Veterans add poise to young roster
The teammate whom 28-year-old wing Matt Calvert likens to a father, and fondly refers to as “an old wise man,” is all of five years older than him.
To Pierre-Luc Dubois and Zach Werenski, neither of whom can drink legally yet, Mark Letestu might as well be Grandpa.
A Blue Jackets roster defined by youth — Dubois, the No. 1 center, is 19 years old, and one half of the top defensive pair, Werenski, is 20 — aged noticeably this week with the additions of NHL veterans Thomas Vanek, 34, Letestu, 33, and Ian Cole, 29, in a pair of trades before Monday’s NHL deadline.
“I think they’re important this time of year,” center Brandon Dubinsky said of experienced players.
“Any leadership in here is a great addition,” Calvert added.
The arrival of Vanek, Letestu and Cole provides depth the Jackets have sorely lacked this season.
“I’m going to have to make a decision who comes out,” coach John Tortorella said. “It’s going to be really healthy for our energy, and healthy competition within our lineup. We really haven’t had that a lot this year. That has hurt us.”
Just as important — and perhaps more — the three veterans also give the Jackets valuable experience during a pressure-packed playoff race now down to 19 games, with a threegame California swing next on the schedule.
Combined, Vanek, Letestu and Cole have appeared in 149 career playoff games. Cole won Stanley Cups with the Penguins the past two seasons. The Jackets’ organization has yet to win a series in three trips to the playoffs.
“It’s always nice to have players who have had some success,” said defenseman Jack Johnson, who until recently was the team’s elder statesman, along with Dubinsky. Both are 31.
“I don’t mean this as a criticism of the young guys, (but) being the youngest team in the league isn’t always a good thing,” Johnson noted. “Having some of those guys who have been there, done that, it’s nice to have that. It’s a confidence-builder.
“We talk about momentum shifts in a game all the time,” he continued. “When things aren’t going your way, (veterans) are calm and cool under those situations. They can help get you out of it. They’re good in the room. Young guys can learn from them. Older guys learn from each other. I don’t think you ever stop learning.”
After a 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Monday, Tortorella pointed to Cole’s directing teammates on the ice as an example of leadership.
“Ian Cole talked the whole night on the ice,” Tortorella said. “We can take a lesson from him right away as far as communication on the ice.”
Even with the additions of Letestu, Cole, Vanek, and 30-yearold defenseman Taylor Chorney, who was claimed off waivers from the Capitals a week ago, the Jackets, along with the Avalanche, have the youngest roster in the NHL with an average age of 25.
“Playing against these guys the last couple of years, I never thought of it as a really young team,” Chorney said. “You think about guys like (captain Nick) Foligno (30), Johnson and (defenseman David) Savard (27) … and then you get here and it seems like every guy is 25, 22, 20. But they’re all good kids. They’re learning from some good veterans and I’m going to try to help any way I can.”
Chorney acknowledged that the league is trending younger, but “at the same time, this time of year, the cream rises to the top,” he said. “And if you can add a couple of veteran guys who can show the young guys every day how to be a pro, it’s pretty valuable.”
The Blue Jackets went into the second period against the Capitals leading 4-1, but Tortorella was understandably concerned.
Left wing Matt Calvert took a match penalty at the end of the first period, and the Jackets had to face two minutes of 4-on-4 hockey followed by a three-minute major penalty kill.