A contract extension, an abundance of leadership and a professed love for Columbus make the team's longest-tenured player a strong candidate for the vacant role.
One by one, the NHL’s offseason has eliminated potential candidates to wear the captain’s ‘C’ for the Blue Jackets.
Nick Foligno signed with the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, ending any hopes he’d return to his post as captain in Columbus. Seth Jones was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, ending his saga prior to the NHL draft. A day later, Cam Atkinson was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers for Jakub Voracek in a deal that took many by surprise.
For those keeping track at home, that’s a combined loss of 1,607 games and 25 seasons worth of wearing the Blue Jackets’ uniform — not to mention Foligno’s ‘C’ and a pair of alternate captain ‘As’ on the front of jerseys.
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Combine all that with Boone Jenner's new four-year contract extension and you’re probably looking at the seventh captain in Blue Jackets history, right?
'Natural fit'? Why Boone Jenner may be next Blue Jackets captain
“He’s certainly got all the ingredients,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said, after issuing a description of Jenner’s value to the team that was befitting an NHL captain. “I think we’ll take our time to determine whether we have a captain ready, after Nick Foligno departed. We’ve always said, I think, that it’s usually a natural fit, where somebody rises above the group and becomes the obvious choice — and I think we’ll follow that path again. Once that guy arises, then we’ll have a captain again.”
A glance at the Blue Jackets’ projected roster suggests Jenner’s that guy.
The Atkinson-Voracek trade made him the longest-tenured Blue Jacket heading into his ninth season. There’s a year left on his contract, which the extension mirrors in both term and value to keep his salary-cap number at an economical $3.75 million. Jenner is also climbing the franchise’s all-time statistical rankings and wears an alternate captain's ‘A’ on his jersey already.
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“I’ve talked about character a lot,” Kekalainen said. “I don’t know if there’s too many better guys, character-wise, than Boone Jenner. He’s a ‘heart and soul’ guy for us. He’s a team-first guy, he’s a leader for us and he plays hard. He shows up every night to compete and does the same thing in every practice, elevates the level of our work and the standard here every day. Those are the type of leaders that we want here and we want them for long-term.”
Jenner: 'I love Columbus'
As that wasn't enough, Jenner has also professed his affection for living and playing in Columbus, to the point where he bristles at the mere suggestion it isn’t.
“I love Columbus,” Jenner said, when asked why he decided to stay amid a large scale roster makeover. “I love everything about it. I wanted to stay here. I think at the end of (last season), in the media, I kind of touched on it … just some of the stuff that’s said about Columbus and the city of Columbus in the media, definitely rubbed me the wrong way. I’m a guy that’s been here eight years now and it’s a tremendous city. I don’t agree with it.”
He would agree to wear the captain’s ‘C’ though, proudly.
“It’s something I take a lot of pride in, being a leader,” said Jenner, whose skill at face-offs, raw strength and determination make him one of the team's most valued forwards. “The way I want to go about it is just the same as I always do. When you see guys that lead, that have been a big part of a leadership group, it’s an opportunity for myself and (other) guys to step up in that role. It’s a new challenge and opportunity that way for sure.”
bhedger@dispatch.com
@BrianHedger
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