What will the fourth line look like?
There seems to generally be a top-six that makes sense, especially if the Blue Jackets want to keep the Sillinger-Coyle-Olivier line intact, which turned out to be arguably one of the best third lines in hockey last season.
That leaves what I believe to be six players that all could reasonably be slotted into the fourth line, with a total spread of experience among them.
One player in a bit of a weird spot is Dmitri Voronkov. I won't deny that there's an argument to be made for him to be in the top-nine, but with Rick Bowness scratching him late in the season, and a desire to keep the aforementioned third line together, I see him more in this conversation.
The 6'5, 235-pound Russian actually led all Blue Jackets forwards in relative expected goals percentage with 6.5%, meaning the team was that much more likely to outscore their opponents with him on the ice.
His size and physicality also make him a natural fit for a physical checking role, although he still scored at a half-point-per-game pace last year with 32 in 63 games. With size and numbers like those, it's hard to imagine Voronkov not being in the lineup on a regular basis, and he should have the opportunity to prove just that.
Then you have Ryan Lomberg, who the Blue Jackets signed this offseason, just adds another piece to this puzzle. He only scored 9 points in 57 games with the Calgary Flames last year, and didn't have great analytics.
Although he seems like a great personality both for the locker room and the community, I'm just not sure he brings enough to the table to warrant a spot over any of the other guys in this battle, but Columbus clearly saw something when they decided to bring him in, so it's tough to say for sure.
Then you have Miles Wood and Danton Heinen, two guys who joined the Blue Jackets last season and played in a bottom-six role. Heinen performed much better than Wood analytically, but the latter's speed brings an intriguing element to a line that could otherwise be a bit slow.
I personally like Heinen as a consistent two-way presence to make up for the loss of Isac Lundestrom (who will only be another player in the mix when he returns), but a solid performance from either of these guys combined with solid experience could be enough to secure a spot in the lineup.
Finally, you have Luca Del Bel Belluz and Mikael Pyyhtia, two younger players who are seemingly too good for the AHL, but have an uphill battle to make the opening night roster.
Del Bel Belluz has been an AHL All-Star each of the last two years with 111 points in 116 games while playing as a center, something that few (if any) of the other players mentioned have been able to consistently do.
Pyyhtia had a breakout season after finally getting consistent ice time in one league, as he scored 49 points last year with the Monsters. His intelligence and defense are still the anchors of his game, but he proved that he can be a legitimate threat on both ends of the ice.
There is a concern about his size holding up in the NHL, as he is just six feet tall and 175 pounds, although it hasn't been an issue during his time with the Blue Jackets up to this point.
With all of this in mind, there are so many different combinations that could end up being the fourth line on opening night. Whether the coaching staff prefers youth, experience, size, skill, or anything else, they can build the fourth line that combines those factors however they want.
It might even be interesting to see how the Blue Jackets manage the players not in the lineup, as carrying three goalies or eight defensemen may not totally be out of the question.
Regardless, there will be a lot of storylines to follow in training camp, and with just four preseason games this time around, each player I mentioned may have to be at their absolute best if they want a chance to make the roster.
Add us as a preferred source on Google