It’s finally here! This morning, the players have taken the ice for the first time in an official capacity for the 2023-24 season. After all that Blue Jackets fans have gone through this past week and a half, actually having on ice topics to discuss is such a welcome change of pace.
There is so much to look forward to and tons of storylines to keep an eye on. Perhaps the biggest one in my eyes is how the depth down the middle will shake out for the Jackets. What has historically been a glaring weakness, is finally beginning to turn the corner. You could almost ice a full forward group consisting of players who can play the position if needed.
With so many moving parts, let’s take a look at the realistic options to play the center position:
Boone Jenner – Jenner will more than likely begin the season as the teams’ de facto #1 center. It was never a role he was suited for, but has filled the role admirably when called upon. He’s been “Mr. Reliable” for the Blue Jackets most reliable and the longest tenured with the club. His straightforward style of play as well as lack of center depth has allowed him to play higher in the lineup and see more minutes than he probably should for better or worse. Hopefully Pascal Vincent can finally reduce some of his minutes to take the strain off of his ailing back since he shouldn’t be expected to carry the team anymore.
Adam Fantilli – Next year I’d imagine an article examining center depth would simply read “#1 center” for Fantilli. He will get there, but I’ll have to hold off for the time being. I’d predict Fantilli will begin the year as the second or possibly third line center. Let’s be honest, Fantilli is THE cornerstone of the team moving forward, and Pascal Vincent needs to do everything in his power to put him in positions to succeed. Ideally, he’s skating on a line with his current roommate, Patrik Laine, to start off along with another 200 ft player to really have a line with no glaring weaknesses. The addition of Fantilli injected more high-end skill than ever before, now we just need to show a bit of patience with our future superstar.
Jack Roslovic – I’ll admit that I didn’t expect #96 to be a part of this list after last season. It was another disappointing and inconsistent season for the Columbus native. His name has been surfacing in rumors for what seems like forever now, without anything ever coming to fruition which must speak to his perceived value throughout the rest of the league. That’s fine and good for the Jackets considering he should still play a valuable role. It feels like the team (and fans) have been waiting years for him to take the next step and become a consistent top 6 center, but it has yet to come to fruition. He will turn 27 this year, so he may just be what he is at this point in his career: a great skater who excels at carrying the puck, and not a ton else. This is truly a make or break season in Jack’s career, especially considering he’s playing for his next contract. The added depth at the center position makes things a bit murkier for him, and he’ll need to have a strong camp and start to the year if he wants another healthy contract.
Sean Kuraly – Not much needs to be said for Kuraly. He’s as solid as a 4th line center as they come and a good leader in the room and a great ambassador for the city. Expect more of the same for the grizzled veteran.
Dmitri Voronkov – Voronkov is a wildcard in my eyes. Voronkov most likely tops out as a third line center when all is said and done, and that is more than fine. A hulking Russian with a mean streak and a little bit of a scoring touch could be just what the doctor ordered for this team. After a somewhat slow start at Traverse City, I don’t think he’s quite ready to make the jump as a full-time NHLer and some time in Cleveland may be needed. Due to a contractual clause allowing him to return to Russia if not in the NHL by the new year, he’ll be with the Jackets at some point this season. While he learns the North American game, don’t be shocked to see him play on the wing somewhere in the bottom six. His time will definitely come sooner than later.
Cole Sillinger – Where exactly Sillinger fits in the lineup is up in the air after his performance last season as well as the additions to the team. A dismal sophomore season saw his scoring totals fall off a cliff, earning him a trip to Cleveland to finish off the year, where he didn’t really impress all that much there either. Management still has faith that Sillinger will bounce back, and I’m sure he will considering how low the bar is after last season.
Kent Johnson – Originally drafted as a center, we’ve yet to see Johnson play the position much at the NHL level. Kent’s physical stature has most likely kept him on the wing, with his slight build not suited for the rigors of the position. Hopefully Johnson hit the weight room this summer and put on some muscle to fill out his 6 foot frame. Coming off a 40 point rookie season, look for Johnson to take a big step this season regardless of where he lines up. With so many options to play in the middle, I’d expect the Blue Jackets want Kent to just focus on getting more comfortable and keep putting up points and letting his elite skill shine.
Alexandre Texier – Texier is another player who can play center if needed, and has done so occasionally in the past. He is coming off a lengthy NHL hiatus, and played on the wing in Switzerland while away from the team. Unless the depth is whittled down by injury, I think it is safe to assume we’ll see Tex at wing in his return to the Jackets.
Patrik Laine(?) – The experiment of Laine down the middle didn’t last long at all, but also did not go horribly. With the hiring of Mike Babcock, I had figured this was out the window, but with Vincent now at the helm, he does have an ally in his corner should they choose to further pursue it. It does sound like Laine put in some work over the summer if this scenario came to fruition as well. In the end, with the added depth at the position, there’s no reason to go back to this well barring another season of catastrophic injuries.
The safest assumption to begin the year in my opinion is as follows:
xxx – Jenner – xxx
xxx – Fantilli – xxx
xxx – Roslovic – xxx
xxx – Kuraly – xxx
How do you think the center position will shake out?