Jones should boost power play
Seth Jones’ pending return from a sprained right knee helps the Blue Jackets plug a few holes, but one area in particular stands out above all.
Jones, who will make his season debut Tuesday against Arizona, has a heavy shot from the point that will add teeth to a power play ranked 23rd overall (13.8 percent) and 28th on home ice — where the Blue Jackets are just 1 for 15.
"I’ve always been told to shoot more my first few years,” said Jones, 24, who’s beginning his sixth NHL season. “I was always a pass-first player and I still kind of consider myself a passfirst player, but when it comes to certain situations on the power play, I have started to shoot the puck a lot more.”
Jones ran the point on the first power-play unit most of last season, after Werenski damaged the labrum and rotator cuff in his left shoulder. It gave Jones more opportunities to launch his shot from the point, which he did to keep opposing penalty-killers guessing.
“It’s just being an extra threat down the middle,” Jones said. ‘You have to make them respect your shot through the middle, as well. That will obviously make (the wingers) better if I’m shooting the puck more and giving them opportunities.”
It looks like he’ll do that with the second power-play unit starting out, which includes Alexander Wennberg and Cam Atkinson on the wings.
“He’s just a complete player,” coach John Tortorella said. “I think (Ryan Murray’s) done a really good job on the power play. Jonesy’s a little bit different dynamic because of his shot. So, we’re just anxious to get him in the lineup, let him get banged around a little bit and get back to who he is.”
Duclair will face another familiar opponent Tuesday, after playing the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. He played two-plus seasons with the Coyotes, including a 20-goal rookie season in 2016.
“There’s going to be a lot of money on the board, but it’s nice,” Duclair said, smiling. “I think this one means a little more than Chicago, because I was there for 2½ years and I know all these guys.” Pierre-Luc Dubois, 19, has his own place this season, which means he’s no longer living with David Savard and his family.
“He's got his own place now,” said Savard, who helped Dubois ease into NHL life by offering a room in his home to stay. “We still have a bunch of (his) stuff at our place, though. The closet’s still full of clothes. We’ll see if he ever comes back and picks it up.”
Dubois has returned at least once already, agreeing to watch the Savards’ two young children for a couple of hours while they ran errands.
“The kids are always happy to see him,” Savard said. "They’re always happy when he comes back. I think he had a great time and it was fun for us, too, to have him around last year.”