from Aaron Portzline of The Athletic,

For the first time in his 471-game career, Patrik Laine’s NHL club decided they were better off with him not in the lineup. The decision was made by Columbus Blue Jackets first-year coach Pascal Vincent on Sunday, and it made eyebrows elevate all over the league.

Meanwhile, in Columbus, it’s difficult to be surprised by anything that happens this season because every day seems to be another head-scratcher, every game a new level of ineptitude.

Vincent has tried all manner of motivation so far this season, including benching star forward Johnny Gaudreau twice already this month, sitting high-priced defenseman Damon Severson for an entire third period less than a month into his Blue Jackets career, and sending highly-skilled winger Kent Johnson — a 16-goal, 40-point rookie last season — to the minor leagues.

During a recent 3-2 loss to Arizona, Vincent benched both Laine and Gaudreau — they have a combined 433 goals in the NHL — as the Jackets were scrambling to try and score the equalizer late in the third period.

Nothing has worked. Nothing makes sense right now for the Blue Jackets. After a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, the Jackets (4-11-4) have matched a franchise record with a nine-game winless streak (0-7-2), sending yet another season off the rails before Thanksgiving.

“It’s frustrating for everyone,” Vincent said. “I see those guys in the room and I hear them on the bench, and they’re saying the right things. Their intentions are right.

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