Union and Blue
Fansided

Unnecessary Fight Leaves Columbus Blue Jackets without Brandon Dubinsky

By Lansing Murphy

COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 12: Edmonton Oilers right wing Zack Kassian (44) and Columbus Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky (17) are broken up after a fight as Dubinsky's nose bleeds during the third period in a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Edmonton Oilers on December 12, 2017 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The Oilers defeated the Blue Jackets 7-2. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 12: Edmonton Oilers right wing Zack Kassian (44) and Columbus Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky (17) are broken up after a fight as Dubinsky's nose bleeds during the third period in a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Edmonton Oilers on December 12, 2017 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The Oilers defeated the Blue Jackets 7-2. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Out of a completely unnecessary fight late in the third period, Columbus Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky ended up with a broken orbital bone.

This isn’t going to be a “fighting sucks, get rid of it” write up. I love fighting. Seeing the captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets take on Jujhar Khaira early in the third period was great. The fight was called for and energized the team and the Jackets scored less than a minute later.

But with a minute and a half left Brandon Dubinsky took on the skilled southpaw Zack Kassian. Kassian nailed Dubi in the eye with his first punch and drew blood. The strike caused a broken orbital bone which is going to diminish the Jackets center depth even more.

A brutal punch that will sideline Dubinsky should have never been thrown. No fault of Kassian’s, Dubinsky clearly wanted to go. But a fight at that stage in the night did nothing for the team. The Jackets were down by five goals. They weren’t coming back and only bad could happen.

Its the same reason why Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled after the second period. It wasn’t due to egregious play in the net. He only let in one bad goal. He was pulled because there was nothing to gain by keeping him in for the last period. Only bad could come.

And thats what happened when Dubinsky took on Kassian in an unneeded, unnecessary fight. The fight will leave the Jackets in a tough spot at center where depth has been an issue all season.

Center Depth Questions….Again

With Dubinsky out the Jackets will likely look to the aforementioned Nick Foligno to head back to play center. When the Jackets were without Alexander Wennberg and Lukas Sedlak the captain filled in adequately.

But with six to eight weeks of no second/third line center, the Jackets could look to the market for a center. More and more teams are more obviously out of the playoff race and looking to make deals for the future every week. Foligno at center can’t be a long term answer.

Next: Atkinson Returns

The Jackets have recalled Jordan Schroeder to fill in on the wing now and will look to continue to win without their center corps. And all while their schedule gets significantly tougher. All because of a fight that shouldn’t have happened.

Home/Editorials