John Tortorella tried out a new strategy for the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday against the Nashville Predators when he scratched his 12th forward for a 7th defenseman. This type of strategy isn’t commonly used, however it isn’t unheard of in the NHL. The Blue Jackets defense is arguably the strongest part of the team, only potentially bested by the goaltending, but there’s even some questions in the backup goaltending spot.
The biggest issue for the Columbus Blue Jackets on the blue line is the offensive nature of a majority of the team’s defensemen. Zach Werenski and Seth Jones are undoubtedly offensive defensemen, which leaves some issues in their defensive play.