Post by Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan 12, 2016 17:22:11 GMT -5
Following the half-way point of both the NHL season half-way point as well as the half-way point of our OGSHL season, I decided to create a player report based on the hot and cold points of some of my players' seasons. All of the information provided is based on my opinion.
Tyler Johnson - Easily the biggest unfortunate circumstance of my team this season thus far. After suffering a broken wrist in the Eastern Conference Final, this season has not gone the way both Johnson and I imagined. Started the season with the wrist not being 100%, he has suffered continuous minor injuries from a hit that injured his upper body from Dave Bolland, injury in his first shift back and then re-injury a few games later. I assume Tyler Johnson is trying to come back too quickly in order to try and help the low scoring Lightning but he is being medically cleared so it's anyone's guess what's going on other than Johnson.
Tyler Graovac - A player I expected to have a big break out season for the Wild was halted as fast as it started. Slotted as third line center when the season started, Graovac suffered a bilateral core muscle tear in his very first game and needed surgery keeping him out ~6 weeks. A 6'5" center, he has shown progressing offensive game in the AHL. Graovac has since recovered and was assigned to the Iowa Wild and is coping through one of the worst seasons Iowa has seen.
Jussi Jokinen - The veteran Finn continues to find success with a young and old Panther squad. Current 4th in team scoring on a team with a lot of depth, Jussi shares a large portion to why they're doing well. Top tier goaltending, excellent defending and scoring throughout the line up allows me to believe the Cats with continue to get their $4,000,000 out of a 32 year old Finn playing with that young exciting line up.
Emerson Etem - Admittedly getting into a poor spot with Alain Vigneault and the Rangers, Etem was "playing to not make a mistake" in his words which is a frightening way to play. Recently traded to a Vancouver Canucks team who's head coach was a part of the Medicine Hat Tigers squad with Linden Vey and Hunter Shinkaruk, Etem comes into a place where he's slotted and looked at as a piece for the immediate future. A young player that was drafted in the first round with an ego, Etem is starting to realize his career path is reflective of how he's played. “I think my work ethic has dwindled a little bit here and there and that shows with inconsistency,” (NHL.com) says Etem in regards to his lack of scoring and ego. Here is a play Etem made in the play offs last season vs. the Jets. Top-end speed, confidence with the puck and poise with the back hand. He has it in him, it's all about consistency.
Cam Atkinson - After what seems to be an incredibly disappointing season on behalf of the Jackets, Cam Atkinson has tried to make the most of it. Playing top line minutes, Cam is paced for another career high in goals and points.
Ryan Ellis - After the simple hockey trade of Jones for Johansen, Ellis is given the opportunity to continue to excel behind Roman Josi and Shea Weber. Playing alongside Mattias Ekholm, Ellis played 22 minutes both nights after the trade. A welcomed sight for my progressing blue line as I feared Jones would leave Ellis as a 4-5.
Max Domi - I can confidently say Max Domi has been my biggest and most pleasant surprise. In conversation for the Calder, to say I should've had more confidence in Domi in his first season is debatable but the whole of Arizona has been a surprise to me. On pace to bring in around 50 points, he's developing into a key player for my teams future.
Joshua Ho-Sang - This brings me into Ho-Sang. I think this guy is going to be exceptional. This excerpt from this Sportsnet article(click) is a personal favourite as to why I took a chance on Ho-Sang and acquiring him with Max Domi - I think I have proved my point as to why it was the time to trade Kesler and I got a screaming deal for him
. He continues to be patriarch of the Niagra Ice Dogs.
Sonny Milano - My boy Sonny. Bronze medal at the U20s, rights acquired by the London Knights and 5G14P in 24 in the AHL. Where does the immediate future lay with Sonny Milano? His agent expresses that he is remaining with the Lake Erie Monsters in the AHL as well supplied the information that the Jackets organization are content with him in the AHL as well. Milano hopes to get a stint on the NHL roster near the end of the season.
Kyle Connor - Kyle Connor is a player - at least in the NCAA. Freshman at the University of Michigan, already playing premier minutes Connor has totaled 15G31P in 19GP. Education comes first, but with this type of play from Connor one can only hope he makes the step into pro hockey much sooner rather than later. Snubbed from the U20 squad which I was pretty disappointed about. Not even invited.
Klas Dahlbeck - Slowly building trust of coach Dave Tippet, Klas has been a good addition to the young core in Arizona. Playing anywhere from ~14:20 to 20 minutes a night, his play time is an up and down battle for his first full season.
Kerby Rychel - My power forward who's not power forward size. Continuing to progress, Rychel is at a point per game pace and is now on his NHL call-up due to Columbus' injury log jam once again. Playing 3rd or 4th line, he's only amassed 4 assists on the season but his development is promising a part of the young core.
Tyler Johnson - Easily the biggest unfortunate circumstance of my team this season thus far. After suffering a broken wrist in the Eastern Conference Final, this season has not gone the way both Johnson and I imagined. Started the season with the wrist not being 100%, he has suffered continuous minor injuries from a hit that injured his upper body from Dave Bolland, injury in his first shift back and then re-injury a few games later. I assume Tyler Johnson is trying to come back too quickly in order to try and help the low scoring Lightning but he is being medically cleared so it's anyone's guess what's going on other than Johnson.
Tyler Graovac - A player I expected to have a big break out season for the Wild was halted as fast as it started. Slotted as third line center when the season started, Graovac suffered a bilateral core muscle tear in his very first game and needed surgery keeping him out ~6 weeks. A 6'5" center, he has shown progressing offensive game in the AHL. Graovac has since recovered and was assigned to the Iowa Wild and is coping through one of the worst seasons Iowa has seen.
Jussi Jokinen - The veteran Finn continues to find success with a young and old Panther squad. Current 4th in team scoring on a team with a lot of depth, Jussi shares a large portion to why they're doing well. Top tier goaltending, excellent defending and scoring throughout the line up allows me to believe the Cats with continue to get their $4,000,000 out of a 32 year old Finn playing with that young exciting line up.
Emerson Etem - Admittedly getting into a poor spot with Alain Vigneault and the Rangers, Etem was "playing to not make a mistake" in his words which is a frightening way to play. Recently traded to a Vancouver Canucks team who's head coach was a part of the Medicine Hat Tigers squad with Linden Vey and Hunter Shinkaruk, Etem comes into a place where he's slotted and looked at as a piece for the immediate future. A young player that was drafted in the first round with an ego, Etem is starting to realize his career path is reflective of how he's played. “I think my work ethic has dwindled a little bit here and there and that shows with inconsistency,” (NHL.com) says Etem in regards to his lack of scoring and ego. Here is a play Etem made in the play offs last season vs. the Jets. Top-end speed, confidence with the puck and poise with the back hand. He has it in him, it's all about consistency.
Cam Atkinson - After what seems to be an incredibly disappointing season on behalf of the Jackets, Cam Atkinson has tried to make the most of it. Playing top line minutes, Cam is paced for another career high in goals and points.
Ryan Ellis - After the simple hockey trade of Jones for Johansen, Ellis is given the opportunity to continue to excel behind Roman Josi and Shea Weber. Playing alongside Mattias Ekholm, Ellis played 22 minutes both nights after the trade. A welcomed sight for my progressing blue line as I feared Jones would leave Ellis as a 4-5.
Max Domi - I can confidently say Max Domi has been my biggest and most pleasant surprise. In conversation for the Calder, to say I should've had more confidence in Domi in his first season is debatable but the whole of Arizona has been a surprise to me. On pace to bring in around 50 points, he's developing into a key player for my teams future.
Joshua Ho-Sang - This brings me into Ho-Sang. I think this guy is going to be exceptional. This excerpt from this Sportsnet article(click) is a personal favourite as to why I took a chance on Ho-Sang and acquiring him with Max Domi - I think I have proved my point as to why it was the time to trade Kesler and I got a screaming deal for him
. He continues to be patriarch of the Niagra Ice Dogs.Rumours swirled that Ho-Sang was on some teams’ do-not-draft lists, and that his attitude and maturity had turned many GMs off. Some of his interviews were essentially confrontations. He says that he walked into one room and the first thing a team said to him was “Why are you so shit defensively?” Ho-Sang asserted that he wasn’t, citing his plus-minus and his even-strength points. “They just kept going on about how I don’t play defence and how selfish I am. I just kept telling them I don’t get scored on. I have the puck. We’re good. I may not be in the position you want me to be in, but I don’t get scored on,” Ho-Sang says. “And they’d say, ‘Well, you will at the next level.’ But how do they know? That’s like saying it’s going to rain tomorrow. You may have a lot of the facts, but you still can’t control the weather.” Sonny Milano - My boy Sonny. Bronze medal at the U20s, rights acquired by the London Knights and 5G14P in 24 in the AHL. Where does the immediate future lay with Sonny Milano? His agent expresses that he is remaining with the Lake Erie Monsters in the AHL as well supplied the information that the Jackets organization are content with him in the AHL as well. Milano hopes to get a stint on the NHL roster near the end of the season.
Kyle Connor - Kyle Connor is a player - at least in the NCAA. Freshman at the University of Michigan, already playing premier minutes Connor has totaled 15G31P in 19GP. Education comes first, but with this type of play from Connor one can only hope he makes the step into pro hockey much sooner rather than later. Snubbed from the U20 squad which I was pretty disappointed about. Not even invited.
Klas Dahlbeck - Slowly building trust of coach Dave Tippet, Klas has been a good addition to the young core in Arizona. Playing anywhere from ~14:20 to 20 minutes a night, his play time is an up and down battle for his first full season.
Kerby Rychel - My power forward who's not power forward size. Continuing to progress, Rychel is at a point per game pace and is now on his NHL call-up due to Columbus' injury log jam once again. Playing 3rd or 4th line, he's only amassed 4 assists on the season but his development is promising a part of the young core.
