The Blue Jackets have announced their roster for the Traverse City Prospects Tournament. One fun wrinkle to watch – the Blue Jackets announced that 2015 fifth round pick Veeti Vainio would be taking part. Due to that the CBJ or any team that I can think of have never brought a European over who’s expected to play in Europe along with the fact the Finnish league opens the same day as the tournament opens it remains to be seen if Vainio can actually make it to Michigan but, as of right now he’s on the roster.
As for the Blue Jackets roster, it’s probably the most team-prospect heavy roster ever sent by any team as long as I’ve been going up there. The Jackets are bringing only four invites and four players that weren’t drafted by the team. The Tournament will follow the normal setup – splitting the eight teams into two divisions. In divisional play, each team faces their three division members once and then plays the team in the other division in the same place / ranking on the final day of the tournament.
The Jackets are the defending tournament champions after going 4-0 last year. The team also led the tournament in scoring and allowed the fewest goals. The Jackets return 12 players from last year’s championship squad including Sonny Milano who only played part of the team’s first game. Lake Erie fans may wanna try and make the drive as the Jackets are bringing your coaching staff along with 14 players, including your goalies, to Traverse.
Let’s take a look at the team:
FORWARDS
This year’s forward group is not as scary as last year’s roster that had four first round picks. The 2015 roster features leading scorer and reigning Four Broncos Memorial Trophy winner, Oliver Bjorkstrand and his partner in crime from Portland, 2015 2nd round pick, Paul Bittner are the biggest forward the Jackets are bringing. Last year’s tournament hero, Josh Anderson also returns and is likely hoping to use this tournament (and next week’s training camp) to force his way onto the Jackets this fall.
Sonny Milano is back in Traverse and more than likely a lock for the top six in Traverse. Also returning – Nick Moutrey, another of the Jackets power forward prospects who used a big last year to earn his entry level deal – he will be turning pro this season. Julien Pelletier is on his third QMJHL team since being drafted and he will need a big year if he wants to earn his entry level deal. Julien has been a star so far during Sherbrooke’s preseason and hopefully he can continue this after being on the fourth line last year. Peter Quenneville is back at the tournament as well and remains an interesting case as I have no idea where he’ll be spending this season, (first it was reported on his agent’s website he was playing in Finland but that has been taken down.) Peter, like Julien, will get more opportunity this year after spending last year’s tournament in the bottom six, after which, he was sent back to Brandon before training camp even began. It’s possible that his performance in Traverse will serve as an audition for Lake Erie for Peter. And the final returning forward? Kerby Rychel. If not for his concussion causing him to miss the second half of last year, I’m not sure if the 20-year-old would even be in Traverse City this year. Kerby is another returning leading scorer putting up six points in four games and is probably another lock for the Jackets’ top six in Michigan.
As for new faces, Christian Isackson, who was a teammate of Seth Ambroz, Ryan Collins and another ex-CBJ prospect last year at Minnesota will join the squad. Christian was occasionally flashy last year but he was also inconsistent and wasn’t able to stick in Minnesota’s top six and ended being one of several rotating in as the Gophers’ fourth line center.
2015 draft choice Keegan Kolesar was tabbed as the draft’s best bodychecker along with second best fighter by a draft guide and that should be a plus for the Columbus group. Kolesar isn’t a goon, he’s a top six forward in Seattle, but these games in Traverse can get a little gritty.
You know Travis Konecny, the Flyers first round pick from this year? Well, he was the Ottawa 67s’ second leading scorer last season. Second. The team’s leading scorer, and now part of the Jackets Traverse City team as an invite, is Ottawa’s Dante Salituro. Salituro is a diminutive (5’9″ on one site 5’7″ on another) forward putting up 78 points in 68 game s(37-41-78) and it surprised many writers he went undrafted. Of note, Dante did attend Carolina’s prospect camp earlier this summer post draft. Kole Sherwood will also be making his CBJ debut in Traverse. Kole has been very impressive from what I’ve been reading out of Knight’s camp and it will be interesting to see him play this weekend. TJ Tynan led the Falcons in scoring last year and will probably be one of the Jackets’ top centers in Traverse. I think TJ put together with Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand could do some damage both in Traverse and Lake Erie. Daniel Zaar is another Swede making his North American debut and I’ll be curious to see what the sniper can do.
DEFENSE/GOALIES
The defensive corps is mostly a group of new faces this year – first the returning players:
I expect Dillon Heatherington to be the Jackets’ top defenseman in Traverse City and he could be one of the last cuts from the blueline at main camp. The smallest member of the Jackets blueline in Olivier LeBlanc. LeBlanc spent part of the summer taking part in Canada’s World Junior camp. Last year, Olivier paired with Jackets’ Traverse team captain, Thomas Larkin. Blake Siebenaler, one of the few signed prospects who will be going back to the CHL during training camp, is a skilled offensive defenseman who could be paired with one of the Jackets defensive defensemen. Such a pairing will allow the converted forward Siebenaler to really skate while his partner stays back.
Now for players wearing the union blue for the first time – Brandon Crawley is one of two invites on defense and is a teammate of Kole Sherwood in London this season. Crawley is a defensive defenseman who likes to play physical despite not being very big. Dean Kukan was a teammate of Daniel Zaar’s last year in Lulea and, like Daniel, will be making his North American debut. Dean is a two way defenseman who will probably see some power play time. Michael Paliotta was the key part of the Brandon Saad trade (you see it your way, I’ll see it mine) and will be making his Blue Jackets debut. Mike will be facing off against some of his old potential teammates if the Jackets face the Blackhawks in the final. Sam Ruopp, known as a defensive defenseman, is the captain of the Prince George Cougars and is another of the potential tough customers the Jackets are bringing to Traverse City. The big fellow of the group is 6’7″ 230 pound dman, Oleg Yevenko. Oleg is signed only by Lake Erie for next season but, for some reason, isn’t counted as an invite. Oleg is a tough guy – collecting 14 penalty minutes in only four games with Adirondack last year. As for Vainio, if he comes over for the games, he, like Siebenaler, should be paired with a defensive defenseman so he can skate while they stay back.
As for the goalies, the Jackets are bringing the expected Lake Erie tandem of Anton Forsberg and Joonas Korpisalo. Anton was a member of last year’s Traverse team and split time with Oscar Dansk and I bet that’s how this year’s tournament will go – with the two alternating starts. I almost think Anton is in the same boat as Kerby Rychel – as I said above he’s mainly going to Traverse to see how his injury from this summer has healed. Joonas came over last season but this is when the Falcons were as banged up as the Jackets were and it was a rough go for the young Fin. Hopefully, a good tournament will give Joonas a confidence boost.
There you have it folks – a look at the team of rookies the CBJ will be sending to Traverse City hoping to repeat as tournament champions for the second time (the team also won in 06-07). I’ll be heading up to Traverse Thursday after the practice in Columbus – follow me on twitter for game updates if the signal (notoriously weak year after year) allows me.
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