The unleashed Blue Jackets are playing with joy
Blue Jackets history isn't long compared to, say, the Montreal Canadiens, a franchise founded in 1909, the year George Washington invented instant coffee (and you can look it up).
For fans who've been following the Jackets over the course of of 21 years, coffee has not been the beverage of choice. So much sorrow, not to mention sorriness, has needed drowning over the years. It feels like a century.
Pick a landmark, any landmark. How about 16 games?
The Jackets were 10-6-0 after posting a 7-4 victory over the Sabres in Buffalo Monday night. Four games over .500 is a solid mark through 16 games, for any team. For the Jackets, it's close to a historic, high-water mark. Damnation, through faint praise.
really care about.”
Bjorkstrand delivered that message last season without saying a word. Deciding to put a stake in the ground as a Blue Jacket, he put his signature on a five-year contract extension worth $27 million — a key move for the team during a time of roster uncertainty that began July 1, 2019 with Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin leaving as free agents.
Other dominoes fell after their departures, for various reasons, but Bjorkstrand decided to put down roots in Columbus. Following his lead, a string of teammates did the same — including captain Boone Jenner, star defenseman Zach Werenski and goalie Elvis Merzlikins all signing multi-year extensions prior to this season.
All are now playing key roles for an upstart team that has surprised the NHL in the early going. Jenner is the captain, taking over for Nick Foligno, while Werenski, Bjorkstrand and Gustav Nyquist are now wearing the ‘A' as alternate captains.
“It's been a process since I've gotten to the NHL,” said Bjorkstrand, who lasted until the third round of the 2013 NHL draft despite putting up monstrous numbers with the Portland Winterhawks at the junior level. “In juniors, you light it up and you do well, and then it's a new reality when you come to the pros. It's a process, and for me, it hasn't been easy.”
It hasn't led to much notoriety either. Most don't have a full appreciation for his true range of talents. His shot is elite and unique in the way it's released, often catching goalies off-guard. He's a plus skater, is much stronger than his wiry frame might indicate and his playmaking ability is dangerous because of his nimble hands and vision.
Bjorkstrand is nearly a complete package, but it doesn't get noticed much by those who don't see it every day. Those who've joined the Blue Jackets recently share similar stories of discovering Bjorkstrand's hidden talents like they've stumbled upon a long, lost treasure.
“I told him, ‘As an opponent, I didn't realize how good you are,'” said assistant coach Pascal Vincent. “He's strong on the puck. His reads are amazing. His hockey sense is really good, and he understands quick.”
A chat Vincent had with Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo was also enlightening.
“I said, ‘Who are the toughest shooters?' ” Vincent relayed. “He said, ‘Well, (Patrik Laine), obviously, and Bjorky, because his release is different. He keeps the puck ahead of him. So, I didn't appreciate him as much as I should've.”