Columbus Blue Jackets: Nick Foligno’s Bounce Back Year Continues Trend
The trend of poor season followed by breakout season continues for the Columbus Blue Jackets captain.
Sports are weird. Especially sports played with a frozen piece of rubber on ice. Odd bounces and peculiar ricochets create wild situations and amazing plays. But over 82 games, trends reveal themselves. One of the more consistent trends has been around Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno and his on-then-off scoring seasons.
The 2017-2018 wasn’t a great performance from the captain. Spending most of the season bouncing between playing center and wing didn’t lead to the scoring numbers that Nick is used to. He only had 33 points in 72 games last year.
But the season before that, Foligno was on fire scoring 26 goals and 25 assist in 79 games in the 16-17 campaign.
In the 2015-2016 season, he underperformed again with 37 points in 72 games. The trend really starts in the 14-15 year when Foligno dominated the year with 73 points in 79 games. That year Nick had a career high 31 goals.
But the trend clearly is there. In seasons that start off in even years, Foligno really shows up and scores at a great rate. Seasons that start in odd years though, not the best.
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Foligno is off to a great start this even year with five points in seven games. This is an “on-year” for Foligno and it is looking like he will continue the trend. If history is any indication, Foligno will break the 50 point mark and play exactly 79 games this season.
Right now Nick is on pace for 58 points over 82 games but for some reason on the “on-years” Nick misses three games. So in a 79 game season, Foligno is on pace to score 56 points, an impressive point total for the 30-year-old captain.
Four of the five points Foligno has racked up have come at even strength which is a great sign. In Foligno’s previous “on-years”, 39% of his scoring came on the power play.
The Jackets power play has been notably poor so far this year, as is tradition. If the Jackets can get any sort of success on the power play (crazy I know but stick with me), Foligno could cruise past 60 points this season.
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The trend of up and down season’s is seemingly set to continue this year for Nick Foligno. Great news for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they need more scoring this year to keep up with the rest of the NHL.