In his first month with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Artemi Panarin has already become one of the team’s top offensive pieces. In 12 games, Panarin leads the Jackets with 10 points – one goal and nine assists. Panarin’s skill is evident not only in his own play but in the influence he has already had on the rest of the Jackets roster as well.
Artemi Panarin Bringing Skill to Columbus
Though coach John Tortorella is infamous for playing mix-and-match with his offensive lines, Panarin never seems to stray from his first line position. Already this season, Panarin has found himself playing alongside Alexander Wennberg, Cam Atkinson, Nick Foligno and Josh Anderson. No matter his linemates, Panarin has managed to find his way onto the scoresheet.
Influencing the Offense
Despite only having one goal so far, Panarin has been a catalyst for Jackets goalscoring. The way Panarin has worked with his ever-changing linemates shows that it does not take help from players like Patrick Kane for him to shine. Here, Panarin makes a slick pass to Foligno to beat goaltender Jonathan Quick:
ICYMI: @NickFoligno scored our first goal tonight#CBJ https://t.co/356HPnWj3i
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 21, 2017
In his past two NHL seasons, both with the Chicago Blackhawks, Panarin passed the 70-point mark. He seems poised to do it again this season and to help his teammates rack up points along the way. And with chances like this, Panarin is bound to start collecting goals soon.
Reviving the Powerplay
Panarin may also be key to solving Columbus early powerplay woes. The Jackets currently hold the worst powerplay percentage in the NHL at just 08.6%, scoring only three goals in 35 powerplay opportunities. Of those three goals, Panarin assisted on two of them. Panarin is already averaging a 3:13 time on ice while on the powerplay, tying him with Zach Werenski for the team lead.
In the off-season, Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen called Panarin “one of the best powerplay players there is in the NHL.” Panarin collected 17 powerplay points in the 2016-17 season, second among Chicago skaters on the man advantage. If Panarin can replicate his powerplay success of past seasons, it would provide a huge boost for one of the Blue Jackets biggest weaknesses.
Lack of Goals Not a Concern
With only one goal through 12 games, some still may worry about Panarin’s offensive production. It can be difficult not to compare Panarin to Brandon Saad, who had an explosive start to the season. Saad opened the season with six goals in 12 games, including a hat trick.
However, fans should remember why Kekalainen made the trade for Panarin in the first place. The Jackets struggled to produce goals at the end of the 2016-17 season and into the playoffs. Though Panarin is not putting the puck in the net himself, he is clearly making it easier for the rest of the team. The Jackets have scored 36 goals so far this season with a goal differential of plus-7. Columbus also had the best October in franchise history, with 16 points and an 8-4-0 record.
If his past two NHL seasons are any indication, the goals will come for Panarin. Until then, there should be no concern about his offensive production. Panarin has been a positive influence on his teammates and has encouraged scoring, and should be an integral part of the Blue Jackets system for years to come.
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