One of the more commonplace beliefs in the NHL today is that a team needs to be strong "down the middle" to compete for a championship.
And while it's a tired adage, it's also, for better or worse, true. Teams that play for the Stanley Cup are strong at the center position. In some cases, they are four or five players deep who can play up and down their lineup.
But why is center such a coveted position, and what makes a center so important?
Centers are responsible for more of the rink while they're on the ice. In the defensive zone, they are an extension of the defense, matching up against the other team's forwards, while the two wingers are (more or less) responsible for guarding the typically less-offensively-gifted defenseman, 60-plus feet from their own net.
For this reason alone, centers need to be elite skaters, but must also think the game at a higher level than the average forward.
"I want to be part of the future for the Blue Jackets, and I'm excited to be back with the boys." - @Alex_Wennberg#CBJ pic.twitter.com/hMnLffhZ1S
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) September 19, 2017
Also, a center functions as the quarterback of the team. In the neutral and offensive zone, centers are responsible for "supporting the puck," which means their job is to give the wingers or defensemen an option to move up the ice cleanly or find a target while on the attack.
Look no further than the Pittsburgh Penguins, winners of the last two Stanley Cups. Players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin don't exactly grow on trees, but it's an inherent advantage that other teams simply have to (try to) overcome.
The Blue Jackets, much like the 30 other teams, have to rely on depth at the center position to weather the storms of a game. Gaining stud defenseman Seth Jones in a 2015 trade meant losing their top center in Ryan Johansen, and while Alexander Wennberg looks at times like a No. 1 center, he was assuredly not that in the five playoff games this past year.
It's the sole reason why the Blue Jackets appear to be active in the Matt Duchene sweepstakes.
While incumbent No. 2 center Brandon Dubinsky should be at or near 100 percent health by the start of the season, ideally, he's a No. 3 center at this point in his career. He fits the mold well: a rugged and versatile player who has sufficient offense in his game, but would be better served in a shutdown role. And he's strong in the face-off circle.
Losing William Karlsson could sting. Last season's No. 3 center was taken in the expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Blue Jackets replaced him with, well, nobody. Columbus brass is looking long at Pierre-Luc Dubois, a 19-year old with zero professional experience who has played much of his minor and junior hockey days on the wing. Could he replace Karlsson's offense? Sure, but they'll need more than that.
Lukas Sedlak had an impressive rookie year, but even if he takes a huge step, he does not possess the offensive ability to play much higher in the lineup.
Jordan Schroeder was brought in from Minnesota to provide depth in case of injury, but has a long road ahead to unseat Sedlak. Tyler Motte, the lesser-known piece in the Artemi Panarin-Brandon Saad blockbuster trade, can play center as well as wing, but the same point applies.
While Blue Jackets management has always fallen back on the fact that Boone Jenner and Nick Foligno can both play center, both just look so much more comfortable on the wing. Jenner, especially, is missed along the boards when he's occupying the middle of the ice and John Tortorella has called that out on numerous occasions. He clearly prefers Jenner to play on the flanks.
In a perfect world, the Blue Jackets would enter the season in the toughest division in hockey with a true No. 1 center. Perhaps that's Wennberg, if he can prove to be consistent. But regardless, a top-six center is on every team's wish list, and Columbus is no different. The obvious hope is that Dubois assumes the role, but that's a hairy proposition at best and a dodgy bet at worst.
Barring a trade, the Blue Jackets appear satisfied to head into a season with unprecedented expectations with a relatively weak cast at a hugely important position. While other segments of their lineup can strike fear in their opponent, center is certainly not one of them.
Follow 1st Ohio BatteryFacebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
