Jones takes Johnson’s spot as alternate captain
Seth Jones returned to the Blue Jackets’ lineup Thursday night against the Florida Panthers after sitting out three games because of a rib injury, and did so wearing an “A” on his jersey.
That’s because alternate captain Jack Johnson was the defenseman scratched in Jones’ return. Johnson had played in every game since the start of last season, and had been the only blue-liner to have played in all 74 games this season.
Ryan Murray, who skated with Zach Werenski in Jones’ absence, slid into Johnson’s spot in the second pairing with Markus Nutivaara. Coach John Tortorella said after morning skate that depth on the back end allows him the flexibility to rest a player who may be banged up.
“There’s a group of them that really no one’s head-of-shoulders over the other one,” Tortorella said.
Jones scored his 15th goal in the second period, breaking a tie with Werenski in their battle for the single-season franchise record of goals by a defenseman.
Forward Brandon Dubinsky was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game as Lukas Sedlak remained in the lineup on the fourth line.
“I’m certainly not trying to grind him,” Tortorella said of Dubinsky, adding he wasn’t sending the veteran a message by sitting him out Tuesday. “It’s just a decision I have to make. … We have a really good player Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones moves the puck up ice pursued by Panthers center Derek MacKenzie during the third period. waiting to get back in if something else happens with another guy.”
Before Dubinsky sitting, Sedlak had been a healthy scratch for seven of the eight games due to the trade deadline additions of Mark Letestu and Thomas Vanek.
“I kind of lost my spot in the lineup. I didn’t play my greatest games before,” said Sedlak, who was hit in the back of the head by a shot in the third period and went into the locker room with a towel covering the blood. “That’s how it is. I took it well, I think. I was trying to be a good teammate … and do my best during practices to get ready if I get my chance.”
Sedlak said he took the approach that with Letestu and Vanek, “we have a better team than we had before. Even if it means losing my spot … we still have a better chance at winning.”
There will be one fewer spot when wing Josh Anderson returns from a knee injury. Tortorella said Thursday that Anderson, who has missed 12 games, will immediately go back in when healthy.
With his 13th goal of the season, rookie left wing Sonny Milano tied Nikolai Zherdev, Serge Aubin and David Vyborny for fourth most by a rookie in Jackets history.
Center Pierre-Luc Dubois, who ranks third with 15 goals, had two assists and moved up in the franchise’s all-time rookie rankings.
Dubois has 39 points, tied with Rick Nash for second most, and 24 assists, third all-time.
Cam Atkinson’s goal was his fifth in five games. He also had an assist, and has recorded at least one point in 16 of the past 21 games. … With three goals in the second period, the Jackets have scored three in a period five of the past 10 games. … Defenseman David Savard played in his 400th game with the Blue Jackets. Johnson and forwards Atkinson, Nick Foligno and Matt Calvert reached that mark earlier this season.