Centerman Brandon Dubinsky will be sidelined indefinitely with a wrist injury, the Blue Jackets announced on Wednesday.
A veteran of 823 NHL games, Dubinsky has not played a full 82-game season since 2008-09 with the Rangers. Last season, he played in 61 games, netting six goals and eight assists, while missing some time with a hip injury. Two seasons ago he suited up for 62 games; 2016-17 was the last season he hit the 80-game mark.
#CBJ Brandon Dubinsky, out indefinitely, has played in three preseason games (0-3-3) with seven shots on goal and has won 50 percent of his face-offs. Practiced on Tuesday. Did not practice today.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) September 25, 2019
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A hard-nosed forward who's never afraid to get into the dirty areas and has won 53 percent of the face-offs he has taken in his career, Dubinsky did have surgery on his right wrist back in May 2017. He revealed to The Athletic that September that the surgery repaired torn ligaments and had been bothering him since 2015-16. Whether the current injury is the same wrist has not been disclosed.
When he does suit up again, Dubinsky's return would mark the start of his 13th NHL season and eighth with Columbus. In 430 games with the Blue Jackets, he has 72 goals and 153 assists. Columbus' season is slated to begin on Oct. 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.