Columbus Blue Jackets: Wennberg has to Step Up in Dubinsky’s Absence

The Columbus Blue Jackets center ice position took a huge hit with Dubinsky going on the IR.

News of Brandon Dubinsky‘s injury could not have come at a worse time for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team is already dealing with a rash of injuries and Dubinsky has been one of the teams best performers through training camp and the first two games of the season.

Now it looks like Lukas Sedlak will draw into the lineup as the forth line center and Riley Nash will get bumped up to the third line. The increased pressure will not be felt the most by these two Jackets. The brunt of the pressure over the next four to six weeks will be on Alexander Wennberg.

Wennberg was already feeling the pressure after a subpar training camp and a rough start to the season. Now, without Dubinsky, he will certainly see an increase workload in minutes.

During the first two games, Dubinsky’s line with Anderson and Jenner on his wings became the de-facto second line in place of Wennberg’s. Now with Dubi out, those minutes will likely go back to Wennberg.

The Wennberg line will get an injection this week though as it appears Anthony Duclair has taken the spot of Oliver Bjorkstrand on the right wing. Duclair, along with Dubinsky, had the best camp of any Jackets player and has earned more time for sure. A hot Duclair should help Wennberg as the pressure builds on the Swedish center.

The team needs an increase in offensive production during these weeks from Wennberg if they hope to take advantage of a relatively weak October schedule. Wennberg hasn’t lived up to expectations over the last two seasons. Now, with Dubinsky out until at least November, the team needs him to step up more than anyone.