Is the Columbus Blue Jackets Coaching Really to Blame for Struggles?
By William Espy
Brad Larsen has been getting a lot of blame for the Columbus Blue Jackets struggles.
While it’s time for the Columbus Blue Jackets to certainly make some changes, especially on special teams, the question remains who exactly is to blame?
Brad Larsen has taken a lot of the blame for the struggles on special teams, however there becomes a certain point when it has to be asked if the players are the issue and not the coaching staff.
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The power play has been abysmal to start the season, that fact simply can’t be denied. The penalty kill is among the worst in the league as well. Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets are eleventh in the NHL for goals for but 25th in goals against only an eight goal difference between Columbus and Chicago for the most in the league.
The biggest issue seems to be a hesitance to change things up on the power play and an over reliance on offensive defensemen on the penalty kill. As odd as it is to say, Seth Jones and Zach Werenski aren’t the best options to have on the ice while shorthanded. They tend to take too many chances which can lead to defensive zone turnovers or sloppy play, they’re by definition: offensive defensemen.
The issue is, Markus Nutivaara has the same problem. This leaves the Blue Jackets with three solid defensive options. Ryan Murray, David Savard and the rotating sixth defenseman slot are the only true options for a penalty kill. The Blue Jackets need a shut down defenseman, which is something they haven’t had in a few years and they refuse to acquire one for whatever reason.
On the powerplay, players like Oliver Bjorkstrand get more ice time than Josh Anderson who is one of the team’s leading scorers.
If the Blue Jackets are going to succeed at special teams, they need to get a rotation of players in and out of the power play and penalty kill. If a player is struggling defensively, replace them on the penalty kill. If a player is getting a lot of scoring chances and creating opportunities, make sure they’re on the power play even if it’s just temporarily.
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The problem with the Blue Jackets special teams isn’t necessarily entirely on the coaches, but a mix of both the players and the coaching staff’s hesitance to make changes.