3. Find a shutdown defense pair.
This is the biggest hole in the lineup, in my opinion. I think there is enough talent up front, if everyone can reset. And, the goaltending can at least hold serve most nights. With that said, a lot of the on-ice issues for the Blue Jackets would be corrected if they had a reliable shutdown defense pair.
This season, Damon Severson found his game and was terrific alongside Zach Werenski. After those two, however, it was a bit of a mess.
Ivan Provorov is reliable at what he does, which is control the puck and skate it out of his own end. He's more than serviceable on the second pairing, but what is lacking here is a partner that can play a heavier game while still being able to keep pace with #9 when he's on the ice. Erik Gudbranson, as tough and experienced as he is, could not do that.
Adding to the group could also complicate things, however; because Denton Mateychuk is also ready for a top-4 role. So, I think the solution is finding two guys who can play with both of these left-shot puck movers, and help this team with its in-zone defending.
Last year, Dante Fabbro was very good for the Jackets. I'm not sure what happened this year, but he was not the same player. I still believe in him, but I don't think we should look at him as a top pairing guy. The key here is finding a middle ground and being consistent in his role, that would make him a good fit paired with either Provorov or Mateychuk.
Again, coaching could make all the difference in that situation. But even so, they need to be hunting for a heavier defenseman who can play responsible top-4 minutes and help the penalty kill. A true shutdown defenseman would filter a few guys down one spot in the lineup, and correct the defense pairings for the Blue Jackets.
We'll see what steps Don Waddell takes to correct all of this in the coming weeks and months.
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