Number:38
Age:27
Birth date: June 15, 1993
Birthplace: Dorchester, Ont.
Height, weight: 6-2, 208
Stats: 70 GP, 11-13-24, 1.2 point shares, 50.20 xGF% at 5-on-5 per Natural Stat Trick
Contract:Signed through 2021-22 season (Two years remaining before UFA status)
When it comes down to it, Boone Jenner is a bit of a throwback as a hockey player.
It's not hard to imagine an alternate reality -- say, the late 1990s, when giants roamed the earth as far as the NHL is concerned -- where Jenner, the ultimate plugger, scores 20-plus goals per season and pesters players on the other end of the ice with smothering defense.
In today's faster-than-fast NHL, Jenner's offensive totals aren't that high, save for the 30-goal campaign that he put together as a 22-year-old in 2015-16. But in his seven seasons, he's become a do-it-all member of the Blue Jackets, from his 113 career goals -- tied for fifth all-time in franchise annals -- to his toughness, competitiveness and will to win.
Over the past two seasons, that meant moving from the spot on the wing he had largely played in his first five seasons to the center position, where he became one of the league's top faceoff men while absorbing more defensive responsibilities.
That will likely change this upcoming season, as the additions of Max Domi and Mikko Koivu to play down the middle free up Jenner to return to wing, where one of his "biggest strengths" in the words of general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is his ability to lead the forecheck without having to play a 200-foot game.
Entering the season: Jenner was expected to be a checking line center, perhaps serving as the pivot between Nick Foligno and Josh Anderson in a reprisal of a line that served as the team's identity throughout the 2018-19 season. In the end, whoever he played with, the Blue Jackets were expecting Boone Jenner hockey, a tough, physical brand of the sport that can be difficult to play against for opponents.
Season recap:No CBJ forward earned more total ice time on the season than Jenner, a testament to his ability to play in just about every situation.
The offensive numbers were likely not exactly what Jenner would want, as his 0.34 points per game were a career-low, but he remained one of the most trusted players in the arsenal of John Tortorella. Jenner earned power-play time and penalty kill time in addition to his usual 5-on-5 shift, where his ability to win faceoffs - 55.2 percent of them on the year, good for 16th in the NHL -- made him one of the head coach's most trusted players in key situations.
Defensively, it was a bit of a rough start for Jenner, as he was minus-15 through the first 22 games, but he was plus-1 the rest of the way. The advanced metrics at 5-on-5 per Natural Stat Trick were more complimentary than that, as Jenner had a positive expected goals share despite the fact opposing players scored 11 more goals than the Blue Jackets did, largely because Columbus shot just 5.02 percent with Jenner on the ice.
The physical pairing with Foligno and Anderson never really materialized thanks to Anderson's injuries, but Jenner often found himself playing either as a No. 2 or No. 3 center throughout the season. He also had what looked like a key goal in the playoffs, as his tally late in Game 4 vs. Toronto appeared to be the icing on the cake of the series win before the Maple Leafs' stunning three-goal comeback.
