Depth at Center Position

[Declan]

A very detailed look at the Blue Jackets centers

Blue Jackets training camp opens one month from Thursday. GM Scott Howson is not actively pursuing a trade (he says), nor does he have any offers coming in from around the NHL (as of today). Unless he's blown away, the Blue Jackets roster is set heading into camp.

That in mind, The Dispatch will take a look this week at all five positions on the ice: center, left wing, right wing, defense and goaltending.

We'll provide our "depth" chart only of players who stand a realistic chance of seeing NHL time this season, meaning prospects John Moore and Brent Regner and Russian dynamo Sergei Mozyakin are not included.

We'll even try our hand at fantasy projections, but don't hold us responsible if we're WAY off next spring.

Hope you enjoy. Here's the first installment of "Depth Perception," a look at the Blue Jackets centers:

For the first time in franchise history, the Blue Jackets will head into training camp already settled on their top three centers. It's the fourth line that provides the only mystery, making it a direct departure from the previous eight training camps ... and a sure sign of progress.

Here's how The Dispatch sees the Blue Jackets' depth chart at center:

1. Derick Brassard
2. Antoine Vermette
3. Sammy Pahlsson
4. Andrew Murray
5. Mike Blunden
6. Derek MacKenzie

A thumbnail look at each of them:

DERICK BRASSARD

Brassard, 21, calmed a lot of nerves last season by proving he has the requisite skill to be a scoring-line center in the NHL. Now he needs to show the Blue Jackets and the rest of the league that he can stay healthy for an entire season.

Between shoulder injuries and a broken jaw, Brassard has had a rough start to his career, playing only 103 games the last three seasons. In 2008-09, he put up 10-15-25 in 31 games before his shoulder popped out of joint in the early stages of a fight with Dallas Stars rookie James Neal. At the time he was the leading scorer among NHL rookies, the leading candidate to win the Calder Memorial Trophy.

The Blue Jackets don't want Brassard fighting, obviously. But it was in that fight that they saw the early signs of a player who wants to be a leader, who wants to be accountable. He didn't like Neal's hit on teammate Fedor Tyutin, and he couldn't bear being the guy who was "right there" and didn't handle the matter. You have to like the passion, even though it had disastrous consequences.

Former Blue Jackets winger Jason Williams compared Brassard's game to that of Chicago's Jonathan Toews, saying he sees a similar set of skills and expects similar production. If that's true, Blue Jackets fans should be delighted.

Brassard is expected to play between wingers Rick Nash and Kristian Huselius in 2009-10, giving him a chance to put up big numbers.

Contract: $1.247M cap hit (RFA after 2009-10)
Fantasy projection: 18-40-58, 44 PIMs

ANTOINE VERMETTE

GM Scott Howson pursued Antoine Vermette, 27, for at least a year before he acquired him from Ottawa last March at the NHL trade deadline for goaltender Pascal Leclaire and a second-round pick.

His speed, skill and faceoff ability made him an instant hit in Columbus, where he put up 7-6-13 in 17 regular season games after the trade.

Vermette averaged 23 goals in his first four season with Ottawa, even though he drew limited minutes and second-unit power play time among a slew of talented Senators. The Blue Jackets believe his best hockey is yet to be played, and not just on the offensive end.

Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock was delighted with Vermette's own-zone play and his attention to detail. He'll likely play on a line with R.J. Umberger on his left and Crazy Jake Voracek on his right. Vermette will play big minutes this year.

The Dispatch has learned that contract talks between the Blue Jackets and Vermette's agent are expected to take place later this month or early in September, with the hope of an extension agreement during training camp.

Contract: $2.763 cap hit (UFA after 2009-10)
Fantasy projection: 24-33-57, 50 PIMs

SAMMY PAHLSSON

The Blue Jackets have had a handful of high-profile checking-line centers in previous seasons: Mike Sillinger, Todd Marchant, Michael Peca, etc. But they've always played too high in the lineup. Pahlsson, 31, is expected to be used strictly as a checker. If that's the case, he's a real weapon, a Selke Trophy candidate.

It's unclear whom Pahlsson will line up next to, but Fredrik Modin, Jason Chimera and Raffi Torres are all candidates. Look for Pahlsson to get lots of time on the penalty kill, lots of head-to-head duty against the other club's top line and lots of ice time late in games in which the Blue Jackets have the lead.

Fans might not be blown away by Pahlsson during the regular season. He stands out by keeping other players quiet. It's in the playoffs where Pahlsson has really made his mark, and that was a glaring shortcoming of the Blue Jackets last season. Manny Malhotra was invisible when the temperature was turned up in the first-round series sweep vs. Detroit. Pahlsson tends to stand up straight in those situations.

Contract: $2.650M cap hit (signed through 2011-12)
Fantasy projection: 7-15-22, 38 PIMs

ANDREW MURRAY

The Blue Jackets will have an open competition in training camp for the No. 4 job, but we consider Murray, 27, the leader in the clubhouse. Obviously, he's got Hitchcock in his corner, given his competitive nature and instinctive work along the boards.

"Weighty" has played mostly wing in the NHL, but he's played lots of center in college and the minors, so the adjustment shouldn't be quite as difficult.

It wouldn't be a major shock if the Blue Jackets added a "bargain" center late in free agency, but they've got too many forwards (re: wingers) on the roster as it is. It would be a huge help if one of the fourth-line wingers could make the switch to center. It's less about faceoffs and more about position play, vision and skating ability.

Contract: $625K cap hit (signed through 2010-11)
Fantasy projection: 3-3-6, 44 PIMs

MIKE BLUNDEN

Hitchcock is said to be quite intrigued by the 22-year-old Blunden. Of course, the first aspect of Blunden's game that stood out to Hitchcock was 6-3, 215 ... his height and weight. He's a big-framed kid who will get a chance to win the No. 4 job in training camp.

Blunden, acquired in a trade last season for Adam Pineault, had 9-12-21 in 39 games with Syracuse last season after the trade. He might be a year or two away from regular NHL duty, but it's likely he'll be seen in Columbus at some point this season.

Blue Jackets scouts believe there's still a lot of room between the top of his head and the ceiling.

Contract: NHL/AHL deal through 2009-10 (RFA next summer)
Fantasy projection: 4-3-7, 14 PIMs

DEREK MACKENZIE

The ultimate compliment for a player in MacKenzie's spot is this: the Blue Jackets' organization trusts him implicitly. He won't play a full season in the NHL, but he's more than capable of slotting in on a fourth line for handful of games at a time.

Otherwise, MacKenzie, 28, will keep things working smoothly down on the farm in Syracuse.

Contract: NHL/AHL deal through 2009-10 (UFA next summer)
Fantasy projection: 1-2-3, 8 PIMs

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