Jenner impresses in center audition, will get another look in Carolina

Early returns were good, but the Blue Jackets aren't ready to pronounce Boone Jenner the solution to replacing Brandon Dubinsky just yet.
The Jackets' 6-4 victory against the New York Islanders on Thursday at Nationwide Arena was only the first without Dubinsky, who will miss an estimated 6-to-8 weeks with a fractured orbital bone near his left eye. Jenner filled the void against New York, playing 20:53 and winning 58 percent of his 26 face-offs, but it was only one game.
"Dubi's going to be out for a while," coach John Tortorella said Friday, after practice at the OhioHealth Ice Haus. "I'm not going to lock into anything, but I do have other options."

One of those is moving captain Nick Foligno back to center, where he started the season. Foligno, however, has picked up his scoring pace since moving back to a wing position - and scored the 100th goal of his tenure with the Blue Jackets late in the second period against the Islanders.
Foligno, who skated with Jenner on Thursday, also flipped from left wing to the right side against the Islanders. He looked even more comfortable there, which means Jenner will likely get an extended look in the middle.
"The first little while in the game, I just wanted to see him down low defensively," Tortorella said. "For more than the first half of the game there wasn't much time he spent there, but as the game went on, I thought he handled himself really well. For his first game there in a while, I liked the line and I liked what he did."
Jenner also played on both special teams. He'd already been part of the Blue Jackets' power play, but added some of Dubinsky's penalty-kill responsibilities, as well. His success on draws was a big reason.
"It's a line that I'm going to use, as you saw in the third period, for those face-offs, as I was using 'Dubi's line," Tortorella said. "I thought he had a great night on face-offs, so we'll start another game with him and see where we go from there."
Jenner is taking a game-by-game approach to it, as well.
"With Dubinsky out, we need someone in the middle there, and I feel like I'm comfortable there," said Jenner, who's played center at previous levels and in limited amounts with Columbus. "It was a good first game to get under my belt, and get a game playing center."
Dubinsky's injury is a huge loss for the Blue Jackets (20-11-1), who are atop the tightly-packed Metropolitan Division, but it might also create an opportunity for some of his teammates to break out of their season-long slumps.
Jenner, who missed training camp and the first seven games with an xxxxx-body injury, is one of them. He has nine points (three goals, six points) in 25 games, numbers that are below his usual scoring pace, and he's still looking for more of a defined role in the lineup.
It's early, but there's a chance this could be it.
"The key thing with [Jenner] is, I don't think he's really found his niche this year, as far as what he is," Tortorella said. "I want him to grab onto a role now. Is it that checking center, that's going to grind and forecheck? Is he going to be able to kill penalties, because I'm going to have to use him, losing 'Dubi.' I want him to grow into a role like he had last year, and I think with the injury with 'Dubi,' the road is there for him to take it."
News & Notes
--Injured defenseman Ryan Murray got on the ice prior to practice Monday and went through some drills in full gear, on his own. He left the ice once practice started, but it's a positive sign for Murray, who's on injured reserve and has missed the past eight games.
--Tortorella mixed up his bottom two defense pairings against the Islanders, but the game wasn't the best kind to judge the new look - which moved Markus Nutivaara to the second pairing to play with Jack Johnson and had Scott Harrington working with David Savard on the third.
"We did a lot of running around in our end zone, and they did a lot of running around in their end zone," Tortorella said. "It was one of those games, but it allows us to maybe bring a little focus to it. I'm not going to make any determination on the pairs. It was a group effort, as far as some of the running around, between defense and forwards."
Nutivaara, who had offseason hip surgery, is skating much better this season. He adapted well to the move up the lineup Thursday, playing 16:27, scoring a goal and finishing with a plus-1 plus/minute rating.
"The biggest thing about him is he gets us out of our end zone," Tortorella said. "He's more North-South this year. It's good to see him aggressive in the offensive zone too, [jumping] into some plays."
-After going four straight games without a point, and playing on the fourth line, Oliver Bjorkstrand has responded to being moved into more of an offensive position the past five games. He has seven points (one goal, six assists) in that stretch, including three assists Thursday.
That set new single-game NHL career-highs for him in assists and points.
"Bjorky's been pretty consistent, as far as being involved in the offense," Tortorella said. "He quietly goes about his business. With some of the struggles of some of the other guys, he's been a pretty consistent player for us offensively."
-Wennberg earned some praise for the way he played against the Islanders. He had two assists, a plus-3 plus/minus rating and logged 17:50 while centering the third line. Wennberg skated with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Cam Atkinson.
"It's the most I've noticed him in a game," Tortorella said. "The indication [if] 'Wenny's playing well, you notice his legs are moving carrying the puck through the neutral zone. It's the most I've seen him do that, even toward the end of last year to this point. I think it's been that long of a struggle for him, so that was encouraging."