The Jackets are fighting for a playoff spot – and just may be getting hot at the right time. Who's driving that? And who's hot league-wide right now? Let's take a look.
Artemi Panarin - Blue Jackets Winger
The Russian winger is now the first player to make our mid-week heat check two weeks in a row – and for good reason. Panarin had another big week – including last night’s 1-2-3 performance – giving him nine points in six games over the last two weeks.
We’ve seen Panarin do things on his own at times this year – stealing pucks and launching ridiculous shots to light the lamp – but his goal last night was the result of a system that works and teammates that knew exactly where to be.
Bird's eye view of that Panarin goal just 16 seconds in and this one was a full team effort. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/Gp9DyROLZm
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 7, 2018
He’s shown that he’s far more than a goal scorer, too, adding some incredible play along the boards and flexing his playmaking ability, too, as evidenced by this pass to an open Zach Werenski, who had a shooting lane and plenty of traffic in front.
Werenski's 13th of the season comes at an opportune time for the Blue Jackets. Naturally, Panarin was the player to find an open Werenski.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/MazBGBs3uL
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 7, 2018
Don’t be surprised if Panarin puts up 70 points this season – he’s creeping towards that total (currently at 58) with 15 games to play. If the Blue Jackets manage to hold on to the eighth seed (or, perhaps, leap-frog the Devils for the seventh seed), Panarin will be one of the biggest reasons why.
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Forward
Taylor Hall’s point streak is getting a ton of attention right now – and Evgeni Malkin has gone beast mode over the last few weeks – but Nathan MacKinnon is going to be tough to beat for the Hart Trophy this year.
Still just 22, the center is looking the part of a franchise player for the Avalanche, exactly what he was drafted to be back in 2013, when he was taken first overall. Buoyed by a five-point game against the Minnesota Wild, MacKinnon has put up an impressive 6-6-12 line in his last five games, showing a level of speed and skill that few players in the league can match.
MacKinnon’s big week has him sitting on 78 points this year – tied for fourth in the league despite missing a few games. Extrapolated for a full, healthy season, MacKinnon has been scoring at a 110-point pace for the Avs, who sitting just outside of the West’s last wild card spot, one year removed from being one of the worst teams in history.
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