Blue Jackets season preview: Panarin, Bobrovsky face uncertain future

The 2018-19 NHL season begins Oct. 3. With training camps open, NHL.com is taking a look at the five keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lines for all 31 teams. Today, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Coach: John Tortorella (fourth season)
Last season: 45-30-7; fourth place Metropolitan Division, lost to Washington Capitals in Eastern Conference First Round
RELATED: [Complete Season Preview coverage]

5 KEYS

1. Focus on the now

Forward Artemi Panarin and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky each can become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and has intimated that Columbus is not in his long-term future. That might mean Panarin will be traded during the season; the Blue Jackets may ride Bobrovsky as far as he can take them. Their teammates are universal in saying there won't be any distractions wondering if one or each will be traded, but this could hang over Columbus all season.
"The business side will take care of itself at the right time," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said.

2. Centers of attention

Centers Brandon Dubinsky and Alex Wennberg each had a down season in 2017-18, leaving the Blue Jackets thin down the middle. The signing of unrestricted free agent center Riley Nash to a three-year contract July 1 sent a message to Dubinsky and Wennberg that ice time must be earned.
Dubinsky, recovering from wrist surgery prior to last season and an orbital fracture midway through, had 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 62 games. He was also removed as alternate captain and sent home for personal issues prior to the game at the Vegas Golden Knights on March 6. Wennberg went from 59 points (13 goals, 46 assists) in 80 games in 2016-17 to 35 points (eight goals, 27 assists) in 66 games last season and lost the top-line spot to rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois.
If Wennberg, Dubinsky and Nash succeed, the Blue Jackets will have flexibility at center. Lukas Sedlak is serviceable on the fourth line, and wings Nick Foligno and Boone Jenner spent considerable time at center last season when injuries struck.

3. Making the power play pay off

The Blue Jackets had a power-play percentage of 17.2 percent last season (39-for-227), 25th in the NHL. But in the final 28 games of the regular season, they converted on 24.0 percent of their chances (18-for-75), seventh in the NHL during that span. A healthy Zach Werenski could make a difference. A labrum injury that required offseason surgery limited the defenseman's shooting ability most of last season, and he dropped to 10 power-play points (three goals, seven assist) from 21 (four goals, 17 assists) as a rookie in 2016-17.

4. Getting defensive

The Blue Jackets did not re-sign defensemen Jack Johnson (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Ian Cole (Colorado Avalanche). Werenski and Seth Jones are the top two defensemen. Ryan Murray, Markus Nutivaara and David Savard fill the next three spots. Gabriel Carlsson, Scott Harrington and Dean Kukan are among the candidates to be the sixth defenseman. If no suitable replacements are found, coach John Tortorella may be forced to split Jones and Werenski to have one or the other on the ice for two-thirds of the game.

5. Protecting a net investment

With the Bobrovsky contract situation hovering, it's important for the Blue Jackets to find out if backup Joonas Korpisalo is his possible replacement. The 24-year-old was 8-8-1 with a 3.33 goals-against average and .897 save percentage last season.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

The Blue Jackets lost proven goal-scorer Thomas Vanek and bottom-six utility players Matt Calvert and Mark Letestu as free agents, so positions are open. Markus Hannikainen, 25, has eight points (four goals, four assists) in 44 NHL games and has been somewhat of a disappointment. The Blue Jackets are eager to see if Vitaly Abramov, 20, and Jonathan Davidsson, 21 are ready to make the jump to the NHL, and Eric Robinson, 23, went from Princeton to playing in the Blue Jackets' regular-season finale April 7.

Most intriguing addition

Forward Anthony Duclair is with his fourth team since debuting with the New York Rangers in 2014-15. "I'm not too proud about it," he said. The 23-year-old signed a one-year contract with the Blue Jackets for the NHL minimum of $650,000 on July 6. He had 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 56 games with the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes last season, but Columbus is willing to take a gamble on him, especially at that price. Duclair had 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 81 games as rookie with Arizona in 2015-16.

Biggest potential surprise

Center Sam Vigneault was a favorite to get a look with the Blue Jackets at some point last season, but injuries limited him to 56 games in the American Hockey League with Cleveland, where he had 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 56 games. Even at his size (6-foot-5, 203 pounds), the Blue Jackets like his skating.

Ready to break through

Forward Oliver Bjorkstrand quietly had 40 points (11 goals, 29 assists) in 82 games last season. He did so despite being 10th among Blue Jackets forwards in ice time (14:18 per game). The 23-year-old is expected to play a bigger role in his second full NHL season.

PROJECTED LINEUP

Artemi Panarin -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Cam Atkinson
Nick Foligno -- Alexander Wennberg -- Oliver Bjorkstrand
Boone Jenner -- Brandon Dubinsky -- Josh Anderson
Sonny Milano - Riley Nash -- Anthony Duclair
Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
David Savard -- Markus Nutivaara
Ryan Murray -- Gabriel Carlsson
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo