Bold prediction #4: Kirill Marchenko leads the league in plus/minus, and winds up in the Selke Trophy conversation.
Part of the reason for optimism in Columbus is the emergence of some of their young stars last season. At the very top of that list is Kirill Marchenko, who established himself as one of the better two-way wingers in the NHL. Mike Stump predicts Kirill will lead the league in plus/minus, and I'll add that this would earn him Selke Trophy love.
Marchy scored 31 goals and 74 points in 79 games, while adding a +29 rating that had him inside the top-20 league wide in that category. He achieved that feat for a team that finished with an exactly even goal differential on the season.
Any improvement from the Blue Jackets, could vault Kirill right up the list in plus/minus, which might be enough to earn more attention to his overall game, and some of those Selke Trophy votes. If you watched the games last season, you're well aware of just how good he was.
He not only drove the offense for the top line; he was a smart, hard worker on the defensive side of the puck as well. In my opinion, it's this facet of his game that has thrust him firmly into the conversation as a long-term fit on the top line for this team.
Skill guys are expected to produce offense, and Marchenko did that to the tune of a near point-per-game average last year. But, they are often not expected to be one of the better two-way forwards on the team. Especially not when playing on the top line.
Marchy drove the top line while posting a 58% CORSI rating, and achieving a 66.7% on ice goal differential. The best way to explain this might be stating the fact that the team scored 58 more goals than they allowed with #86 on the ice last season. That's pretty good.
Any improvement from the Blue Jackets as a team, should help Marchenko even further improve in the plus/minus category. And, despite the fact that most of us don't really like that stat as a barometer for overall play, that would help him in the Selke Trophy voting.
How about some offense? Our last bold prediction is very optimistic.