Jenner closing on return as Blue Jackets fight for playoff spot
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The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to fight for a playoff spot despite the low expectations for the team entering the season and it appears they are about to get a boost.
Columbus has earned their 24-19-5 record without the services of captain Boone Jenner, who is now closing on a return from shoulder surgery in the preseason.
Jenner skated with the Blue Jackets for the first time on Saturday and general manager Don Waddell told The Athletic that the 31-year-old centre is expected to practise on Tuesday and Wednesday in a non-contact jersey.
“To have his presence and his leadership … and I mean that on the ice,” head coach Dean Evason said. “He’s been in there (the dressing room) the whole time. He’s talking to guys, he’s in our meetings, he’s led in the way he’s had to, and has remained a huge part of our hockey team.”
His impending return comes just after the Blue Jackets received bad news on fellow veteran centre Sean Monahan. Sidelined since Jan. 7, the team announced Sunday that Monahan is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks due to his wrist injury. The 30-year-old has 14 goals and 41 points in 41 games this season.
Jenner posted 22 goals and 35 points in 58 games last season, missing significant time due to a broken jaw. He's topped the 20-goal mark in each of the previous three seasons.
Blue Jackets fighting to end playoff drought
The Blue Jackets sit tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final wild-card spot entering play Tuesday and are just a point back of the Boston Bruins for the top wild-card spot with a game in hand.
Columbus was widely expected to be a lottery team in the off-season and then suffered the tragic loss of forward Johnny Gaudreau.
With an NHL-low $69.25 million in salary on their roster, the Blue Jackets have been buoyed by improvements from Kirill Marchenko (20 goals, 53 points in 50 games), Dmitri Voronkov (18 goals, 33 points in 41 games), Kent Johnson (14 goals, 31 points in 36 games) and Adam Fantilli (14 goals, 28 points in 50 games).
Defenceman Zach Werenski leads the team in scoring with 16 goals and 54 points in 50 games while averaging an NHL-high 26:47 of ice time per game.
“The young guys have all taken that step this year,” Jenner said, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. “That’s huge for us. It takes a couple of years to find yourself in this league, and you’ve seen guys really find themselves and become the players they’ve envisioned.
“[Werenski] has been the backbone for us. He’s gone through a lot [with injuries, too], and to see him playing like this … he’s an elite defenceman and we’re lucky to have him.”
Columbus has missed the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, last reaching the playoffs in 2020 via the play-in round.