The Columbus Blue Jackets may be wildly inconsistent, but don't blame Johnny Gaudreau.
In his first season with the club, the star forward has been a threat most nights and is currently riding a hot streak (even for his nature), posting 1-7-8 (G-A-PTS) in his past four games. Prior to Sunday night's loss to the Detroit Red Wings - in which he tallied a point for the fourth consecutive game - he was actually riding a three-game multi-point streak, tallying 2, 2, and 3 points in his prior three games.
It probably won't come as a huge surprise to learn that Gaudreau is the sole Blue Jackets' player in the top 50 of the NHL scoring chart, where he sits tied with a handful of players at 31st in the league with 26 points (8-18-26) in 23 games. His two linemates in Sunday's loss, Boone Jenner and Kent Johnson are second and third in the team, respectively, with 18 and 13 points. It's incredible that Gaudreau is able to put up these numbers, where the third-place player on the club has half the points. Put another way, if Gaudreau had not scored a goal yet this season, he would still be tied for the team lead in points.
Gaudreau is on quite a heater. Over the past 10 games, he's put up 3-13-16, which if applied over a full season would be 24-107-132.
— Brian Hedger (@BrianHedger) December 4, 2022
He's also played the past two games sick and is on pace for 30-63-93 ... which would set single-season #CBJ records for assists and pts.
Gaudreau's superpower is his ability to make those around him better. Look no further than his ridiculous assist last night, where he dragged the puck around the entire Red Wings zone, waiting for a seam to open up and a teammate to get lost in coverage. That was Johnson, who had probably the easiest goal of his young career.
Or take this sweet dish to Patrik Laine, in the sniper's first game back in action coming off an injury. Gaudreau spins and finds Laine with a perfect seam pass across the slot, just out of the reach of the defender's stick.
Another cross-crease pass finds Gus Nyquist heading to the backdoor on a perfect tic-tac-toe passing play. Again, Gaudreau is the catalyst on the play, leading the zone entry before receiving a pass back with space. By the time the defense converges on him, they've lost Nyquist.
#CBJ Nyquist (4) goal pic.twitter.com/18VtBclyfo
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) December 3, 2022
Gaudreau is more playmaker than goal scorer, but he didn't score 40 on accident a year ago. Watch how he gets lost on the weakside of the ice for this goal against Vegas.
#CBJ Gaudreau (8) goal pic.twitter.com/uSKGg0ldMZ
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 29, 2022
Gaudreau's ability to be dangerous with and without the puck makes him a special player. With the puck, he has the defense on high alert. And the longer he holds it, the longer he is forcing the defense to keep steady in coverage. As best illustrated on Johnson's tap-in goal, that's a difficult proposition. But without the puck, Gaudreau shows an ability to get lost in coverage, like his goal against Vegas, or after the zone entry in his back-door assist to Nyquist.
The Blue Jackets can be frustrating to watch this season, but Gaudreau continues to play as advertised.
