Losing ‘A’ disappoints Dubinsky

Brandon Dubinsky isn’t happy the Blue Jackets removed him from an official leadership post with his team.

General manager Jarmo Kekalainen wouldn’t expect anything less from his fiery veteran center.

Kekalainen reiterated Friday that the decision to replace Dubinsky as an assistant captain this week is in response to Dubinsky’s slow start on the ice. After having offseason wrist surgery, Dubinsky came into a game Friday at Nationwide Arena against the Winnipeg Jets with no goals and two assists in his first nine games.

“Sometimes you have to make hard decisions, and they’re all made with the best of the team in mind,” Kekalainen said. “We don’t do things to embarrass an individual or take anything away from Dubi. On the contrary, we’re trying to help him out. He’s a big part of our team, no doubt about that.”

Kekalainen said he and coach John Tortorella met with Dubinsky about the decision to replace him with defenseman Jack Johnson. Dubinsky told reporters Thursday his job as a leader within the Jackets’ locker room wouldn’t change whether he had an "A" on his game sweater or not.

“He has expressed that he’s not happy and I would be shocked if he was happy,” Kekalainen said. “We only have two assistant captains, and at this time it’s Jack Johnson and Boone Jenner. Dubi needs to concentrate on his play and get it to where he and we know it can be at. He doesn’t need to be worried about other duties.”

Happy with Dubois

Kekalainen said the decision to keep rookie forward Pierre-Luc Dubois for the remainder of the season was because “this is the best place for his development right now.”

At 19, Dubois could be sent back to his junior team in the Quebec league after nine games at the NHL level without a year of his entry-level deal kicking in.

Due to league rules, Dubois is too young to play in the American Hockey League, so he can only play junior hockey or in the NHL this season. By playing in his 10th game Friday, it’ll be with the Jackets.

“He hasn’t scored a lot but he has created opportunities and is playing a solid 200foot game,” Kekalainen said. “He’s starting to get comfortable at this level. … That’s why he’s going to stay with us.”

Vigneault update

Injured center Sam Vigneault is with minor-league Cleveland after suffering a broken finger during the first exhibition game. A return to Columbus for the 22-year-old isn’t known.

“We are there every game,” Kekalainen said. “If someone deserves to get called up, they will. Those guys know it. I thought (Vignault) played fine. I’m looking forward to seeing him play when he gets healthy and back into game shape.”