Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the upcoming training camp is the group of young forwards looking to force themselves on the Blue Jackets roster. There won’t be enough spots for all of them, but thanks to the offseason departures of William Karlsson, Scott Hartnell and Sam Gagner, there are at least three spots up for grabs.
There’s also another short term opportunity, thanks to the continued recovery of Brandon Dubinsky from offseason surgery. Though a veteran will likely replace Dubinsky’s minutes up the middle for at least the first few games of the season, this will likely be in the form of a veteran winger like Nick Foligno or Boone Jenner, meaning another spot (at least temporarily) on the wing would be freed up for a young player knocking on the door.