NHL analyst says trade nets Jackets ‘ difference-maker’
CHICAGO — When Ed Olczyk watched the Blue Jackets control long stretches of a short playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the broadcaster kept asking himself the same questions: Who would turn scoring chances into goals? Who would create plays in key moments?
“Who was going to be difference-maker?” Olczyk said. “We knew Pittsburgh had a couple of them.”
The result was a 4-1 opening-round series loss to the Penguins.
The longtime NBC and Chicago Blackhawks analyst believes the Blue Jackets acquired the dynamic playmaker they have been lacking on Friday in the trade that netted wing Artemi Panarin. The Jackets sent wing Brandon Saad, minor-league goaltender Anton Forsberg and a fifth-round pick in the 2018 draft to the Blackhawks for Panarin, minor-league forward Tyler Motte and a sixth-round pick in this weekend’s draft.
Panarin has collected 61 goals and 151 points in his first two seasons while playing predominately on a line with Patrick Kane. Olczyk thinks the speedy 5-foot-11, 170-pound left wing will continue to thrive without the perennial All-Star.
“You are getting something you have not had in Columbus — you are getting a difference-maker,” Olczyk said. “You are getting a top-10 scorer. You are getting a threat offensively, somebody who can win a game. All he needs is one or two shots. He has that ability to find the back of the net.
“I would be shocked if he wasn’t able to continue what he has done. You get a differencemaker, and those guys are tough to find.”
Olczyk is intrigued to see if Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella will enable Panarin, 25, to takes chances offensively, to occasionally fly the defensive zone before his teammates have control of pucks. The Blackhawks’ style of play, he said, is much “looser” than the one employed by the Blue Jackets.
“Will Panarin be allowed to play to his strengths?” Olczyk said. “Will he be able to anticipate offense? Will he be able to play outside of the structure? That’s how he’s wired. That’s what separates top-10 scorers in the league and guys who end up being 50th or 60th. They have an uncanny ability to know what’s going to happen before it does.
“Some coaches like it, some don’t. Some coaches understand it, some don’t. … I don’t want to say he’s a risky player, but he errs on the side of offense.”
Tortorella, who encouraged his young club to take more chances last season, said he plans to play Panarin on a top line with center Alexander Wennberg and “get out of his way.”
Olczyk said the one blemish on Panarin’s time in Chicago was his poor showing in last season’s first-round sweep at the hands of Nashville in which he registered a lone assist.
“About 17 or 18 other guys were bad, but he was invisible in the playoffs, which was really disappointing,” Olczyk said. “Like he didn’t play until the last seven or eight minutes of the series.”
The analyst noted Panarin joined Team Russia in the world championships after the quick playoff exit and led the tournament in scoring with 17 points.
“He didn’t just do it for one year,” Olczyk said. “He proved himself over two years. He became one of the top players on team. He and Kane carried this team last (season) along with the goaltending.”