Practice Notes: Jackets' power play numbers steadily improving

It's flown under the radar in comparison to other storylines the past month, but the Blue Jackets' improvement on the power play is no less important.
Columbus is still ranked 31st in the NHL in overall power-play success rate (14.1 percent), but the past two months haven't reflected a team that's ranked last in the league. The Blue Jackets are 13-of-61 in their past 22 games (21.3 percent), dating to Dec. 8 against the New Jersey Devils, which ranks 12th in the NHL in that span.
They've scored a power-play goal in each of the past two games, and have six power-play goals in their past 22 man-advantage situations (27.3 percent).
"It's getting better," said center Alex Wennberg, whose return from a back injury has given the power-play a jolt the past few games. "It's tough when you're in, you're out [because of injuries], and there's new guys coming in, but you've just got to find a way. We're trying different things right now, and hopefully it can be big going forward."

Things weren't always upbeat concerning the power play. Teams don't fall to the bottom of rankings in any statistic this far into the season without reasons for it.
In fact, the Jackets' man-advantage issues were so pervasive and vexing to start this campaign that coach John Tortorella issued a moratorium on questions pertaining to it - which he's vowed to uphold the rest of the season.
In context, that makes the past two months even more impressive. And if they can keep up this pace through the final two months of the season, that can only help their effort to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a second straight year.
There was a great example in the Jackets' 3-2 shootout loss Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild. Trailing 2-1 late in the third period, Columbus got a power play thanks to a delay-of-the-game call, and Artemi Panarin tied the game 2-2 with 5:12 left in regulation.
That plus a stellar performance by goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (41 saves) helped Columbus earn a point in that defeat. It was a goal that probably wouldn't have happened in the first two months of the season.
"You [saw] it [Tuesday] night," said defenseman Seth Jones, who quarterbacks the first power-play unit from the blue line. "That's a huge goal. That gives us a point in that game. We'd like two, but it gives us an opportunity to get two. That was a big part of our game last year. Our power play won us a lot of games last year, and we need to get to that [level]."
News & Notes
-- Jones said missing the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star weekend in Tampa Bay was a big disappointment. After making his All-Star debut last season, the 23-year old defenseman was eager to soak in the excitement of it all again.
That was before he got sick, and the NHL requested that he stay home to prevent the possible spread of illness.
"[It's] very disappointing," he said. "It's an honor to go and play with all those players there, so I'm definitely very upset that I missed it. My mom and grandma were already down there when I gave them the news, so it kind of [stunk]."
Jones said his mom, Amy, flew up to Columbus from Tampa Bay to be with him over the weekend. He was able to play Tuesday against the Wild, logging 26:37 and assisting on Panarin's goal.
Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau caused a stir after the Wild's morning skate, saying Jones should've been suspended for the game per the NHL's rules regarding players missing All-Star weekend. The NHL and John Davidson, the Blue Jackets' president of hockey operations, responded with explanations of the ruling - and Davidson defended the decision in a statement.
Asked about it Wednesday, Jones said he was aware of Boudreau's complaints, but declined to comment.

-- Two years ago, Boone Jenner had 30 goals and 49 points in 82 games for the Blue Jackets. Last season, he had 18 goals and 34 points in 82 games, along with a plus-14 plus/minus rating.
This season, through 43 games, he has just 12 points (four goals, eight assists), and carries a minus-10 rating. He doesn't have a point in the past 11 games, has five points (two goals, three assists) in the past 30 contests and played left wing on the fourth line Tuesday.
He's not alone among Blue Jackets who are struggling offensively, but his decrease in offensive production is surprising based on his track record.
"I just want to find my game," he said. "[I want to] bring what I bring best, and have a stronger impact out there, like I know I can."

-- Rookie defenseman Dean Kukan earned his first NHL point Tuesday with a pass along the blue line to defense partner David Savard, whose shot from the right wing sailed through traffic into the net.
Kukan, playing just his 10th NHL game, got the primary assist and a keepsake. He got the puck, too.
"That was huge for me," said Kukan, who missed the American Hockey League's All-Star Game while playing for Columbus. "It would have been fun to go, but I'd rather be here with the NHL team. I'll take that before the all-star game, for sure."
-- Injured rookie forward Sonny Milano (torn oblique) skated in full gear for the second straight day. He worked on drills on his own at the OhioHealth Ice Haus on Wednesday, while the rest of the team practiced on the main rink at Nationwide Arena. … Following practice, the Blue Jackets assigned forward Markus Hannikainen to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. Hannikainen left practice briefly, after getting hit in the mouth with either a stick or puck, and returned to finish the on-ice work with stitches in his upper lip. … Approximately 2,000 students (grades 4-8) will watch practice Thursday on a field trip to Nationwide Arena as part of the statewide online teaching resource Future Goals - Hockey Scholarprogram, which teaches students about science, technology, engineering and math while using hockey as a learning vehicle. The students will also hear from members of the Blue Jackets' hockey operations, business operations and arena management departments.