After a series of trades deposited him in Raleigh this past season, offensive defenseman James Wisniewski looked to make a new start as a part of a young, talented Carolina Hurricanes defensive corps. Then, just 47 seconds into his first shift with the club, Wisniewski tore his ACL and found himself sidelined for the remainder of the season. As a result, the Hurricanes decided to buy out his contract on June 30, sending him into free agency once more.
With his future in professional hockey unsure, Wisniewski returned to his home in Columbus and continued his recovery, working with trainers and coaches and skating in the Columbus Blue Jackets training rink. Despite not knowing when, or if, a team would offer him a contract, he has remained focused and worked hard to come back from an injury that has the potential to end a career at the age of 32. And if one thing is clear in all this, it’s that he does want to come back. The question remains then: Who will sign Wisniewski?
Wiz on the ice this morning with coach Lee Harris. https://t.co/EwRJXMFoGv
— James Wisniewski (@jameswisniewski) July 1, 2016
Columbus Blue Jackets Could Benefit From Wisniewski
If the Blue Jackets faithful know anything about hockey, it’s that defense matters, and that the lack of a good defense costs an organization points. Lots of them. And for a team that is looking to turn the page and take a step into the realm of contending, a strong defensive core would do wonders.
This fact has not escaped the management team of the Blue Jackets, and the acquisition of future star Seth Jones at the expense of elite center Ryan Johansen proves that they are making defensive strength a priority moving forward.
The main issue with the Jackets defensive roster right now is also its biggest strength: Youth. For a team whose likely first pairing for the coming season has an average age of 21.5 and whose only other elite prospect is celebrating his 19th birthday this month, veteran presence could be a massive boost. Yes, Jack Johnson is nearing 30, and yes David Savard is 25, but Johnson is coming off of an embarrassingly bad year and Savard is still figuring out his role on the club.
Fifth Liners will argue, as they like to do, that youth should be promoted rather than pursuing an aging defenseman like Wisniewski, and there are valid points to be made in that regard. On the other hand, a look around the defensive prospect pool isn’t an encouraging undertaking. Apart from Zach Werenski, who is undoubtedly ascending, very few players pop out as NHL-ready or anywhere close.
Why Wisniewski?
With that said, there remains a genuine upside to bringing Wisniewski back into the fold, especially on an abbreviated and inexpensive basis. Adding an offensive defenseman with the passing ability and intelligence to quarterback the powerplay can be a sound investment, especially if he agrees to a one- or two-year deal for near league minimum.
Despite his age, Wisniewski remains an intelligent, incisive passer, and his powerplay numbers over the years attest to his ability to pick out the open skater quickly and effectively. During the Blue Jackets push for the playoffs in the 2013-2014 season, he played a key role defensively and offensively, tallying an impressive 51 points in 75 games, 29 of which came on the powerplay.
In his previous tenure with the Jackets, he accounted for 121 points in 206 games, coming out to an average of 48 per 82 games played. While it’s unrealistic to expect a recreation of these sorts of numbers, adding even 20 points per season could provide a massive boost from the blueline.
Perhaps most importantly of all, Wisniewski could act as a mentor and role model for those young defensive players in which the organization has put so much stock. Under his tutelage, Werenski, Jones, Murray, and even Savard could learn ways to improve their game both offensively and defensively.
Essentially, signing Wisniewski to a short contract has the potential to act as a stopgap measure, providing the team with solid defending and a more potent offense while simultaneously helping the young blue liners develop to their full potential. If he’s ready and willing to play, the Blue Jackets ought to give him that shot. There might just be some magic left in those old bones (and tendons) yet.
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