Columbus Blue Jackets: Oliver Bjorkstrand Needs to be Better
By William Espy
Oliver Bjorkstrand has been one of the most disappointing players for the Columbus Blue Jackets to start the season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a couple disappointing players to start the season, but none has been more disappointing than Oliver Bjorkstrand for multiple reasons.
Bjorkstrand is the type of player people hope succeed, he’s been an underdog most of his career because of his size and background. It seemed as if he was set to have his breakout season this year, but it seems as if that’ll have to wait until next year at the earliest.
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The Danish forward had a 40 point season last year, but through 13 games this season he’s only scored a single goal and has a total of three points. The fact that Scott Harrington has more points as a bottom pairing defenseman than Bjorkstrand is certainly concerning.
Two of the other most disappointing players have been punished for it by either being a healthy scratch (Lukas Sedlak) or by being sent down to the Cleveland Monsters (Sonny Milano). Out of those three, Milano is likely the second most disappointing skater on the Blue Jackets as a result of his long time status as a top prospect which seems to be sizzling out.
Boone Jenner is in a similar situation as Bjorkstrand, however he tends to get a pass as a result of his past NHL level successes whether it’s fair or not. Bjorkstrand has large amounts of potential and he needs to reach it soon, otherwise it may end up going to waste like a large amount of Blue Jackets before him.
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The Columbus Blue Jackets have reached a point where they can no longer afford to keep icing under-performers for the first time in history. They have enough depth to replace those who don’t succeed and hopefully Bjorkstrand isn’t one of the next to sizzle out.