Jones getting close to return

It’s won’t happen Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks, but Seth Jones is nearing a return to the Blue Jackets’ lineup.

The defenseman, who’s been out since the preseason because of a sprained MCL, has skated the past four days and was cleared to take contact in practice Friday at the Ice Haus.

“He was in a little bit of contact,” coach John Tortorella said. “Certainly not playing (Saturday), but for him to come out and practice with us and start thinking about some contact, it’s getting close. I can’t tell you when, but it’s encouraging that he’s out there and the trainers have given him the green light to get involved in some contact.”

Jones, who scored an NHL career-high 16 goals last season, was injured Sept. 25 in the second period of an exhibition game against the Buffalo Sabres. The game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York, and was nationally televised as part of the NHL’s Kraft Hockeyville series.

Trying to get around Sabres defenseman Casey Nelson’s hip check near the half wall, Jones’ right knee buckled. He left the game and didn’t return in the third. Jones had an MRI the next day, which showed a Grade 2 tear of his right MCL.

His recovery time was four to six weeks, which could have kept him out of 15 games. If Jones is able to play Tuesday against the Arizona Coyotes, it would be exactly four weeks after the injury and he’d make his season debut in the eighth game.

“It’s good to have that big, long body out there,” Tortorella said. “It’s a four- to six-week injury. It’s obviously looking (like) it’s not going to be at the end of that type of time span.”

Sergei Bobrovsky isn’t the only Blue Jackets goalie less than thrilled with the NHL’s mandated smaller chest protectors, which are sleeker and will likely lead to more goals.

Joonas Korpisalo doesn’t like them either, but isn’t as ardent as Bobrovsky — who told The Dispatch on Wednesday his new chest protector is “terrible” and leaves too many areas of the upper body exposed.

“In games, you don’t care,” Korpisalo told The Dispatch. “You don’t think about it. You just go out there and you play. But in practice? You know it’s going to sting. It’s just a small thing, but it affects your game in practice a little bit, just when you think about it.”

Korpisalo and Bobrovsky wear the same style of chest protector. Each has voiced concerns to their brand’s equipment representative, who said the issue will likely be addressed soon.