New players bring playoff experience
The Blue Jackets welcomed their trade deadline acquisitions into the lineup Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild.
But the real worth of defenseman Kyle Quincey and forward Lauri Korpikoski may not be felt until the spring, when the Blue Jackets will likely participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third time in franchise history.
Quincey and Korpikoski will provide depth at both positions, which inevitably becomes an issue in the postseason.
But Quincey has played in more NHL playoff games (54) than any other Blue Jackets defenseman. (Jack Johnson is second with 18.)
Korpikoski has played in 30 postseason games, placing him behind only Scott Hartnell (91), Brandon Saad (67) and Brandon Dubinsky (37).
“It’s your calmness and your professionalism that shows itself,” said Quincey, who won a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. “You show by example, I guess. We have a big stretch of games coming up here. I think the experience of these games, getting ready to go into the playoffs, is a huge part of it, too. At the end of the day, it’s just hockey.”
With the deadline deals, the Blue Jackets went from having three players in their 30s to five, dropping them from the youngest team in the NHL to the sixth-youngest, per numbers compiled by The Athletic Toronto. Quincey is 31 and Korpikoski 30.
“I’m thrilled that our room is still our room,” coach John Tortorella said. “And this adds to it with just a little bit of veteran stuff going on.”
Quincey joined the lineup on the third pair, replacing rookie Markus Nutivaara on the right side of Ryan Murray. Tortorella said it wasn’t a permanent change, just time to let Nutivaara rest a lowerbody injury that has nagged him for weeks.
Korpikoski joined the third line with center William Karlsson and right wing Josh Anderson, but the lineup decisions will get hairy when left wing Matt Calvert and center Lukas Sedlak return from oblique injuries.
Sedlak skated on the side Thursday, and Tortorella said he’s expected back before Calvert.