With a name like Boone, it seems Boone Jenner was destined to become a fan favorite in Columbus, and the start of his career unfolded by that narrative.
A second-round pick by the Blue Jackets out of the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, Jenner is a hockey player's hockey player: a physical, gritty winger who can also put the puck in the net when need be. At 22 years old, he had a standout season with 30 goals and 77 penalty minutes for Columbus while the "Booooooone" cheer was heard often in Nationwide Arena.
What did we expect?
Looking back on the Blue Jackets disappointing 2015-16 season, Jenner’s play was one of the few bright spots during a season many fans want to forget. The Columbus winger posted a career high in points with 49, which was good enough for the third most on the team. Jenner broke the 30-goal plateau, becoming one of only 28 players league-wide to score 30 goals that season.
Heading into the 2016-17 season, most people expected Jenner to put up numbers similar to the previous year. Not many expected Jenner to hit 30 goals again, but the belief was that Jenner would end the year with around 40 to 50 points while playing a sound and physical two-way game.
What did we get?
Jenner started the 2016-17 campaign slowly, scoring only two points in his first 10 games of the season. Jenner found his game and turned things around when it came to point production, scoring 31 points in his last 72 games, giving him 33 points on the year. Jenner scored 18 goals, which is a realistic expectation of him going forward given his style of play. It should be noted that his average time on ice was around 21 seconds less per game than that of the previous year.
While his regular season was a little underwhelming, his play in the playoffs was noteworthy. Jenner ended the series with three points in five games, but his play in Game 4 of the series is what stood out this season. In Game 4, Jenner had a goal and an assist, helping to lead the Blue Jackets to their first win in the playoffs.
While he could not repeat the regular season success of his 2015-16 campaign, his numbers were average for a middle six forward. His elevated play in the playoffs improved his grade for this season, but there is still room for improvement. Look for Jenner to have a bounceback year, especially considering he will be playing for a contract.
| GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | GWG | OTG | S | S% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGULAR SEASON | 82 | 18 | 15 | 33 | 14 | 52 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 211 | 8.5 |
| PLAYOFFS | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 12.5 |
Memorable Moment
Jenner had the game-winning goal in Game 4 of the Blue Jackets' playoff series against Pittsburgh. With Columbus holding a 4-3 lead in the third period, Jenner went to his customary spot in front of the net and found a loose puck after Brandon Saad battled to keep a play alive and get a shot on the net of Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. It proved to be a huge goal for Columbus when Pittsburgh scored in the final 30 seconds of what finished as a 5-4 game.
Contract Status
Jenner currently has one year remaining on his contract before becoming a restricted free agent. The deal carries an annual cap hit of $2.9 million per season.
| GRADE | B- |
