Report: Jackets send Dubinsky home; personal issues could threaten career
The Columbus Blue Jackets sent veteran forward Brandon Dubinsky back to Columbus on Tuesday to deal with personal issues that have impacted his season and could jeopardize his playing career, sources told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.
Beyond confirming that Dubinsky will be away from the Blue Jackets indefinitely, the club wouldn't comment on the report.
The team stayed in Las Vegas for four days ahead of Tuesday night's game. Portzline noted that the Las Vegas Police Department did not have a police report that named Dubinsky.
Dubinsky's agent, Kurt Overhardt, said his client wasn't sent home for disciplinary reasons, and told Portzline that the forward left the team's road trip early for medical consultation.
"He was sent home for medical diagnosis," Overhardt said. "He's had several injuries this season. The club and my client decided that this was best. There are several issues we've been dealing with behind the scenes to get him healthy."
.@BlueJacketsNHL say Brandon Dubinsky has left team to see a doctor; deny it’s a disciplinary measure although the two sides had a ‘conversation’ before he left for personal reasons. Team will not comment officially on the matter - one source told me “because we can’t.”
— George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) January 24, 2018
Dubinsky, who was stripped of his alternate-captain status for poor play earlier this season, has been sidelined since suffering a broken orbital bone in a December fight with Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Kassian. He wasn't expected to play against the Golden Knights, but the team was hopeful he could play Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes.
The 31-year-old tallied three goals and nine assists across 31 games prior to the injury.