Uncertainty aside, Jackets have potential to succeed

There are so many questions. Is there are sign- and- trade deal for Panarin that might yield immediate help to replace his scoring? Or, does the trade market for Bread and Bob only involve prospects and picks? If so, how good are the prospects and picks?

So many questions. Let’s pause here and consider the team, as it is presently, intact.

It is solid. Kekalainen has been building for five years. Coach John Tortorella has been on the job for three. The hockey-operations and coaching staffs recently had their contracts extended. The organization is as stable as it has ever been and, what is more, the team’s regular- season successes have lent the Jackets a legitimacy.

Panarin-Dubois-Atkinson. Foligno-Wennberg-Bjorkstrand. Jenner-Dubinsky-Atkinson. Duclair-Nash-Milano.

You can win 40-plus games with that group of forwards. It has been proved.

Bobrovsky is a two-time Vezina winner and the backup goaltender, Joonas Korpisalo, appears capable. If he’s not, we’ll find out this season because Korpisalo is about to get more starts ( over- under is 25, I think). The Jackets have to gird themselves for a post- Bob existence.

The defense, once a hallmark, is in flux on the eve of the regular season.

Imagine if Ian Cole and Jack Johnson weren’t lost to free agency. The Jackets — with Norris candidate Seth Jones, wunderkind Zach Werenski, talented Markus Nutivaara and lumberjack David Uncertainty will dog the Blue Jackets as long as the statuses of Artemi Panarin, left, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky — both in the final seasons of their contracts — remain unknown.

Savard — would have a dynamic yet staunch defense as part of their identity. Remember: Ryan Murray can flat- out play when he’s healthy.

But things can get scrambled when the unrestricted free- agent market beckons (don’t we know it). Long-term salary-cap management comes into play for the brain trust. Stuff happens. And Cole is in Colorado and Johnson is in Pittsburgh.

Jones ( knee) is beginning the season on injured reserve. Which means Gabriel Carlsson, Adam Clendening and Dean Kukan are going to have to show some mettle. Scott Harrington, too.

Still, this is a solid team. If the defense can tread water until Jones’ return, it will be a boon. If the power play is fixed ( and it may well be)

then the likes of Panarin, Atkinson and Werenski are going to goose their offensive numbers. There are a number of these kinds of things that could break well for the Jackets. For instance, if Dubinsky can put last season behind him (and it appears he has) then the Jackets will be as deep down the middle as they’ve ever been.

If the Jackets can get off to a strong start they can sharpen their focus on hockey. They had 42 victories and 97 points last the season and they are fully capable of matching or bettering those totals. They should once again be a playoff team.

They have to win a round.