Brandon Dubinsky is back.
The veteran center will be in the Blue Jackets’ lineup Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild, coach John Tortorella confirmed after a rare game-day morning skate.
“I’m ready to go, excited,” said Dubinsky, who missed the past 18 games because of a facial fracture suffered in a fight Dec. 12 against the Edmonton Oilers’ Zach Kassian.
“It was tough (sitting out). You want to be out there battling with the guys. You want to be able to relate with them with the ups and downs that happen throughout games and situations. It’s nice that I’m going to be a part of that.”
Tortorella said he hadn’t made a final decision on line combinations against the Wild. At practice Monday, Dubinsky centered the third line with Matt Calvert and Oliver Bjorkstrand on his wings.
During Dubinsky’s seven-week absence, Tortorella noted a few times that the team missed having him on the bench and on the ice.
“You want to be wanted and missed,” Dubinsky said. “I’m just pumped to get back after it and be with these guys again and put everything else behind me and focus on what’s in front of me.”
The 31-year-old Dubinsky will return wearing a visor for the first time in his career. According to an Associated Press report, Dubinsky began the season as one of just 34 players in the NHL who did not wear a visor. But doctors have told him because of the injuries suffered from the fight with Kassian he’ll have to wear one the rest of his career.
Dubinsky has been practicing with a visor since the injury, using a slightly tinted one to help block the glare and brightness from the arena lights, he said.
“It’s still a work in progress,” he said. “I don’t know if you guys saw me (Monday in practice) wiping it, wiping it, wiping it. Anytime it’s something new to you, it looks like looking through a water bottle a little bit. I’ve been wearing it for a while, so I feel used to it.
“It’s just going to take me a few … some guys don’t even notice those drips and stuff on their visor. It’s going to take a little bit to get used to, but the rest of it is fine.”
Team captain Nick Foligno, who had tried unsuccessfully to get Dubinsky to use a visor before his injury, said, “I’ve respect him for not wearing one because I understand why he does it, but now that he has one on … I’m glad he has it on to protect himself.”
“I think it’s a no-brainer,” Foligno added. “He’s got a family. He got a nice scare, obviously, with what happened. He’s still got a lot of years to play. You would hate to have something like that happen again and not have the visor on to maybe protect you and prevent it from being something worse.”
@sgorten