The Blue Jackets have drawn the 9th fewest penalty minutes in the league
The Blue Jackets have had this issue over the last 15 games: They can't seem to draw penalties. But why? Is it something the Blue Jackets are doing wrong? Is something more sinister going on? If you're in Columbus, you may have heard of the 614Rule. Whether you believe that or not is up to you. But it's fun to talk about.
The Blue Jackets lost Sean Monahan to injury on January 7, and since then, their power play has gone cold, like ice cold. But it's not just that they can't convert; they barely seem to draw any penalties. The lack of penalties is weird considering the type of game the Blue Jackets play. They're not considered a "soft" team by any means.
Let's take a look at the numbers and you can draw your own conclusions.
Columbus has played 15 games since January 9th.
Home - 6 Games
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
Away - 9 Games
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
- undefined
Other Stats
- undefined
- undefined
This is just a 15-game sample, but earlier in the season, they had a similar stretch where they weren't getting the benefit of penalties called against the other team. It became a "thing" when defenseman Zach Werenski even commented after a game on the lack of penalties being called against their opponents. When the players are noticing a trend, it might be a thing.
What's your take on the lack of power plays being awarded to the Jackets? There have been plenty of times when there were blatant missed calls by the officials, some even leading to injury. Defenseman Dante Fabbro was clobbered by a Mason Marchment elbow last week putting Fabbro out indefinitely.
Give us your takes below.
What's Next: Zach Werenski will now take the ice for the United States in the Four Nations Face-Off, which kicks off this coming Thursday, as the U.S. takes on Finland. The rest of the Jackets will get some much-needed R&R before coming back home to play the Chicago Blackhawks on February 22nd.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.