While off to a promising start, the Columbus Blue Jackets have yet to see the same explosive offense that propelled them to the top of the league last season. One noticeable decline has been the performance of Cam Atkinson. Atkinson’s struggles are reflective of the Jackets recent scoring difficulties, and getting his season on track will be key to increasing team scoring.
Cam Atkinson’s Slow Start Hurting Columbus Blue Jackets Offense
Atkinson was, without a doubt, the best forward during the 2016-17 season. He led the team in points with 62. Atkinson was also the only Blue Jacket to pass the 30-goal mark. After a season which earned him an All-Star Game appearance, Atkinson’s offensive production, or lack thereof, so far this season is concerning. Atkinson has only five points in 14 games, placing him at 13th in team scoring.
The team as a whole has seen some offensive difficulties. After a record-breaking October, the Jackets have seen reduced offensive production in November. The team has failed to score more than one regulation goal in four of its last five contests.
Past Seasons
Atkinson is a player who has progressively improved in each of his NHL seasons. Atkinson’s 62 points in 2016-17 was a career high, surpassing his previous record of 53 points in 2015-16.
Though fans would like to see Atkinson’s point totals continue to rise, there had to be a drop off at some point. Even the most elite players are bound to see reductions in point totals from previous seasons. Saying that Atkinson has “peaked” would be a grim and overdramatic way of looking at the situation. However, the reality may simply be that Atkinson is a 50-60 point player at his best, which is certainly not something to despair over.
Arrival of Artemi Panarin
Artemi Panarin has provided an offensive boost to the Jackets this season. Almost from the moment he arrived in Columbus, Panarin replaced Atkinson in the minds of many as the Jackets top offensive threat. Panarin leads the team in points with 13 through 19 games. While Panarin’s performance is obviously a positive for the team as a whole, it has resulted in a decreased role for Atkinson.
Aside from Sergei Bobrovsky, Atkinson was the closest thing to a superstar that Columbus had prior to Panarin’s arrival. While Atkinson certainly hasn’t been forgotten, he may now be considered less essential to the overall success of the team. However, the Jackets should not forget about what a valuable asset they have in Atkinson.
While leading the team in points, Panarin has also found difficulty finding the back of the net. In all likelihood, the breakthroughs that both Panarin and Atkinson are searching for will come hand in hand. Figuring out a way to get the two wingers to better mesh is the way that Columbus can soothe its offensive woes.
Line Combinations
While coach John Tortorella is known for mixing up lines, this season has seen some particularly jumbled combinations. As a result, Atkinson has found himself playing with different linemates almost every night. The initial first line combination of Atkinson, Panarin and Alexander Wennberg found little success. Atkinson has probably excelled most alongside Boone Jenner and Brandon Dubinsky, with whom he played much of the 2016-17 season.
While it can be tempting to move players around when lines are not producing, what Atkinson needs right now is consistency. The Panarin-Wennberg-Atkinson line might find better success when both wingers rediscover their scoring touches. For now, though, returning Atkinson to more familiar linemates may be the best option.
Bright Spots
Atkinson’s season has not been without success. In Tuesday night’s matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, Atkinson provided the pass which allowed Zach Werenski to score the game-winning goal in overtime.
Atkinson looked particularly impressive in the November 7th contest against the Nashville Predators. Returning from a minor hip injury, Atkinson led all forwards in time on ice at 23:45. Atkinson also tied Pierre-Luc Dubois for most shots on goal among forwards.
While waiting can be frustrating, Atkinson is bound to get going soon. He has shown flashes of brilliance and there has not really been a noticeable decline in his overall quality of play. Both Atkinson and the team need to make changes. The Jackets need to figure out how to use Panarin in a way that boosts Atkinson rather than leaving him behind.
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