Tortorella seeks more playing time for Bjorkstrand

Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said before Friday’s game that he wants to give right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand increased ice time, and that was why he moved Bjorkstrand up to the second line alongside center Alexander Wennberg and left wing Boone Jenner.

Nick Foligno dropped down to the third line against the Vancouver Canucks at Nationwide Arena, taking Bjorkstrand’s place next to center Lukas Sedlak and left wing Matt Calvert.

“He has been a little inconsistent of late … but I want to try to help him,” Tortorella said of Bjorkstrand. “There are a number of guys I think are going to very important in the second half (of the season). He’s one of them.”

Bjorkstrand started the game third on the team in assists (18) and points (26) — behind left wing Artemi Panarin and defenseman Seth Jones in both categories — and tied for sixth in goals (eight).

His average ice time of 14:03, however, was less than every other Jacket who has played at least 30 games, except winger Sonny Milano (10:52) and Sedlak (10:20). Tortorella said Bjorkstrand, quiet by nature, has never asked for more playing time. He added that Bjorkstrand’s checking is a reason he hasn’t received more ice time.

“Around the puck, it’s very similar to, (but) not the extreme, of Sonny as far as understanding a play, battle-level,” Tortorella explained.

Addicted to PB&J

Tortorella said he fights himself during games about how much he should use his top line of Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Anderson, nicknamed PB&J, and decides by going “with my gut.” After a 2-1 loss Thursday at the Buffalo Sabres, during which all three played at least 22 minutes, Tortorella conceded he was “killing them.”

“It’s a situation where, how can I not go to them? That’s such a dangerous line every time I put them out there,” Tortorella said. “I need to help other guys get going, too. … Maybe in certain situations I have to try to give the other guys a little bit of an opportunity.”

Veteran struggles

Defenseman Jack Johnson got 13:43 of ice time at Buffalo, least among the team’s defensemen and his lowest since joining the Jackets in the 2011-12 season in games he wasn’t injured.

“You want to compete. You want to be sweating. You want to be in the game,” Johnson said. “You try to do what you can with what you have and you try to make it hard for (Tortorella) to not keep on not putting you on the ice.”

Slap shots

Center Zac Dalpe and defenseman Dean Kukan were reassigned to minor-league Cleveland. … Of the big hit he took in his return from a back injury on Thursday, Wennberg said, “You get involved in the game right away. It didn’t set me back. … It was good to know everything was working.”