Sep 17, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner (38) and Buffalo Sabres center
Mikhail Grigorenko(25) faceoff during the first period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
The Columbus Blue Jackets have a problem on their hands, and it’s a problem that is something new to this team. They have too many good players, and not enough spots on the big club to accommodate all of them.
You can make an argument that all 12 of the forward spots going into the season are already filled, with the players that finished out last season’s amazing run, sans Vinny Prospal. Then you have to think once Nathan Horton is healthy he will garner one of those 12 spots, you aren’t paying a player $37.1 Million dollars over 7 years to sit in the press box, unless he is completely awful.
Then, there is the case of a young gentleman by the name of Boone Jenner. I have been on record saying that I felt Boone would be best suited starting in the AHL with Springfield, that was before The Traverse City Tournament, where he lead the team in scoring, and the preseason started. Boone is doing his best to prove he belongs in the NHL now, at the start of the season, not a call up later on down the road. He is making believers out of everybody that sees his play, Columbus Blue Jacket fans, his teammates, and maybe most importantly, his head coach Todd Richards. Here are a couple of tweets that prove he is causing some people to turn their heads, and take notice of his talent.
First one comes courtesy of the Blue Jackets official team site, and is a quote from Todd Richards….
Todd Richards: "Boone Jenner made himself noticeable on the ice. He battled. He competed. He gave it everything he had tonight." #CBJ
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) September 18, 2013
The next one is from Dispatch beat writer for the Blue Jackets Aaron Portzline, it is a quote from Brandon Dubinsky….
First words from #CBJ C Brandon Dubinsky on Boone Jenner: "That guy works his (friggin' butt) off." #cantprintrealquote #fccviolation
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) September 19, 2013
If Boone can keep this up throughout the rest of the preseason he may just earn himself a spot on the big club. His stats through 2 games this preseason are, 39:46 TOI, 8 shots, 6 hits, 1 goal, 1 assist, and a +2 rating. Those stats came in back to back games against the Buffalo Sabres and the Carolina Hurricanes. The Carolina game was his breakout game, as he did all of his scoring during that tilt. Boone has another chance to impress tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and if he continues where he left off, he is going to make Todd Richards job that much harder.
I am in the boat that has Jenner starting in Springfield, for the pure fact I feel we have a quality team without him. Boone could make me flip my position and jump ship and swim over to the S.S Jenner, if he continues his brilliant play like he has done up to this point. I guess we will have to wait until tonight, to see how he comes out and if he can continue to impress and push for a spot on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
What do you guys and gals think? Is Boone gonna make the Blue Jackets to start the season? Or will he be sent down to Springfield with one of the final cuts of the preseason?