Jenner said he couldn’t pinpoint an exact date for his return to game action, but he hopes to practice again with the team next week before it embarks on a four-game road trip that starts Thursday at Vegas. The next hurdles he’ll have to clear are getting practice reps and taking consistent contact on his shoulder, but the fact that Jenner was able to take part in a full team skate was big news.
“There’s a lot motivating me to come back, and I’m just sticking with it,” Jenner said. “I’ve been around as much as I can, and I just can’t wait to join the guys again. Today was a big step, and it felt right being out there, so hopefully just keep going.”
Jenner will be welcomed back with open arms whenever he is ready, as he has long been one of the NHL’s best at faceoffs, can play both center and wing, and consistently has been a key part of the Jackets' power-play and penalty kill units. On top of that, he’s averaged more than 30 goals per 82 games the past three seasons, steady production the Blue Jackets have picked up from a variety of sources but has been missed nonetheless.
It also goes without saying that head coach Dean Evason and the Blue Jackets have missed the leadership of Jenner, who was named captain in October 2021 and is the longest-tenured CBJ player of all-time as well as the franchise’s leader in games played.
“It’s pretty cool, right?” Evason said after morning skate of Jenner’s presence. “He was chirping (goalie coach) Nik Backstrom already. First day out there, and he’s chirping about which end he wanted at the start of practice. I said, ‘Maybe you should wait to get in the lineup before you start chirping the coaches again.’
“But yeah, (it’s good) to have his presence, to have his leadership, (and I say that) on the ice. He’s been around. He’s been in there, he’s been talking to the guys, he’s been in our meetings. He’s led in the way that he had to, and he’s still a huge part obviously of our hockey team.”
Young Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli hasn’t skated with Jenner in a game for nearly a year, but he said the forward’s potential return would be “huge.”
“He’s such a huge part of our team,” Fantilli said. “Guys love him, and the guys want to be around him. It’s great to see him coming back. We’re excited to have him back in the lineup. He’s such a big part of our team on the ice.”
While Jenner hasn’t been able to play in a game yet this season, his presence has still been invaluable to a team full of young players taking the next step in their careers. Jenner – as well as fellow injured alternate captain Erik Gudbranson – has been around the locker room whenever the team has been in town and has even taken a few road trips, and he’s been available in team meetings and gatherings to try to pitch in any way he can.
That’s provided him with an up-close view of how this Blue Jackets team has surprised the hockey world, holding the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference going into today’s action.
“Extremely proud,” he said. “Obviously, I’ve just been watching since I’ve been injured and being around as much as I can, but the way the guys have dug in and obviously the spot we’re in right now, we’re in quite a fight right now for the playoffs. It’s a credit to everybody in this room coming together.
“You can really feel that when you come in here. Guys play for each other. We’re going out believing we can win games, and you can feel that energy in here.”
Just about everyone was happy to see Jenner back, except perhaps Backstrom, who was on the receiving end of Jenner’s on-ice chatter for the first time in a long time.
“Backy gives it to me a lot, so I was looking forward to giving it back to him as soon as I stepped on the ice,” Jenner said.
