We haven’t done one of these bad boys in a while so we might as well end the season with one. As always, we answer reader mail from the mailbag and do it in the best way possible, via a blog post!
Let us do the thing.
https://twitter.com/AgentJoloBanks/status/717065458923532288
Jo, I would tend to agree that the hockey gods don’t want the state of Ohio to move on just yet. Although the Jackets are out of the playoff race, the games have plenty of intrigue to them still. Will the Jackets finish in a position that gets them the first pick in the draft? Will the younger players continue to develop and take hold of spots for next year? My mind isn’t completely checked out just yet.
@BuckeyeStHockey middle of season mail bag I asked if Jenner could be a 30 goal guy. We now know it's in him. Was this luck or repeatable?
— Brett Sidoryk (@iamTwigggy) April 4, 2016
It is probably a little bit of both. Our own Matt Souva broke some of it down yesterday. It is troublesome that Jenner isn’t controlling play like one would expect from a top six player. Jenner’s SOG this year are nearly double his previous career high which bodes well for future goal scoring but his shooting percentage is a tad high. I could see him normalize a tad and still getting in between 20-25 goals next year. If his possession numbers increase we may see his point total improve overall. He still has much to improve upon and he has yet to reach his ceiling and is just starting to round out his game. Anything more exciting then that Jackets fans?
Question: How have the most recent call-ups faired during their time with the big club?
– Tina L. Fairfield, Ohio
Answer:
They have been doing just fine. Thank you for asking!
Bjorkstrand isn’t throwing pucks on net like he was at the beginning of his call-up but he is still at a respectable 0.5 ppg and 50%CF at even strength. He continues to be active in zone entries and he is holding his own on the big stage – that is a good thing to see.
Sonny Milano was just sent down in favor of Josh Anderson. In Milano’s limited time with the Jackets though he didn’t perform terribly. He played with mostly Brandon Saad and Alexander Wennberg which is not a bad line if you ask me. While he only had one assist in his time with Columbus, he still drove play at a good clip with a 55% CF at even strength. Obviously a small sample size but the future for him is definitely…. Sonny.
Dean Kukan has been a bit of an up and down player. Most nights you can’t notice him on the ice and that isn’t a terrible thing to say about a defensemen. Some nights he has been hemmed into his own zone, though that may be more symptomatic of the team’s overall play. He will more than likely close out the season with the Jackets, but will return to Lake Erie shortly after, a very good thing for Monsters fans looking for a playoff boost.
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