The Blue Jackets’ blue line needs help now, and Guillaume Richard looks like the obvious answer.
Columbus is already dealing with Ivan Provorov being out longer term than what was initially expected, while Jake Christiansen has been rough again this season, sitting at zero points, a -2 rating, and a 12th-percentile net game impact per HockeyStatCards. Carson Soucy has also been struggling lately, and Emil Andrae has been parked the last few nights.
Meanwhile, Zach Werenski, Damon Severson, and Denton Mateychuk continue to be what the CBJ need in their top three, and Erik Gudbranson has mostly been what the Jackets need him to be. The problem is everything around them. The rotating cast in the bottom four has not been good enough, and it has been especially ugly on special teams.
Columbus is third to last in goals against on the penalty kill in the NHL with 7, and also third to last in power-play goals for with 2. For a team that leans so hard on its defense to both prevent chances and generate offense, those numbers are simply not good enough.
That is why Richard keeps coming up in this conversation.
In 96 games with Cleveland across the regular season and playoffs, Richard has posted 14 goals, 16 assists, 30 points and a +28 rating, while taking only 45 penalty minutes. That kind of plus/minus jumps off the page for a player averaging around 0.30 points per game, but the stat lines up with what he brings shift to shift.
Richard has a well-rounded defensive game. He has a fairly big frame, but the real value is how he uses it - boxing out, holding off rushes, and staying composed in difficult spots.
His stick work is sharp, and he seems to live in passing lanes. He also handles zone exits well and rarely hands over bad turnovers.
His hockey sense stands out, too. The comparison that comes to mind is Zach Werenski, not because Richard plays like an 80-point defenseman, but because he consistently makes the right reads when the situation demands it.
He also has a lot of the qualities of a young David Savard: not overly physical, but strong in the defensive zone, good at clogging shooting and passing lanes, and reliable in the details of defense and exits.
At this point, the case is straightforward. Columbus has a need, and Richard has shown he can fill it.
There are no excuses left. It’s time to call up Guillaume Richard.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Culture Reset Is Already Becoming An Accountability Debate
Rick Bowness came back behind the Blue Jackets bench for his first full season with hopes of bringing structure and sharper habits, but early results have not shown much of a reset. Through the first five games, the team has still been too loose with penalties and too uneven in its overall play, a familiar problem for a roster trying to take a real step forward. After losses, Bowness has not hidden his frustration, which has only made the conversation around the team feel more urgent.
What makes the situation more complicated is the leadership vacuum around him. Columbus is still operating without a captain, and the lack of a clear voice on the ice has left Bowness trying to supply accountability from the bench instead. The question now is whether repeated public criticism can actually sharpen the group or whether the message is landing without producing the kind of response the team needs. [Read more 🡒]
Carson Soucys Blue Jackets Role Suddenly Looks Far Less Secure
Carson Soucys first stretch with the Blue Jackets has not gone the way anyone in Columbus hoped, and the early returns have made his place in the lineup feel much less certain. Through his first five games, he has had trouble finding his footing, and the roughest moment came against Florida when a mistake directly helped turn the game against his team.
With injuries still thinning the blue line, Columbus is not exactly overflowing with easy answers, but there are alternatives worth considering. Emil Andrae and Guillaume Richard both profile as options who could give the Jackets a steadier look, and after Soucys recent run of uneven play, there is a real case for keeping him out of the lineup when New York comes to town. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets May Have Found One Line They Can't Afford To Disrupt
Through five games of a 2-3-0 start, the Blue Jackets have already settled on one trio that looks like more than a temporary fix. Their third line, built around Cole Sillinger and Charlie Coyle and used together in four of those games, has given Rick Bowness something he can trust beyond the top six. Sillinger has talked openly about the chemistry and the groups ability to handle the defensive side of the puck, and that matters for a team still sorting out its identity early in the season.
Coyle has fit the role especially well since signing a six-year extension, piling up five assists in five games while giving the line a steady two-way base. The numbers back up what the eye test is suggesting, too, with the trio driving play at a level few lines around the league can match when it comes to expected goals rate. For a club looking for stability, the question now is less about whether the line works and more about how long Columbus can afford to leave it alone. [Read more 🡒]