Dean Kukan and Adam Clendening
Dean Kukan and Adam Clendening have only played a combined 10 games but it hasn’t been good for either of them. The fact that either of them haven’t shown enough to take some ice time away from Scott Harrington shows that they have a long way to go in Coach Tortorella’s mind.
Kukan in six games has looked shaky and uncertain. He is a half step behind and made some rough plays in his own end. Kukan only has three shots in six games with no points to his name yet.
Clendening, who I thought had a great preseason, has yet to show it during the regular season. He has only played in four games for the Jackets, all of them early in the season while Jones was out. Clendening is now in Cleveland with the Monsters and was looked over when the Jackets recently called up a defenseman from the AHL. I think we have seen the last of Clendening in union blue.
Overall the blue line has been solid. The weak point has been, surprisingly Zach Werenski, who will turn it around this year.
The Jackets overall have to be happy with the play of the defense and I have no doubt they will continue to get better. It certainly helps when you have Bob behind you to bail you out, but overall, this unit is one of the brighter units in the Eastern Conference.