CBJ CHL Prospect Preview

Hello, all – time for another of my prospect previews. This time I’m focusing on the Jackets’ eight prospects spread across Canada and the Pacific Northwest. As usual, I’ve incorporated thoughts on all eight from people who have seen the player live.

Ontario Hockey League

Kole Sherwood-London Knights
One of bigger stories of the summer was the signing of New Albany native Kole Sherwood. For a recap of Kole from last season I’ll hand things over to Ohio AAA Blue Jackets Program Coordinator and U18 Coach Ed Gingher

“Very dynamic skater with explosive quickness. Continues to grow and get stronger. Very committed to getting stronger. He is in great shape! Currently 6’1, 192lbs. In 66 games, he scored 46 goals and added 49 assists. NHL shot with quick release. Good hockey sense to find the soft spots in offensive zone. Took huge steps this past season with his play without the puck.”

As for this season. Kole is off to join the perennial juggernaut that is the London Knights of the OHL. Based on tweets coming from London, Kole has been a standout in Knights camp. For his thoughts on Kole so far in the preseason and what he thinks the young Jackets’ role will be this season, here is Jim Van Horne – the Knights color commentator on Newstalk 1290 CJBK.

“I have had one viewing of Kole Sherwood vs. Sarnia Sting on September 4^th. The Knights won the game 6-1. Kole had one assist and was a +1 for the game. The first thing that strikes you about Kole is his combination of size and speed. In the game that I saw it was clear there was a slight feeling out process for him. That is totally natural as the surroundings here can be intimidating. Even for a pre-season game there was an announced crowd of over 7,000. As the game went on, he became more comfortable. He started to handle the puck with more confidence. He did get a bit of power play time and his assist was on a goal by Max Jones on the power play. Not only does he have size and speed, but he did handle the puck well and worked along the boards like he knew what he was doing. Overall, a very successful debut under difficult circumstances as I’m sure he was nervous.

“It’s hard to say (where he fits in the lineup). The Knights are ranked as a top five team in Canada in the CHL. That means they have a lot of talent and minutes will be hard earned. That said, coach Dale Hunter always rewards hard work and will not be afraid to play Kole a lot if he’s responsible defensively. I am expecting a short adjustment period (10-15 games) for him to get used to the grind of the league.”

Blake Siebenaler-Niagara IceDogs
One of only two players who are signed to an NHL contract that we’ll be talking about in this piece is Niagara IceDogs defenseman Blake Siebenaler. For insight on Blake I’ll turn things over to “The Voice of the IceDogs” Rod Mawhood.

“With another year of development under his belt, 2014 third round pick, Blake Siebenaler is hoping the 2015-16 campaign will be his official coming out party. In his rookie season with the Niagara IceDogs, the former forward left some in awe with his strong, some would say Paul Coffeyesk skating stride leading to interest from many NHL clubs. The Fort Wayne, Indiana native finished the 2013-14 campaign with six goals and 30 points before hearing his named called by the Blue Jackets at the NHL Entry Draft. After attending Columbus camp in 2014, Siebenaler doubled his goal output with 12 and also chipped in with 25 helpers in his sophomore season in Niagara. The IceDogs are ranked third in the CHL (Canadian Hockey League) preseason rankings, this year, something that hasn’t gone unnoticed to Siebenaler. “I think this is our year. We have the team to do it, we just have to go out every game and perform and stick to our game plan.” As for setting goals this season? There’s only one, according to the 6’1” 190-pound blueliner. “I personally want to win a Memorial Cup, that’s it,” Siebenaler said. And like I said, this is our year.”

Markus Soberg-Windsor Spitfires
Norwegian import Markus Soberg begins his second season in North America on the injured list. He had surgery just before Traverse City for a nagging injury. But Markus received some good news as the Spits waived import Cristof Kromp meaning Markus and Russian blueliner Mikhail Sergachev will be the Spitfires’ two imports. I asked Brock Otten of the OHL Prospects Blog for his thoughts on Soberg (note, this was written before announcement of injury/ roster decision)

“In watching Soberg this year, it’s clear his greatest asset is his speed. He shows an ability to create off the rush when he’s got time and space and he’s incredibly dangerous during odd man rushes. His skill with the puck is above average and he flashes creativity. The issue is that he struggled this year playing through traffic and really seems to lack the strength to succeed at this level currently. This explains his inconsistency and his tendency to be invisible on certain nights. He has trouble maintaining possession in the offensive end and can be easily separated from the puck. With his speed, he should be able to create a lot of scoring chances from driving the net, but defenders are able to neutralize his speed fairly easily by pushing him into the corners. Moving forward, his progression is completely tied to his ability to add strength and to fight through checks. The skill level is there, just needs to be able to create the space necessary to use it.

“As for next year, it remains to be seen if Soberg is in Windsor’s plans. They still hold his rights, but few teams in the CHL use an OA card and an Import card on the same player….especially if he’s not a guarantee to be an impact player. The Spits used both of their import selections this year. One on Mikhail Sergachev, a highly touted defender who will most definitely be with the team. The other on Christof Kromp, a talented Austrian forward. It’s likely that Kromp and Soberg will battle for the final spot at training camp. In all likelihood, Soberg is the odd man out for the reasons I explained above. If that is indeed the case, Windsor would likely explore a trade and see if another team is interested in his services. If not, he’d be put on waivers and be made available to QMJHL, and WHL teams. Again though, if he has not gotten stronger and shown an ability to be an impact player in a team’s top 6, he’s not likely to find a place in the CHL because he takes up two cards.”

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Olivier LeBlanc-Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

One of the prospects the Jackets must make a decision on this year is Olivier LeBlanc. Olivier will play for, and serve as a alternate captain for, one of the top teams in the QMJHL – the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. For his thoughts on Olivier here is “The Voice of the Screaming Eagles and a bi-weekly contributor for the Cape Breton Post Patrick McNeil

“To say the 2014-15 hockey season was an eventful one for Olivier LeBlanc would be an understatement. There were some ups and downs but it can’t be doubted that he continued to prove his value as a professional prospect. LeBlanc started last season with the Saint John Sea Dogs and was named captain of the team. His leadership was apparent as a Saint John team that was expected to be rebuilding was challenging for the QMJHL East Division title at Christmas time. The taste of success was a breath of fresh air for the third year QMJHL player who had seen the Dogs spend the prior two years in or near the league basement.

“Just as Olivier was getting used to life on an over .500 team, he was dealt at Christmas time to an Eagles club that was 17th in the 18 team loop. Saint John had realized it was not time to win yet and wanted to continue their rebuilding, while Cape Breton had struggled to meet higher expectations in part due to injuries. A number of veterans (including LeBlanc) were brought in during the holiday trading period to help turn around the fortunes of the Screaming Eagles. Cape Breton moved up to 13th in the standings and sported a record of 13-7-1 with the Columbus prospect in the lineup. Unfortunately, the before mentioned injury bug would catch LeBlanc as well. He missed two weeks of play due to an upper body injury shortly after his arrival in Cape Breton. And just prior to the playoffs, he suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss all of the post-season. The Eagles fell in seven games to a talent laden Quebec Remparts squad.

“LeBlanc actually served as an assistant coach during some of the series as Dumont counted on him to help motivate his teammates. Dumont details his leadership: “He’s an outstanding leader who demonstrates leadership with action and words. He gets everyone going, gets everybody on board.” LeBlanc was named an alternate captain for the Eagles for the second half of the season. The “C” was worn by Carolina prospect Clark Bishop who will also be returning to Cape Breton this season.

“Thankfully for LeBlanc, he was healthy enough to partake in the summer training camp for the Canadian World Junior team. He scored once in two exhibition games and will certainly be on the radar for a spot on the team come Christmas time. Part of Cape Breton’s turnaround in the second half can be attributed to an improved defense. LeBlanc contributed in all facets of the game from the blueline. Marc-Andre Dumont describes him as follows: “He’s strong two way defensemen that plays hard in his own zone. He can be physical. He has a very good shot… very efficient and effective. Players like to play with him because he distributes the puck very well.” LeBlanc is certainly a strong skater and his physical presence isn’t a surprise given that he grew up watching Scott Stevens. This season will be a great test for Olivier LeBlanc. He’s expected to lead on defense for a strong Cape Breton club that is in a tough East Division, with quality opposition in the Charlottetown Islanders and his old team, the Saint John Sea Dogs. Playing big games night in and night out and perhaps getting a taste of the international game should only help his chances at succeeding professionally.”

Julien Pelletier-Sherbrooke Phoenix

Already on his third team since being drafted by the CBJ, Julien Pelletier is another prospect that the team needs to make a decision on about signing. Julien spent last season split between the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. For a look at his time in Rouyn-Noranda here is play by play man on CHIC 88.7 Jean-Paul Carlebois.

“Expectations were very high for Pelletier when he came to Rouyn. Things didn’t turn out the way he wanted or according to the team’s perspective. A player with many skills, good skater, good shot, good vision, a goal scorer, great hands, but seems to shy away from physical contact. I think that he was expecting to play on the first two lines with the Huskies, but he didn’t seem to convince the coaching staff about that. He did have some opportunities but didn’t really perform up to par when it happened. His level of commitment also seems questionable. During practices, didn’t always give 100 % and was inconsistent during games. His stats were very similar to the ones in Cape Breton. Is it significant somehow? Did perform a little bit better during the playoffs. The Huskies traded him because he did not seem to fit with their kind of team. A change of air might be profitable for him particularly if he plays with Audette and one of the top Swiss players in Sherbrooke.”

Now as for this season in Sherbrooke here is Jerome Gaudreau from La Tribune.

“Julien Pelletier came in Sherbrooke in great shape. Stronger, he will be able to win his 1 vs 1 fight and create space for scoring more. He got a great shot. He will be the Sherbrooke Phoenix sniper. At 19 years old, its maybe his last season in the Junior quebec league. Pelletier will play on first line with habs prospect Daniel Audette. We expect to see him score 30 goals and more.”

Western Hockey League

Paul Bittner-Portland Winterhawks

The second signed player in this article is Portland Winterhawk (and Oliver Bjorkstrand’s old linemate) Paul Bittner. Bittner is the Jackets biggest forward prospect and is expected to get a look from Team USA for the World Junior Championships. For thoughts on Paul here’s freelance WHL writer and longtime friend of the blog Scott Sepich

“In his third season with the Portland Winterhawks, Paul Bittner set WHL career bests with 34 goals, 71 points and a plus-39 rating. For most of the season, he skated on a line with Blue Jackets draftee Oliver Bjorkstrand, the WHL’s most valuable player, and standout center Nic Petan. This season, Bittner will be expected to lead a team that lacks the dynamic scorers it’s had in the past. Though Bittner had a solid season as a late-birthday 18-year-old, his production dipped when separated from Bjorkstrand and Petan and he found himself demoted from the top line as he struggled during the WHL playoffs. Bittner’s upbeat attitude and ability, however, should help him dig out of that slump this season. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Bittner skates well and has good vision and hands for a player his size. He’s not well-known for physicality, though, which frustrated some observers and possibly contributed to his drop into the second round of the draft after being pegged last summer as a first-round prospect. The good news for Blue Jackets fans is that Bittner’s already strong game still has a lot of room to grow, and he has a lot to play for this season in Portland as he tries to prove doubters wrong and show that he can shoulder the burden as a team leader.”

Sam Ruopp-Prince George Cougars

One of the few prospects to wear a letter for their team last season was Cougars’ captain Sam Ruopp. Sam is another of the Jackets big defensive defenseman prospects and he is not afraid to drop the gloves. For his take on Sam here’s Cougars’ Media Relations Manager and broadcaster Dan O’Connor.

“After being passed over in the 2014 NHL Draft, 18-year-old defenceman Sam Ruopp returned to the Prince George Cougars for his second full WHL season with a point to prove. It was a surprise to many that the 6’4” defenceman had not been picked considering he cracked NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings list at #127 for North American skaters. But rather than sulking, Sam Ruopp used it as fuel to his fire, and from the first day of Training Camp on, the Cougars knew they had something special. Size? Check. Physicality? You’d better believe it. Timely goals? You betcha. Leadership? Where do we even begin. Ruopp made it very clear early in the season that he was going to be a force to be reckoned with. He let his play do the talking, and boy was it loud. At least once per game, he would throw a body check that would send the CN Centre crowd into a frenzy. The fans adored him, his teammates respected him and on November 1st, 2014 he officially became the 23rd captain in Prince George Cougars history. Ruopp finished the season with three goals, 23 assists and a team high 140 penalty minutes. He logged key minutes in all situations for the Cougars, and received the Eric Brewer Award for the Top Defensive Player of the Year on the Prince George Cougars. In June 2015, Sam Ruopp was selected in the fifth round (129^th overall) by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL Draft, and with one phone call all of Sam Ruopp’s dedication, sacrifice and passion up to this point became instantly worth it. This season, the bar has been raised and Ruopp will again be expected to lead the team both on and off the ice. It was a big deal for the Cougars to reach the postseason in 2014-15, and now the challenge will be to go a little further and play a little longer. Ruopp is ready for that challenge. Fans in Columbus will love Ruopp’s tenacity, and competitiveness on the ice, and they’ll equally enjoy his personable and approachable demeanor off of it. The Columbus Blue Jackets got a great player and an even better human being, and we couldn’t be happier to see him get this kind of opportunity with such a high class organization like the Columbus Blue Jackets.”

Keegan Kolesar-Seattle Thunderbirds

Going back to the Pacific Northwest as we talk about Seattle Thunderbirds wing Keegan Kolesar. Keegan is built like a linebacker and comes from an athletic family – his father played in the NFL and his stepfather played minor league baseball for 14 years. With his thoughts on Keegan, here’s Andy Eide from 710 ESPN Seattle.

“After a lack luster 16 year old season Keegan Kolesar came to camp with Seattle in 2014 leaner, quicker and improved. It didn’t take long to show that the work he put in during the off season was going to pay off. He potted a goal and an assist in Seattle’s opening night win against their rivals in Portland. He even got in a fight that night — although the referees assessed a double minor to him despite the fact he dropped the gloves and punches were thrown. But that night was a glimpse into Kolesar’s game: skill and force. He ended the season with 19 goals — a career high — and would have topped 20 had he not suffered a broken arm that cost him the last month of the year. His physical presence was missed as Seattle was ousted in the first round of the playoffs. Kolesar is the prototypical power forward. He has the size and is not afraid to use it, going into corners or standing up for teammates. To go with that size he has a scorer’s skill set. For someone weighing in at over 200 pounds he has surprisingly good hands — he once referred to them as ‘silky mitts’ in a post game presser. After being drafted by Columbus in the third round, the Thunderbirds are expecting another big step for Kolesar in the coming season. He will most likely get a lot of ice time with two of Seattle’s other drafted players — Mat Barzal and Ryan Gropp — both at even strength and on the power play. Kolesar should see a jump in his numbers as a result and will be a key player as Seattle fights for what they hope will be a long playoff run.”

There you have it folks – a look at the future Jackets who will be competing for the Memorial Cup this season. I’ll be back with one more of these on the Jackets’ three NCAA prospects plus, with these guys going back to their junior teams they’ll be playing in games which means my week in review blogs can start.

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CBJ CHL Prospect Preview

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper