Back against the wall, Dubinsky ready to rebound: 'I'm resilient'

"It's tough. It hurts. But I'm resilient. I still believe in myself and I know I have a long summer here to put in the work and get myself back to where I need to be to be the player that I know I can be."

VISIT BLUE JACKETS TRAINING CAMP CENTRAL 2018
Last season was definitely one to forget for the veteran center, who's the oldest player on the Blue Jackets' roster, but forgetting it wouldn't make it go away - nor would it help him going forward, with three more years left on a contract that carries a $5.8 million salary-cap charge.
Lest we forget, Dubinsky came into last season's camp after offseason surgery on his right wrist. Not fully rehabilitating the injury post-op, he was prevented from going through his normal summer routine - on and off the ice.
He rushed it, to be blunt, because the season was starting and Dubinsky is a hockey player. That's what hockey players do in those situations, for better or worse. They rush back into it. They get back on the ice. They play through things that would make most people curl up in a fetal position for months.
And, as Dubinsky found out, they sometimes take the brunt of it as individuals.
That's what happened last season, even though the wrist - which he said limited his hand mobility to just 25 percent - wasn't the only reason he was held to NHL career-lows in goals (6), assists (10) and points (16) in 62 games.
There was also a fractured orbital bone (eye socket) sustained in a fight with Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Kassian on Dec. 12 at Nationwide Arena, which kept him out for nearly two months. And there were personal issues, as well, which led to his early departure from a road trip in late January.
"I've always said I don't like to make a lot of excuses, and I don't, but I mean [the wrist] was a big factor," Dubinsky said. "I don't want to place all the blame on that, because there was a lot of other stuff last year that happened along the way that certainly didn't help me out too much - all pretty much self-inflicted on that part too - but it certainly wasn't a good situation for the hand and the wrist throughout the season."
Add it all up, factor in his age, and you can see why Dubinsky cultivated his share of critics - who feel his NHL career is beginning a quick slide into the abyss. You can also see why he spent this offseason rehabbing that wrist - six-to-eight hours per week - and putting in a summer of intense off-ice work with a private trainer who works out of a barn not far from Dubinsky's home.
The question, heading into this season, is will it pay off?

"The game's getting faster and I'm not getting younger, so … this year, I'll have the full summer to do what I need to do. My main focus is going to be getting faster and getting quicker. I know I think the game at a high level and I can play the game at a high level. If I can add a step or two, it'll certainly help me out as I go along here."

Can a player, at age 32, actually get faster?
The answer, most likely, is no. At least, not much. It just doesn't happen that way, physiologically. However, Dubinsky has trimmed down and muscled up. Also, his speed and agility might've fallen off farther than it should've last season, so it might be possible for him to get back up to his usual speed, per se.
Add in the skill work he put in, along with the increased mobility in his wrist, and it's feasible that he could have a statistical recharge in the offing. If so, he can thank his dedication this summer.
"This is by far the hardest I've worked," said Dubinsky, who's looking svelte after trimming his bodyfat percentage and adding strength. "It wasn't just about the lifting and the exercise part of it. I did a lot of physical therapy and stuff like that on different parts of my body that needed some help … just trying to get the wrist] back to a place that it needed to be. I feel really confident and comfortable with where that's at right now."
He looks like himself again, too, on the ice.
During offseason on-ice workouts leading up to training camp, Dubinsky stood out among teammates mustering back into town. His passing was on point. His skating was crisp. His shots were hard and accurate.
There were a few stumbles, too, including the day he kicked around some plastic training devices during a day of skill work, but that day was ultimately highlighted by his resilience.
He kept working at it, bellowing out a certain expletive each time things went awry, until he eventually worked his way through the drills cleanly.
"I think I know what it's like to be challenged and I know he's a proud guy, and he took it to heart," said Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, who noticed Dubinsky's renewed energy as soon as he returned to Columbus. "I think for 'Dubi,' it was just a great reset this summer. You can see it in his face. He's excited. He's energetic. He's the 'Dubi' of old, where he's pissing everybody off because he's cheering after every goal [during offseason skates] … and that's what he brings. He's a ferocious competitor and I love that, because he brings everyone in."
Cam Atkinson feels the same.
After working out with Dubinsky in that barn this summer, getting a front-row seat for the transformation, he too is eager to see what his friend can do this season.
"I think he's had his best summer that he's had, just the way he looks, the way his body looks, [and] how he feels on the ice," said Atkinson, who also made strength gains this summer. "He's definitely going to have a chip on his shoulder, and if he hasn't told you guys already, he'll be the first person to say that at the start of camp. It's good. We need that out of him."
[RELATED: What's it like to be a Blue Jacket in training camp? Ask Dubi.

"For whatever reason, I just didn't play at a high enough level in order to be successful and help this team. That's going to be something I'm going to focus on here in the summer - take a step back, take a good hard look at where I am and where I need to get to. I'm confident in myself and my abilities that I'll get to where I need to be. I always have."

That was 'Dubi' five months ago.
His words were tinged by the bitter pain of the Jackets' first-round loss to the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs - along with the disappointment over his own season.
Dubinsky played all six games in the playoffs but finished with just four shots on goal and averaged only 12:23 per game - skating primarily on the fourth line. His main role was taking face-offs, which he did to an outstanding success rate of 63 percent, but there used to be a lot more to his game in playoffs past. The goal is to return to that level this season, helping the Jackets not only qualify for the playoffs again but move further along.
There are still plenty of doubters, who can't get past his age and declining play last season. The most important thing, though, is that No. 17 isn't one of them. Dubinsky is still a believer and the Jackets are counting on his resilience.
While they added veteran center Riley Nash in free agency, which could be seen as a Dubinsky insurance policy, the hope is that Nash merely gives Columbus better center depth overall. Getting 'Dubi' back to what he usually is would be the best-case scenario for all involved - and that's exactly what he plans to do.
"There's really no better opportunity for me to step up, because the expectations right now, you know, by some people, probably aren't very high," he said. "But they're high for myself and now I've just got to go out there and do it."