Players hold another meeting

DENVER— After dropping five straight games, the Blue Jackets addressed the situation Sunday as they’ve done with previous bouts of adversity.

They held a meeting. The Jackets attempted, again, to clear the air about issues that have cropped up during the losing streak— before playing the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday at Pepsi Center.

“It was a good chance for us to bury any excuse and just refocus on what really matters and how to get out of this,” captain Nick Foligno said after practice Monday. “Sometimes, when you go through it, there’s things that come up and then you realize they don’t matter. What matters is, ‘How are you going to win?’ ”

The answer has evaded the Blue Jackets since Jan. 15, when they last won a game, against the New Jersey Devils. Columbus has since lost back-toback games prior to a 10-day break in the schedule and also the past three coming out of it.

“It was a good chat just to kind of recap everything that we’ve gone through,” Foligno said. “We’ve had some tough games, some really good games we didn’t get results in, and you just … throw it all out. What’s going to allow us to be really good against Colorado? And that was the gist of it.”

The simmering contract uncertainty involving Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin, which has dominated recent headlines, wasn’t the focus after all.

“Not even close, no,” Foligno said. “Actually, it didn’t even get brought up, just because we’ve been dealing with that all year. It was just like, ‘Guys, refocus on what matters. Don’t waste your energy on things that just don’t matter.' It was a good chat for everybody.”

Jenner practices

Boone Jenner returned to practice exactly one week after an infected ankle laceration flared up.

Jenner, whose estimated recovery time was one to three weeks, centered a line in practice that included Anthony Duclair and Josh Anderson. Jenner has missed the past three games, and his status is uncertain against the Avalanche.

“It’s tough watching,” said Jenner, whose ankle was cut blocking a shot before the break. “Obviously, you want to be out there with the guys, so it felt good today and hopefully I can join them here shortly.”

One-timers

Coach John Tortorella didn’t provide injury updates. … Ryan Murray, who appeared to injure his left leg Thursday in Winnipeg, didn’t practice. He finished that game and also played against St. Louis. … Brandon Dubinsky centered the fourth line, but left practice early and didn’t return. … New line combinations were skated, including Foligno at left wing on the top line and Panarin at left wing on the second line with Alexander Wennberg and Oliver Bjorkstrand.