The Blue Jackets are simmering over a dearth of power plays the past three games, and there are statistics to back them up.
More: Squandered scoring chances keep biting Columbus Blue Jackets
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Despite winning the possession battles and outshooting their past three opponents by a 90-60 margin, the Jackets drew a total of two power plays. They went 0 for 1 in a 4-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 5, 0 for 1 in a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Feb. 26 and didn’t get a power play Feb. 28 while outshooting the New York Islanders 30-24 in a 4-3 overtime loss.
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Alex, Knox, Xander and Jaxson Mick of Mt. Vernon, Ohio take photos with Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski’s Team USA Olympic gold medal prior to the NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Feb. 28, 2026.
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Alex, Knox, Xander and Jaxson Mick of Mt. Vernon, Ohio take photos with Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski’s Team USA Olympic gold medal prior to the NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Feb. 28, 2026.
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Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski’s Team USA Olympic gold medal is on display prior to the NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Feb. 28, 2026.
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Fans take photos with Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski’s Team USA Olympic gold medal prior to the NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Feb. 28, 2026.
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Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski’s Team USA Olympic gold medal is on display prior to the NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Feb. 28, 2026.
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Fans take photos with Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski’s Team USA Olympic gold medal prior to the NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Feb. 28, 2026.
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Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski’s Team USA Olympic gold medal is on display prior to the NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Feb. 28, 2026.
The only one of those games played on the road was Feb. 26 in Boston, where the Blue Jackets outshot the Bruins 40-23 while and finished with a 67-49 edge (57.8%) in 5-on-5 attempts.
“It’s been the last three games and two power plays, and it’s not like we’re getting dominated,” Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski said. “We’ve got the puck. We’re making plays. If anything, it’s an even game or we’re taking it to teams, and we have two power plays to show for it in three hockey games, and I think that’s unacceptable.”
Werenski quickly explained that he wasn’t using the lack of power plays as the reason the Blue Jackets lost to the Bruins and Islanders, but it’s certainly a sore spot.
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“I’m all for letting guys play,” Werenski said. “At this time of year, you have to let teams play, but to have two power plays in three hockey games, I don’t think it’s OK.”
Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski skates by Islanders center Mathew Barzal on Feb. 28.
Neither does Rick Bowness, who is 12 games into his tenure as the Blue Jackets’ coach and starting to realize something every coach in franchise history has learned. The Jackets don’t draw a lot of penalty calls, for whatever reason, and their power play struggles, partly due to their lack of opportunities.
The Blue Jackets rank last in the league at 138 power-play opportunities this season. They also finished last in the NHL last season at 185, 31st in 2023-24 with 212 and 29th in 2022-23 with 224. They’ve had two games this season without getting a power play and 13 when they received only one or fewer.
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Over the past five years, the Jackets rank last in the NHL in power-play opportunities at 979, which is 49 fewer than the 31st ranked Vegas Golden Knights.
Special teams play a big role in determining outcomes of games, especially power plays, and the Blue Jackets usually operate with slim margins when it comes to the man advantage. It would be easier to explain if they didn’t possess the puck much, but that’s not the case.
According to Natural Stat Trick, they’re 15th in the NHL in even-strength attempts (50.6%), 14th in shots-for percentage (50.6%) and 11th in scoring chance-for percentage (50.2%). Those are all possession-based metrics that indicate the Blue Jackets have the puck on their sticks enough to avoid being last in the league in power play opportunities.
Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness watches during a game against the Islanders on Feb. 28.
Following the losses to the Bruins and Islanders, Bowness couldn’t believe the Blue Jackets’ lack of power plays while dictating play in both games.
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“I can’t explain this,” Bowness said losing to the Islanders without getting a power play. “I’m seeing things that, OK, I think they’re penalties. The referees obviously don’t. But to go the past two games now, and we’ve had one power play? I can’t explain that.”
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets ‘can’t explain’ lack of power plays