The biggest major addition to the Blue Jackets lineup this summer has flown somewhat under the radar from a league-wide perspective. However, that doesn't mean the pressure is not on Valeri Nichushkin to step into a premier scoring role in Columbus. They need him to do exactly that.
Now that fall is approaching, most of the player movement around the NHL is done. So, we can start to pencil our lineups together, since we know who is going to be where for the new season. If we look at the players signed to play in Columbus, it's not that hard to separate the top-six from the bottom-six up front. Valeri will be part of that top-six.
Two thirds of the top line is slated to return. Of course, this is assuming the team can come to terms with RFA center Adam Fantilli. He will likely be flanked by Kirill Marchenko on one side. But their third amigo is gone, with Mason Marchment having signed a long-term contract to play in San Jose.
At first glance, that top line opening looks poised to be filled by Nichushkin, who comes to town with 627 career NHL games under his belt. He spent his last 7 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, playing as part of a core that won a Stanley Cup in 2022.
Last season, he skated in 72 games with the Avalanche-the second highest number of games played in his career. He scored 17 goals and 49 points, posting a +9 rating and 26 penalty minutes. In total, he's scored 154 goals and 357 points in the regular season.
At 6'4" and 210 pounds, the 31-year-old Nichushkin is one of the fastest players in the entire NHL. Last year, he ranked in the 95th percentile in his top speed recorded, as well as 22+mph bursts. That speed will be a massive upgrade for the top line of the Blue Jackets, which should give them a different look than what they got out of Marchment (sub-50th percentile) last year.
Nichushkin also brings more of an all-around game to the mix. He's going to be more reliable in the defensive zone and transition, using his size and speed to win puck battles and turn the game the other way. With that aside, it's worth noting that there won't be the same pesky attitude that Mush brought last year.
However, outside of those stylistic differences, at their core, there are some similarities. And, I think Nichushkin should be a slight upgrade for this team's top line. His shot chart shows us that he loves to play in the slot, and I can see him being either the net-front man or the bumper position on the top power-play unit.
He's more of a passer than a shooter, which should be a better fit alongside shoot-first guys like Fantilli and Marchenko. Per reports, he's also pretty good friends with Marchenko off the ice, so there should hopefully be some early chemistry here. If Fantilli can take a step forward, this line is lethal on paper.
With that said, they still have to play the games. Games aren't won on paper. So, it needs to work in action. And, as we pointed out yesterday, it needs to work from opening night.
Drive the "Choo-Choo" train.
The Blue Jackets need Valeri Nichushkin to help lead the way offensively. They need him to stay healthy and help drive the top line. While that may be an unfair expectation for a guy who has never truly been a top line producer for long stretches of his career, it's just the fact of the situation he's in.
This team needs him to find that near point-per-game pace that he played at from 2021 into 2025. Only, over 75ish games, not 50-60 games. He's definitely skilled enough, but it's up to him to get there.
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