Mathieu Olivier had a specific power forward that he wanted to model when the Blue Jackets acquired him June 30, 2022 from the Nashville Predators for a fourth-round pick.
After watching one of his peers in Nashville, Tanner Jeannot, become a highly valued commodity for the Predators in 2021-22, Olivier saw no reason why he couldn’t do the same in Columbus. It took a couple of years, not to mention four head coaches, but he accomplished that goal last season.
Similar to Jeannot’s breakout year with 24 goals and 130 penalty minutes as a gritty forward willing to fight, Olivier obliterated his career highs with 18 goals, 14 assists and 32 points while totaling 139 penalty minutes and smashing his way into the NHL’s upper echelon of enforcers.
Previously, his fists did most of the talking.
Olivier hadn’t scored more than five goals in a season and dealt with a fractured leg that took longer than expected to heal. Adding more offense paved the way for his six-year contract extension worth $18 million, which Olivier signed March 5 last season. It provided job security and a nice bump in salary, but the deal also included new expectations.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier driven to avoid regression
Unlike Jeannot, who hasn’t scored more than seven goals in a season since his breakout, is currently with the Boston Bruins as his fourth team. Olivier’s challenge now is to avoid a similar regression.
“(The contract) almost made things a little more intense,” Olivier said. “That’s taken care of, so now you can really focus on the season and what you have to do to get ready again. It gives you more pressure, but in a good way. You want to perform up to the contract you’re given. That was my approach to it.”
It’s working.
Olivier led the Blue Jackets in the preseason by scoring three goals in four games and nearly scored a key goal Oct. 9 at Bridgestone Arena in a 2-1 season-opening loss to the Predators. Nashville got a favorable ruling on a coaching challenge for goaltender interference late in the second period, and Olivier was incensed.
Officials at ice level got an earful, but reporters heard carefully chosen words after the game. A day later, after practice Oct. 10 in St. Paul Minnesota, the play and Olivier’s net presence were still discussion topics for Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason.
“We say, ‘Get to the net and take his eyes away,’ and then we get a disallowed goal (in Nashville) trying to do that,” Evason said. “But you’ve got to just continue to do that. Goaltenders are so good in this league. I don’t care who we’re playing. If they see the puck, they’re usually going to stop it, so we’ve got to get some traffic there and hopefully bang away at a couple more, and maybe two or three opportunities on the rebounds.”
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier knows his roles
That’s not an issue for Olivier, who’s built like a stout middle linebacker at 6 feet 1, 232 pounds. He’ll continue to bulldoze around the net looking for loose pucks.
“If I’m consistent with my identity and role every night, the goals are going to come,” Olivier said. “If you look at the preseason and the goals I scored, they’re all in the blue paint. That’s pretty simple to understand. I’ve always been willing to go there, so that’s part of my identity. So, I’m not worried.”
Neither is Evason. Asked what makes Olivier capable of repeating his offensive contributions, he flashed the knowing smile of a former gritty NHL forward before answering.
“Because he’s gonna compete his ass off every single shift,” Evason said. “He’s just the ultimate teammate. He’s going to do all the right things. We’ve talked about scoring goals, and how you score goals in the National Hockey League. You’d better get to the net, you’d better get inside, you’d better have good hands to do that, and commitment … and he has all of that.”
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social