Columbus Blue Jackets: Like it or not, Lukas Sedlak Here to Stay

The Columbus Blue Jackets aren’t going to replace Lukas Sedlak any time soon.

The Columbus Blue Jackets lost their most impressive center of the young 2018-2019 season a little more than a week ago when Brandon Dubinsky was injured in practice. The veteran center is expected to miss at least three to five more weeks with a strained oblique.

Until his return, Lukas Sedlak will be relied upon to fill in as the fourth line center, a role he is familiar with. Sedlak has played 115 games with the Jackets over the previous two seasons, most of those as the teams fourth line center.

Through three games this year though, he isn’t playing like many had expected. He isn’t the defensive stalwart the team expected him to be. Through a combination of the fourth line’s play, hot hands on the second and third lines, and Torts’ unique line deployment strategy over the last few games, Sedlak has only averaged 7:11 in ice time in his first three games this season. These limited opportunities have highlighted his poor shifts and not allowed Sedlak to build any rhythm or chemistry with his new line-mates, Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand.

This is leading many to wonder if Sedlak needs to be replaced by someone from Cleveland. Zac Dalpe is off to a hot start for the Monsters. Kevin Stenlund impressed everyone with his preseason performance and he was one of the last players cut from the NHL roster. Both could be called up and could slide into the fourth line role.

But the Jackets roster situation makes a call up scenario very unlikely. On the forward side only, Sonny Milano can be sent down to Cleveland without being placed on waivers. Both Lukas Sedlak and Markus Hannikainen would likely be picked up off of waivers, a situation the team obviously doesn’t want to be in.

Columbus Blue Jackets

With the injury to Seth Jones, the team has kept seven defenseman on the team as they try and fill the massive gap left by the All-Star’s absence. When Jones returns, presumably next week, the team will need to make a tough decision on who to send down. Or, they might not.

They may not send anyone down though due to the play of the three defenseman fighting it out for the last spot. Adam Clendening has looked impressive, minus the Tampa Bay game, and the team loves Scott Harrington. Dean Kukan just signed a one way deal and the organization wouldn’t be thrilled to pay him all that money to play in Cleveland.

The team sees more value in holding on to eight defenseman than calling up a player to fill in on the fourth line when they trust Sedlak to turn it around and provide solid minutes in Dubinsky’s absence. Lukas hasn’t looked spectacular in three games this year but they don’t need him to be spectacular. They do however need more than they are getting right now.

Sedlak was playing great at the end of last year before a concussion ended his season. If he can get back to that point soon, Dubinsky’s time off won’t be as painful as it currently is.