The Columbus Blue Jackets are chasing goals, and Monday’s practice brought the kind of lineup shakeup that usually comes when a coach is looking for a spark.
Through 12 games, Columbus has only seven players with at least two goals and sits last in the NHL with 29 team goals. That’s the backdrop for Rick Bowness moving pieces around ahead of tonight’s matchup with the Colorado Avalanche, with the hope that a different mix can get the offense moving again.
One of the biggest changes sends Matthew Knies back onto the line he opened the season with alongside Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson. That trio gives the Blue Jackets a look they’ve already seen work, especially with Johnson and Fantilli driving the attack.
Johnson leads the team with seven goals and five assists, while Fantilli has been right there with him as the two have combined for 11 goals. Together, they’ve been the most dangerous part of Columbus’ offense.
The team’s young core has done a lot of the heavy lifting so far. Johnson, Fantilli, Denton Mateychuk, and Cole Sillinger have accounted for 18 of the Blue Jackets’ 29 goals, which works out to 62%. That’s a big chunk of the scoring load for a group still trying to drag the rest of the lineup along.
Knies, meanwhile, gets another chance to rediscover the form he showed on opening night, when he scored twice on the top line. He hasn’t been able to recreate that production with other combinations, but now he’s back in a spot where the Blue Jackets are clearly hoping he can provide more punch.
The most notable promotion belongs to Luca Del Bel Belluz, who is finally getting a top-six opportunity. He’ll center Valeri Nichushkin and Conor Garland, taking Sean Monahan’s place on the second line. It’s a significant step for Del Bel Belluz, whose game has been viewed as a better fit higher in the lineup than in a bottom-six role.
Del Bel Belluz said he’s looking forward to the chance.
“I think it’ll be good. Val is a very powerful forward, obviously playing against his old team tonight, so he’s going to have hopefully some extra jump.
He is someone I have watched a lot and practiced in the games, and someone I am excited to play with,” said Del Bel Belluz. “Gar, he’s kind of smaller size, but really skilled and really fast, and makes a lot of great plays, so I am definitely excited to play with him as well.”
He’s long been a scorer at the junior and AHL levels, but that kind of breakthrough has not fully carried over yet in the NHL. Tonight gives him a real chance to make an impression with better talent around him.
Garland could use the help, too. He has bounced between the second and fourth lines and has not found any consistency, going without a point in the first 12 games. His pointless streak now reaches 20 games dating back to last season, and he also has a 26-game goal drought.
Monahan’s move down to fourth-line center is another sign of how much Columbus is trying to rework its attack. Even so, Bowness made it clear Monahan still matters to the plan. His defensive value, faceoff work, forechecking, and shot-blocking ability remain important pieces for the Blue Jackets, even if he’s not in the same spot on the lineup card.
The need for a better offensive night is obvious after Columbus managed just one goal against the Dallas Stars. The Blue Jackets are also trying to bounce back against a Colorado team that comes in after a win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Mackenzie Blackwood is expected in goal for the Avalanche, and Columbus will need to find a way to create enough pressure to cash in.
The challenge is real. Colorado brings threats like Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, but the Blue Jackets are hoping their speed and size can help them push the pace and wear the Avalanche down. Bowness is looking for fresh legs to make a difference, especially after Columbus didn’t meet expectations the last time it faced a team on a back-to-back.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. at Nationwide Arena, with the Blue Jackets opening a two-game homestand before returning to Columbus for a three-game homestand next week.
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