Columbus Blue Jackets notes: Fantilli, Voronkov may get usage bump
Not having Boone Jenner around is already causing the Blue Jackets’ coaching staff a headache.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets' Erik Gudbranson 'happy my legs work' after hit by Nick Cousins
He’s not just the captain and main leader for one of the NHL’s youngest teams. Jenner, who’s out an estimated six weeks with a fractured jaw, is also the No. 1 center, best option to win key faceoffs, a top penalty-killing forward and experienced net-front presence on the first power-play group.
That’s a lot of holes to plug.
“He’s such a big piece,” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said. “We know he’s a big piece, but you realize it even more when he’s not around. It changes everything … the way we run the bench, the rotation of the players, special teams. It just reinforces his value.”
Jenner’s absence also opens up opportunities for rookie centers Adam Fantilli and Dmitri Voronkov to shoulder more responsibilities while anchoring the top two lines. Going into a matchup Thursday at the Toronto Maple Leafs, that may include matching up with star centers Auston Matthews and John Tavares — two experienced pivots who are good on draws.
“We might have to expose then (to tougher matchups) a little bit more and see how they respond,” Vincent said. “After 30 games (Fantilli) has a better understanding (of the NHL). He was better on his faceoffs the last two games, so he’s making a step there, so we’ll see.”
Fantilli is averaging 15:09 per game ice time and has won 41.9% of his draws. Voronkov is getting 13:00 per games and has won 45.5% of his faceoffs.
After starting as a winger, Voronkov has shifted to center for a productive second line that features fellow Russians Yegor Chinakhov and Kirill Marchenko on the wings. Fantilli had shown chemistry developing with Kent Johnson and Emil Bemstrom on the third line, but the third overall pick of last summer’s NHL draft is getting a new line assignment.
Fantilli, 19, skated at practice Wednesday with star Johnny Gaudreau at left wing and do-it-all forward Justin Danforth on the right. Danforth centered Gaudreau’s line Sunday in the Jackets’ 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers and they’ll likely split faceoffs in Toronto, each handling draws on their strong sides — left for Fantilli, right for Danforth.
“It’s making sure we look at the opponents Adam has been facing,” Vincent said. “With opponents he’s facing, you can see that it’s quite obvious he’s been sheltered on faceoffs … where they’ve been taken and the quality of opponents. But he’s been responding well to more and more and more, so now, with Boone out, that might be something that we will do.”
Here are two other things to know about the Blue Jackets as they head to Toronto:
Adam Fantilli rejoins Columbus Blue Jackets after long travel day for grandmother's memorial
Fantilli revealed last week that his maternal grandmother, Mariola Andrusky, had passed after a battle with cancer.
A three-day stretch between games to start this week couldn’t have come at a better time for Fantilli, who returned to his family Sunday night in Nobleton, Ontario to memorialize her life. The Blue Jackets had a full day off Monday, so Fantilli only missed Tuesday’s practice.
That’s because he hustled back Tuesday night, flying from Toronto and connecting to Columbus through New York to arrive home around 9:30 p.m. Fantilli got up Wednesday, headed to Nationwide Arena for practice and then flew back to Toronto on the Jackets' charter flight.
“It was tough circumstances to go home,” Fantilli said. “We had the busiest schedule in the NHL (starting out). You’ve got to take advantage of your rest where you can, but there’s certain things that take precedence over anything and that’s family.”
Fantilli also took advantage of a day off Nov. 20 after a game in Philadelphia. He returned to Toronto to see Andrusky, 64, before she died.
“Had a tough travel day then, too, just so I could see her again,” Fantilli said. “Obviously, I’ve been moving around quite a bit, but that’s the sacrifice I had to make to see my family and be with them.”
Experienced 'enforcers' give Columbus Blue Jackets a crash course on fighting technique
Coming off a game that quickly ramped up after Panthers forward Nick Cousins set off Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson, three younger players picked up tips on fighting “holds” after practice Wednesday.
Assistant coach Jared Boll, a former Blue Jackets enforcer, and current power forward Mathieu Olivier each worked 1-on-1 to improve technique in fights – including defensive maneuvers – for Voronkov, Fantilli and defenseman Nick Blankenburg.
Neither of the three are shy about playing a physical game that could lead to situations where they’re either asked to fight or forced to scrap after big hits. Originally, it was only Voronkov and Blankenburg until Fantilli spotted the tutorials.
Prior to his one collegiate season at the University of Michigan, where fighting was impermissible, Fantilli had some fights at the junior level while playing for the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League.
“I definitely wasn’t looking for it, but it happened,” Fantilli said. “The way I play, sometimes it might be bound to happen, so we’ll see.”
If it does, Fantilli wants to make sure his “hold” technique is good enough for an NHL fight.
“I wanted to go over and just ask (Olivier) a couple things, see how he would grab out,” Fantilli said. “He asked me how I would grab, and said that everything I did was fine but: ‘Don’t do it. I don’t want to see you doing it.’ I was there more just to ask questions because you never know when it could happen and you want to be prepared.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets notes: Fantilli, Voronkov will be tested without Jenner
