The Columbus Blue Jackets are in the thick of a playoff race, but they also have a grey cloud over top of them. It won't rain on their parade in the short term and it won't be discussed much in the month ahead – but it will have to be dealt, and may bring another awkward situation for the team.
This is of course referring to center Brandon Dubinsky. Part of the Rick Nash trade that shook up the franchise back in 2012, the team and the player are at something of a crossroads.
Making nearly $6 million a year and having three years remaining on his contract, Dubinsky himself is in a favorable position. He will get paid no matter what, but his role with the team is very much up in the air.
Here are a few of the options that the Blue Jackets could pursue over the summer:
Hold Onto Dubinsky
This feels like the most likely course of action for Columbus. Trading a high salary player is always a hard proposition. This also isn't the first down year that Dubinsky has had in his career; he has bounced back in the past and has always done well in the following years. Not to mention that the center pipeline for the Blue Jackets is pretty barren with any notable prospect a year or so away.
The problem with this line of thinking is the age factor when evaluating Dubinsky. He is on the wrong side of 30 and has had a checkered injury history. There won't be many bidders and making a deal could prove detrimental. Nonetheless, it's a pill they may have to swallow.
Trade Him
This route is the one that will likely make all parties happy and allow for growth from both sides. In previous years, Dubinsky has played in a defensive role and excelled, at times one of the better defensive centers in the game. A bet could be made that this is just a down season. If you believe that though, you take on a contract that Dubinsky hasn't performed up to since the beginning and are willing to understand that.
With trading him, it will be viewed as a salary dump and with many prior deals similar to this, you'll have to attach an enticing piece. That could mean a top prospect or a top pick, neither of which the Blue Jackets have in abundance. The relationship between the two sides will have had to sour an awful lot for this to be the final resolution.
Change His Role
If the Blue Jackets do keep Dubinsky past this season, they shouldn't use him as a defensive stopper like they have been doing all season. This season, he has started in the defensive zone more than he has in any prior season. While the trust is obviously there, giving him more favorable zone starts could mean better output.
What Boone Jenner looks like away from Dubinsky and in a more offensive role should give you a look into how far Dubinsky has fallen. Why not let other young players take the defensive zone starts? They have shown their worth, it is now time to squeeze Dubinsky for every point he is worth.
Buy Him Out
If the Blue Jackets were to buy out Dubinsky, they'd be on the hook for $1.95 million annually for six years. They would get short term cap savings of $3.9 million a year for the next three before losing out on $1.95 million for the last three years of the six season buyout.
The short term benefits may outweigh what it will cost for them down the road. The cap is growing every season and it shouldn't effect them greatly. It would be a dramatic change for the team itself. It feels like a move that could be coming and as for the team itself, it would mean multiple buy outs over the past few years. Could that become an issue for GM Jarmo Kekalainen as he racks up multiple buyouts on his record? It could definitely make the front office think twice before making such a definitive decision.
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