The Columbus Blue Jackets have a large amount of talent inside their potential top six forwards, however a large portion of them are fairly small compared to the rest of the league. Could a top six power forward be just what the team needs?
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had plenty of trade rumors this offseason, most of which have been based around Matt Duchene. But if Pierre-Luc Dubois has a good enough training camp to make the team, then Duchene would likely be used as a speedy winger, which the team is full of.
The first line would likely be Panarin-Wennberg-Atkinson, but this line would have trouble against any type of rough play due to every player lacking physicality.
James Neal would not be a superstar acquisition by any means and he’s actually already moved once this season. It’s no surprise that the Golden Knights will likely be far from contending, and with Neal’s upcoming UFA status it would be logical to maximize the return by giving a team a full season with him.
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Enter the Columbus Blue Jackets. James Neal is known to be a physical, and occasionally dirty player, but he is skilled. In terms of trading assets required, Neal would be much cheaper than Duchene although they had the same amount of points (41) last season.
Columbus Blue Jackets
With the subtraction of Scott Hartnell and the future of Josh Anderson currently unknown, the Jackets need a guaranteed physical presence to start the season. Brandon Dubinsky, Nick Foligno and Boone Jenner will certainly provide some physicality, however it would be best to keep the leadership group out of the penalty box as much as possible.
Another potential benefit would be Neal’s familiarity with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins have constantly been a thorn in the side of the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Neal spent three and a half years playing and practicing daily with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby on the Penguins. This means that he certainly saw some of their weaknesses, which could provide some extra information for John Tortorella’s strategy against them.
Neal’s pending free agency may also work out as a benefit for the Blue Jackets as well. Not only will it decrease his trade value, but it will also allow for more flexibility when it comes to signing Cam Atkinson to an extension this upcoming offseason. Neal may not be the player he was in the 2011-2012 season when he scored 40 goals for the Penguins, but he is still good for 25-30+ goals if he stays healthy for a full season.
Line Projections
Currently I expect the following top six to start the year:
Panarin-Wennberg-Atkinson
Jenner-Dubinsky-Bjorkstrand
The addition of Neal would allow Atkinson to slide to the second line with Jenner and Dubinsky, then Bjorkstrand would then drop to the third line with Foligno and Dubois (assuming he makes the team). Neal would be a rental, but he would allow for increased depth while players, most notably Vitaly Abramov, continue to develop. For those who prefer a visual layout of the lines, the top six with Neal would probably look something like this:
Panarin-Wennberg-Neal
Jenner-Dubinsky-Atkinson
James Neal might not be a superstar who’s acquisition would instantly get fans excited for the upcoming Columbus Blue Jackets season, however he would be a great role player to add. Even if a top line role doesn’t work out, his style of play would translate well to any line on the team.