Columbus Blue Jackets December 2018 Schedule Analysis
Week Two: December 10th-16th
The six game home stand continues in week two with three matchups against Pacific Division squads. All three will have a hard time making the playoffs and are good point opportunities for the Jackets.
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On Tuesday, December 11th the Jackets host the Vancouver Canucks. A team that has found itself at the bottom of the division for years finally has some hope in the names of Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, and a rookie that is the clear favorite to win the Calder Trophy, Elias Pettersson.
The 19-year-old Swede dominated the SHL last year and already has made several NHLers look foolish with his insane stick handling and finishing ability. Petterson is worth the price of admission. Go see this kid when the Canucks come through the Heartland.
The Jackets also host Pacific division squads on Thursday and Saturday. The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks both come to Nationwide within a few nights of each other and the similarities between the two teams go far beyond both of them calling Southern California home.
Both are older, slower, teams that added, slower and older players in the offseason. It hasn’t hampered either as they both made the playoffs last year but this seems like the year where their style catches up to them.
Both of them are also backstopped by underrated goalies. Jonathan Quick and Josh Gibson are two of the best, if not the best, in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles added Ilya Kovalchuk in the offseason so you’ve got that to look forward to. The Anaheim Ducks will be without their star center Corey Perry as he suffered what seems to be a season ending injury.