TORONTO — Early in Monday’s game, Pierre-Luc Dubois lined up for another faceoff he wouldn’t be taking.
As a center, it bothers the third-year pro not having the responsibility of winning possession when the puck is dropped.
Dubois has a success rate below 44 percent on the dots, but he said that’s not what’s kept him out of the faceoff circles the past two games. He’s been dealing with an undisclosed injury that has prevented him from taking draws — but not from playing games.
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No slash, no crosscheck, no Andrew Shaw cheap shot has kept the strapping Blue Jackets center out of the lineup during his first few NHL seasons. And so Monday night in ScotiaBank Arena, the ailing Dubois went into the corner following a Nick Foligno faceoff win, established strong body position on Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews and drove to the front of the net, where he jammed the puck past Frederik Andersen for a goal.
“I always say the best any player is going to feel is their first game in the NHL,” Foligno said after the Blue Jackets’ 4-3 overtime win. “After that, you’re going to have bumps and bruises (for) the rest of your career if you’re playing it the right way. That’s part of being a hockey player and part of being a pro and I think (Dubois) understands that.”
The 6-foot-3, 218-pound forward will appear in his 174th consecutive regular-season game Thursday as the Blue Jackets host the Hurricanes. Dubois is the only Columbus draft pick in team history to play all 82 games in his first two seasons.
The franchise’s ironman record belongs to R.J. Umberger at 288 games, a streak that ran from Oct. 10, 2008, to Jan. 10, 2012.
Dubois, who’s tied with Sammy Pahlsson for seventh on the Blue Jackets’ list, takes pride in being available for his team and coaches. He admits there have been a few close calls, some game-time decisions involving pain management and illness.
“You have days where you are throwing up (on) the morning of a game,” Dubois said. “A lot of guys deal with that stuff. I’d rather play throwing up than sit in the stands.”
What makes his streak most impressive is the way Dubois competes. Let’s just say he’s not in the Kristian Huselius check-of-the-month club. Dubois goes to the net, grinds along the wall and plays with an edge. His size and physicality wear on opponents and lead them to take the occasional run at him.
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On Saturday, Dubois was fortunate to escape injury after Shaw blasted him away from the puck, hitting the center in the head on a play that drew only a two-minute minor.
“There’s some luck involved,” Dubois said of his streak. “There’s also trying to play smart and not putting yourself in a position to get injured.”
Some athletes do not like to discuss ongoing streaks for fear of jinxing them. Dubois laughed when that mindset was mentioned.
“Knock on wood, right?” Dubois said tapping himself on the head.
What’s more important to the Blue Jackets is how well Dubois is playing in the season’s opening weeks. He leads the club with four goals, which all have come in the past six games.
After scoring 27 goals last season, some wondered if Dubois’ productivity would dip with the free-agent defection of left winger Artemi Panarin.
We’re dealing with a small sample size, but early returns are encouraging. The Blue Jackets are getting 64.79 percent of all shot attempts at 5-on-5 play when Dubois is on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick. A year ago, the total was 59.9 percent with Panarin often playing on his left side.
The center also is commanding more attention. In the first nine games, he’s drawn 2.36 penalties per 60 minutes. Again, it’s early and much can change, but his previous high mark was 1.1 per 60 in his rookie season.
Coach John Tortorella appreciated Dubois’ robust play Monday, which marked the Blue Jackets’ fourth game in six nights.
“He’s been playing as a power forward,” Tortorella said. “For a number of games, he’s been very good. He was one of the guys who seemed fresher than the other guys. … It’s a tired team.”
Dubois arrived at training camp in great shape again. He finished first in the team’s fitness testing that combines lifting, skating and running.
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The 21-year-old is still learning what it takes to produce consistently over the course of a long season. Despite career marks in goals (27) and assists (34), his offensive numbers dropped down the stretch last season. The decline started before the team acquired Matt Duchene at the trade deadline.
In the final 30 regular-season games, Dubois managed six goals and seven assists.
Some around the league will tell you it’s the veterans, not the youngsters like Dubois, who look most energized in February and March. It’s because they are accustomed to the demands the grueling schedule places on their bodies.
“You learn what works,” Dubois said. “You learn how to prepare yourself for games. I think I’m getting there. I’m not 100 percent there in knowing what works for me. Some games you feel great. Some nights your legs feel heavy.”
And some nights, you can’t take faceoffs because of pain.
Dubois said he’s not worried how he’s perceived in terms of being a No. 1 center in the league. It’s something, he admits, that might have weighed on him previously.
The fact the Blue Jackets traded for Duchene — who left for Nashville in free agency — “wasn’t my call,” Dubois said.
“You want to prove yourself, you want that role, but at the end of the day you are not making the decision,” he said. “You suck it up and get ready for the next opportunity that comes your way.
“I know what I can do out there. I know I can be that guy. … I’m just trying to do everything well and, if I do that, good things will happen.”
That includes winning a higher percentage of faceoffs. Once he’s healthy enough to start taking them again.
— The Athletic’s Alison Lukan contributed to this report.
(Photo of Pierre-Luc Dubois and Auston Matthews: Claus Andersen / Getty Images)