"One reason Antoine Vermette celebrated his trade from Ottawa to the Blue Jackets late in the 2008-09 season was a chance to play center, his natural position.

But with the Blue Jackets overloaded with centers — especially if rookie Ryan Johansen plays his way out of a return to juniors — Vermette seems a logical choice to move back to the wing.

Yesterday, when the Jackets put some of their top players on display during the annual media day in Nationwide Arena, Vermette said such a move would be fine with him.

"If I'm playing on a good line with good players, and I'm playing the wing, so be it," Vermette said. "You want to be contributing to the team's success. If it's on the wing, it's on the wing. I have no problem with that."

The plan heading into training camp is to keep left winger Rick Nash and center Jeff Carter together on the No. 1 line, and winger R.J. Umberger and Vermette together on the No. 2.

But there will likely be a slew of variables during training camp as coach Scott Arniel looks for two, or possibly three, scoring lines.

Carter, Vermette, Derick Brassard, Sammy Pahlsson, Derek MacKenzie and the rookie Johansen are all natural centers, giving the Blue Jackets more depth at the position than ever. At least two of those guys could be on the move.

"It's a good problem to have," Vermette said. "That's what it was like in Ottawa, and we scored a lot of goals.

"Moving from center to the wing … it's less responsibility.""