wing, and sometimes with Verhaeghe, too, and when Bennett was injured it was Lundell filling in. Below Lundell it was Eric Staal. Sam Reinhart wasn't playing center.
Dallas:
Domi in Dallas had 7pts in 20 games. Pavelski didn't play center. Seguin, AFAIR, split time evenly between center and wing, and was at 0.66ppg. Domi was traded to play 2nd line center at the time. Then down the spine it was Johnston at 0.5ppg and Faksa.

Jenner had a 0.66ppg season. Before that he had a 0.75ppg season.
Jenner can and should be 2nd line center. He was definitely outclassed as a 1st. But he's well above the likes of Jordan Staal and Anton Lundell.

 

[CBJx614]

Stephenson played Eichel's wing for half of the season or so. Then he had Mark Stone on the wing. Karlsson had a 0.64ppg season.
Carolina:
On the 2nd line mostly played Kotkaniemi at 0.53ppg. Necas was not playing center, neither did Jarvis. Below Kotkaniemi it was Jordan Staal, followed up by Stastny.
Florida:
On the 2nd line it had Bennett at 0.63ppg, with Tkachuk on the wing, and sometimes with Verhaeghe, too, and when Bennett was injured it was Lundell filling in. Below Lundell it was Eric Staal. Sam Reinhart wasn't playing center.
Dallas:
Domi in Dallas had 7pts in 20 games. Pavelski didn't play center. Seguin, AFAIR, split time evenly between center and wing, and was at 0.66ppg. Domi was traded to play 2nd line center at the time. Then down the spine it was Johnston at 0.5ppg and Faksa.

Jenner had a 0.66ppg season. Before that he had a 0.75ppg season.
Jenner can and should be 2nd line center. He was definitely outclassed as a 1st. But he's well above the likes of Jordan Staal and Anton Lundell.

Don't forget that Jenner played most of the season with Gaudreau... Who was a PPG and Jenner still wasn't able to break 50 points.

I'm also terrified to lean too much on Jenner as he's been missing close to at least 20 games / season and his style of play is only going to make that worse as he continues to age.

Don't get me wrong, I love Jenner and I think he brings a ton of value. I would just rather him center the 3rd line and we roll 3/4 lines every game. Just because Johnson or Carlsson are on a line with Gaudreau, doesn't mean that line will have the most minutes every night.

 

[stevo61]

Don't forget that Jenner played most of the season with Gaudreau... Who was a PPG and Jenner still wasn't able to break 50 points.

I'm also terrified to lean too much on Jenner as he's been missing close to at least 20 games / season and his style of play is only going to make that worse as he continues to age.

Don't get me wrong, I love Jenner and I think he brings a ton of value. I would just rather him center the 3rd line and we roll 3/4 lines every game. Just because Johnson or Carlsson are on a line with Gaudreau, doesn't mean that line will have the most minutes every night.

Like Lehkonen being 1 of MacKinnons most common linemates?

 

[CBJx614]

Like Lehkonen being 1 of MacKinnons most common linemates?

Kind of, but at least Jenner had previously cracked 40 points before playing with Gaudreau.

 

[Xoggz22]

Don't forget that Jenner played most of the season with Gaudreau... Who was a PPG and Jenner still wasn't able to break 50 points.

I'm also terrified to lean too much on Jenner as he's been missing close to at least 20 games / season and his style of play is only going to make that worse as he continues to age.

Don't get me wrong, I love Jenner and I think he brings a ton of value. I would just rather him center the 3rd line and we roll 3/4 lines every game. Just because Johnson or Carlsson are on a line with Gaudreau, doesn't mean that line will have the most minutes every night.

To be fair, JEnner had 44 points in 59 games 2 years ago which is a 61pt pace and 45 in 68 last year (54pt pace). I'm not trying to jump into a conversation but while you are correct, he did not break 50 pts, I don't think I would say he isn't a 50+pt level player based on his production. His injury has been an issue and lessening his load would be great. He's certainly capable of player in a 2nd line role and he's paid as a 3rd line plus type player so it all fits.

 

[CBJx614]

To be fair, JEnner had 44 points in 59 games 2 years ago which is a 61pt pace and 45 in 68 last year (54pt pace). I'm not trying to jump into a conversation but while you are correct, he did not break 50 pts, I don't think I would say he isn't a 50+pt level player based on his production. His injury has been an issue and lessening his load would be great. He's certainly capable of player in a 2nd line role and he's paid as a 3rd line plus type player so it all fits.

I agree that he's capable, I just think ideally he's not someone we are relying on to carry a top line workload.