Greetings all! Time for the third annual CBJProspects Awards live from your PC/smartphone or wherever your reading this. So as I say every year put on your finest tuxedo t-shirt and let’s get going.
PROSPECT LEADING SCORER
Boone Jenner-Oshawa Generals(OHL)
56GP 45-37-82 +23 58PIM
TOP FORWARD PROSPECT
Boone Jenner-Oshawa Generals(Stats Above)
Boone wins this award with little to no competition. Let’s be honest, he likely wrapped the award up with his 15 goal November that gave him a new career high of 26 goals with three months left in the season. Boone would finish top three in the OHL in goals and would lead the league in first goals (goals that made it 1-0) with 10, and insurance goals with nine of them.
TOP DEFENSEMAN PROSPECT
Gianluca Curcuruto-Plymouth Whalers(OHL) 67GP 9-38-47 +36 32PIM
Gianluca was traded preseason from the bottom feeding Soo Greyhounds to the dominant Plymouth Whalers. Gianluca took well to the change of scenery and became one of the top scoring Dmen in the OHL. He finished 10th among defensemen in overall scoring and tied for 6th in assists. Gianluca’s tactic is to let loose a blast from the point allowing his teammates to pick up the garbage. His 47 points were more than his previous two years combined having picked up 42 points in 119 games in the SOO.
TOP GOALIE PROSPECT
Anton Forsberg-Sodertalje SK(Sweden-2) 46GP 24-9 2.04GAA .933Sv% 3SO
Anton was loaned to Sodertalje SK from MODO this season and he took control of the crease finishing in the top 3 in goals against and save percentage. He also finished in the top five in wins and shutouts. Anton’s season/the deadline to have him signed earned him a three year entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets but Anton will return to MODO next year as one of the teams’ top two goalies. If hockey doesn’t work out, Anton has a chance on så du tror du kan dansa? as he and back up Sebastian Idoff would bust a move to celebrate a win.
OVERALL BEST AHL PROSPECT
Jonathan Audy-Marchessault 74gp 21-46-67 +20 65PIM
“JAM,” as he’s known, was the Falcons top player this year being the team’s leading scorer wire to wire. Jonathan was originally signed to an ELC after picking up 20 points in 12 games against the Falcons when he played with the Connecticut Whale. This year, JAM led the Falcons in goals and assists finishing in a tie for fourth in the AHL in scoring and assists. Jonathan made his NHL debut this season as well getting into two games with the Blue Jackets along with making his national television debut in the top play in ESPN’s top 10 plays (no really, they showed hockey I swear) with this spin-o-rama shootout goal against Adirondack.
OVERALL BEST NCAA PROSPECT
Martin Ouellette-Maine(Hockey East) 30GP 9-12-8 2.42GAA .917Sv% 2SO
Martin Ouellette is the shocking winner of this award this year. Martin started the season as Dan Sullivan’s backup, not even dressing for three of the Black Bears’ games (coach’s doghouse from what I was told) but once he took over the crease in early November he didn’t give it up. Ouellette ended up starting 28 of the Bears last 29 games including his two shutouts going 9-10-8. At the team’s season awards, Martin won the team’s three star award and shared the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He also won the Most Improved Player Award. Martin goes into next season as the Black Bear’s top goalie, but will be doing it under a new coach.
MOST IMPROVED PROSPECT(S)
Josh Anderson-London Knights (OHL) 68P 23-26-49 +10 77PIM
Gianluca Curcuruto-Plymouth Whalers (OHL) Stats Above
Martin Ouellette-Maine (Hockey East) Stats Above
All right, I copped out and did a tie but each of these three took increased roles and used them to achieve career highs. Last season, Josh was a fourth liner/power forward, but this season he was given a top six role and normally played on a line with top 2013 draft prospect Bo Horvat while maintaining his physical presence on the ice (but more on that later). Gianluca, as I said above, took on an increased role with the Whalers and still could see an increased role next season as the Whalers will lose at least two defenseman because they played last season as overagers. Martin went from playing nine games as a junior to solidifying himself as the Bears number one goalie going into next season.
MOST DISSAPOINTING PROSPECT
T.J. Tynan-Notre Dame(CCHA-Hockey East next season) 41GP 10-18-28 -1 28PIM
Going into the season, there was talk of TJ being among those with a chance at the Hobey Baker Award (Hockey Heisman) but for the second straight season, Tynan’s point totals would drop. After picking up 54 points as a freshman, and 41 as a sophomore, TJ dropped to 28 points. I’ll admit, TJ was separated from his partner in crime Anders Lee (6’4″ power forward) to try and balance out scoring but the decline still brings concern. TJ will return to South Bend for a make or break season next year in which the Jackets must decide if they’re going to sign the diminutive center.
MOST LIKELY TO PLAY IN COLUMBUS NEXT SEASON
Much like last year I don’t think there will be any rookies making their NHL debuts on opening night; but if anyone who is considered a “prospect” is going to play in Columbus next season my money is on either Boone Jenner or 2012 top pick Ryan Murray. I believe both will start the season in Springfield because we already know that JD and Jarmo are not going to give anything to a player based on draft choice. An example of this is Alex Pietrangelo (4th overall 2008) who was sent back to juniors not once but twice before becoming a regular on the St. Louis blueline.
BEST PROSPECT HIT
Dalton Prout on Brandon DeFazio
Now in previous years I’ve only had one choice for hit of the year but this year I had two and with help from our fine readers at the Union Blue, this year’s best hit award goes to Dalton Prout’s hit on Bridgeport’s Brandon DeFazio. This is from the Falcons game against Bridgeport in which the teams combined for 244 penalty minutes. DeFazio fired a shot on Curtis McEllhinney and Dalton would launch him into the boards. DeFazio is lucky the boards were there or he would’ve ended up across the street from the MassMutual Center.
BEST PROSPECT FIGHT
TALE OF THE TAPE
Josh Anderson vs. JT Miller
London Knights TEAM Plymouth Whalers
6’2″ 193 SIZE 6’1″ 200
77 PIMS 29 (in AHL)
This award, like the hit award, was voted on by our readers and Josh’s pummeling of JT was a runaway winner, even though this fight is from the preseason because JT Miller spent last season with the Connecticut Whale and the New York Rangers. JT was the Rangers 2011 1st round pick and, despite standing up for a teammate after Josh checked him, to quote Indiana Jones “He chose poorly”
There you have it folks! The after party is wherever you enjoy your favorite beverage. Now we get to the fun part of the season (well for me at least) as the Draft is quickly approaching. I’ll be back with a mock draft just like last year along with more info than you could probably want on the newest Jackets. Also it was confirmed today by Aaron Portzline that the Blue Jackets Development Camp will be held July 8-12 meaning I will get to see…probably none of it 🙁
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