Alright kiddos, buckle up because we’ve got some spiced-up NHL news and it’s gonna be a wild ride. Let’s talk about the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are kickstarting their road trip, and low and behold, their dynamic duo, Zach Werenski and Patrik Laine, are lacing up their skates after a hiatus due to their respective boo-boos. These two have been sitting on the sidelines – Laine with a collarbone that’s seen better days and Werenski with an ankle that decided to throw in the towel. Missed ’em? Don’t worry, they’ve been missing the ice more.
The Blue Jackets have been stumbling around, winning a meager three out of ten games without their stars, and honestly, their goal scoreboard resembles a sad see-saw with 2.7 goals-for and a disheartening 4.1 goals-against. Werenski, aka the comeback kid, still manages to sit pretty at third in team scoring despite playing hooky from 11 games this season. And our winger Laine, well, let’s just say he’s not topping the charts this season but we all remember his pre-injury glow-up – the man was on fire with five points in six games.
Now, let’s not forget last season’s walk down memory lane: Laine was flexing with twenty-two goals and fifty-two points in fifty-five games, while Werenski was nursing his battle scars playing only 13 games. Here’s to hoping their return isn’t just another chapter in the Blue Jackets’ saga of “what could have been.”
Moving on, let’s take a gander over at the Colorado Avalanche who decided that defense isn’t just an option and have reanimated Bowen Byram from injured reserve. The young gun has been benched for a bit, but don’t fret, he’s made his presence felt in thirty-nine games raking in a balanced dozen points. While his ice time has seen better days compared to last season, this chap isn’t just lounging around. Caleb Jones and Sam Malinski might have to start playing rock-paper-scissors to see who gets bumped off the ice to make room for Byram, unless the Avalanche are feeling wild and decide to keep seven defensemen on deck.
Lastly, oh sweet Pierre Engvall of the New York Islanders, who’s been playing a game of hide and seek with the ice since taking a tumble against the Wild. He’s testing the waters, back at practice, and gearing up like it’s no biggie. With his numbers a tad on the faint side this season, a 7.5% shooting percentage to be exact (ouch, right?), let’s hope the new head honcho, Patrick Roy, can work his puck possession magic with Engvall. When will we see him gracing the rink next? That’s anyone’s guess, so stay tuned.
And there you have it, folks, mornings in the NHL – never a dull moment, always keeping us on our toes.