The Blue Jackets have gotten four goals from their only trade deadline pickup-all in the last two games. But aside from the scoring, Conor Garland has brought traits that have balanced out the top three lines for his new team.
A lot of the struggles for this team have come when they have not gotten secondary scoring. We spoke on that recently, pointing out that when a second line finds offense, this team usually wins games.
Let's be honest here: up until last week, this team was big, heavy, and a little bit slow. They want to play faster, and the personnel just wasn't lining up for that. There was still a hole on their second line. Maybe even two holes, depending on how you felt about Kent Johnson.
All of that has changed with the addition of Conor Garland. He's a vastly different archetype than the other guys Don Waddell has brought into the fold. Suddenly, this team has more than one scoring line at its disposal.
Each line brings something different to the mix.
For most of the season, the Blue Jackets have been able to rely on their top line to provide some offense. It has been streaky at times, but that happens to every line. Lately, Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko have had something special going on.
In their last three games, those two have combined for 3 goals and 8 points. Two of those games were with Mason Marchment, while last night, Cole Sillinger joined them. Of course, we have to point out that two of those goals have come on the power-play. Either way, they are scoring.
But, maybe more importantly: at 5 on 5, they have controlled the pace of the game. Last night for example, that top line posted and xGF% of nearly 60%, per MoneyPuck. Meanwhile, it's the second line that has seen the biggest transformation.
Since joining the team, Conor Garland has been on the right wing, opposite Kent Johnson and with Sean Monahan down the middle. For a team whose identity was becoming big and physical, this trio has given them a different look: a quicker skill line that can drive offense.
This line has an xGF% of 74.2% in three games-which includes a whopping 98.1%(!) last night. They have given the Blue Jackets a second offensive line that makes the opposition have to think about who they want to match up against.
The results speaks for themselves. The trio has matched the production of the first line over the last three games, with 4 goals and 8 points. That's exactly what they needed.
Last night, the team was able to lock down the lead they built, rolling all four lines en-route to a big win on the road. That's at least in part because they did not have to lean on the Charlie Coyle line to bring offense.
That's the team's "identity" line, and they brought that identity last night. They were poised, smart, and strong in all three zones. Adding to that, the fourth line was able to do the exact same thing.
The addition of Garland has taken some of the offensive load off of the rest of the team, and it's showing in a big way. There is one other impact we need to touch on here, and it could be the biggest impact Garland makes.
Has Conor Garland helped unlock Kent Johnson?
Sometimes, it's not about adding the very best possible player you can at the deadline. More importantly, it's about finding guys who fit into your group and bring the traits you need to improve those around them.
With this acquisition, Don Waddell has added something the Blue Jackets didn't really have: someone who could play a higher IQ offensive game complimentary to Kent Johnson. The two have instant chemistry, and it really showed last night in particular.
Hopefully, that chemistry continues, because unlocking Kent Johnson would be huge for this team as it looks to take the next step.