This makes less than zero sense. We’re starting from the point that this makes no sense, and trying to assign sense where there is only nonsense – that is the point of this article.
First, the facts: head coach Pascal Vincent announced on Wednesday that the Columbus Blue Jackets are set to welcome back captain Boone Jenner to the lineup on Friday. To accommodate this move, the Blue Jackets will be moving Adam Fantilli back to the left wing so Jenner can resume his role as number one center.
To be extremely clear – this is an exceptionally poor move. It reeks of a lack of planning and a lack of clear vision for the future. We’ll get into why, but first, some background information.
Boone Jenner broke his jaw on December 9, 2023. He was expected to be out six weeks, so we’re right on the timeline for his return. In his absence, Adam Fantilli took over the role as number one center for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Even before Jenner was hurt, Fantilli had started to take off, but some statistics to back up (all stats from Hockey Reference):
- Since December 1, Adam Fantilli has the most goals and most points among all rookies
- Since December 1, Adam Fantilli has the second most goals and second most points in all situations on the Columbus Blue Jackets
- Adam Fantilli has 14 points at 5v5 since December 1, which leads the Columbus Blue Jackets by three in that time period
- Fantilli leads the team in 5v5 goals since 12/1
- Hat tip to DarkNStormy for this stat, but Fantilli has double the 5v5 points since 12/1 that Johnny Gaudreau has
- In his last 5 games, he has increased his faceoff percentage to 45.45%
- Fantilli has shouldered 17:30 per night in January
The switch has clearly flipped For Fantilli, and this is the part of the season where, on most other teams, you’d allow the high end prospect to take the next step. This is a lost season. Per Dom’s model, this team has a 0% chance at the playoffs and the Jackets are expected to finish the season with 72 points. There is, is quite literally, nothing to play for this season. This team is not going to make the playoffs, they’re in the running for a top five lottery pick yet again, and the best thing the team could do for the future of the franchise is play Fantilli in all situations to get him experience for games that matter.
And yet, there is a shadow looming over this team – the General Manager said the playoffs are a possibility, the owner in the preseason said that “all goals are on the table and achievable,” and the head coach has shown a lack of ability to build consistent line chemistry thanks in part to an over-reliance on veteran players playing outsized roles.
We return now, of course, to Boone Jenner taking Adam Fantilli’s spot. Let this be clear – Jenner has not earned that spot this season. He has scored goals, but he has the same number of even strength goals on the year as Fantilli (10 apiece). But Fantilli contributes in other ways: Fantilli has 23 even strength points, the same number as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Vladimir Tarasenko. Cole Sillinger has 16 even strength points this year. Boone Jenner has 14, the same number as Ridly Greig (a real person on an NHL roster, I promise).
Even more important than Jenner not earning the spot, Fantilli has done NOTHING to lose the spot in Jenner’s absence. He’s been the best player on the roster by a not-insignificant margin. The only explanation for this – because this is not reflective of actual on-ice play – is that there remains an edict from the front office to play the veterans over the kids regardless of role or natural position, or that Pascal Vincent does not know how to manage the roster.
The Jackets are playing Daniil Tarasov in an outsized stretch in this lost season to see if he can handle the load (even at the detriment of the morale of Elvis Merzlikins). Is there a reason, any logic, or a plan as to why that does not apply to the forwards? Boone Jenner is not a long-term part of this team, certainly not in a top six role. He’s not a significant part of the roster when this team is likely ready to win. So why not use this same lost season to get Fantilli minutes and usage when the results absolutely do not matter?
Finally, in closing, I’d like to highlight this tweet:
What, exactly, are we doing here?