Back again everyone with more Blue Jackets’ prospect updates. Yesterday I shared the latest on the Monsters and a few other players, today, it’s all CHL. Let’s get started.
Kole Sherwood-Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Season Stats 40GP 23-29-52 +11 43PIM
Kole just keeps rolling along. Starting off against Sault Ste Marie, Kole opened the scoring. A Hounds dman tried to keep the puck in but Kole blocked the pass and chipped it to Samuel Duchesne who found Kole behind the defense. Sherwood promptly zoomed in and fired from just above the circle to make it 1-0 in what was ultimately a 5-4 shootout win.
In the rematch, Kole earned an assist on Nicholas Caamano’s goal (but you don’t see it in the highlights) to make it 5-3 in a 5-4 Greyhounds loss. It sounds like the Firebirds could be without Kole for a few games as, at the end of the game, Kole took a match penalty for a cross check according to this tweet. That should mean at least a two game suspension but could merit more.
Kole missed the Birds final game of the week but nothing official has been announced from the league.
Dante Salituro-London Knights (OHL)
Season Stats 6GP 4-3-7 +4 4PIM
Dante was held pointless in a 3-2 shootout loss before finishing the week strong.
Dante bounced back strong in the Knights next game against his old team, the Ottawa 67s. Late in the first, Dante and his linemates skated in on a three on two with Dante getting the puck just above the circle. Salituro then skated in and found a trailing Evan Bouchard who had an almost empty net to shoot in to. Early in the second, Dante pounced on a misplay by a 67s player when Adrian Carbonara gathered the puck and chipped it to Dante who skated into the slot and fired a shot to make it 2-0. Midway through the third, with the Knights leading 5-2, Dante took a cross rink pass from Mitchell Stephens and fired for his second of the night. In the 7-2 victory, Dante was named first star for his three point night.
To close out the week, the Knights faced off against the Niagara IceDogs and it was ugly for the Dogs. Starting off with the Knights trailing 1-0, Dante and Mitchell Vande Sompel passed back and forth before Dante fired a shot that was tipped by JJ Piccinich to make it 1-1. Later in the first with the Knights up 4-1 (its only gonna get uglier folks), Dante dangled and drew the attention of two defenders before passing to Vande Sompel who fired a shot to make it 5-1 giving Dante two assists in an 11-2 (told you) Knights win.
Pierre-Luc Dubois-Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
Season Stats 28GP 15-18-33 +7 37PIM
Much like Kole, PLD just keeps putting up the points. Starting off against Victoriaville, with the Armada trailing 1-0, PLD helped get Blainville on the board. Just five minutes after the Tigres scored, the Armada was on the power play when PLD sent a cross rink pass to Alexander Alain who fired a shot from just above the circle to make it 1-1. The Armada won the game 2-1 in overtime.
Up next was a game against Shawinigan. It started ugly as the Cataractes roared out to a 5-0 lead before the Dubeast put the Armada on his back. Blainville capitalize on a line change when BB’s goalie sent a pass to the Cats’ blueline where Alex Barre-Boulet passed to PLD. Dubois skated in and fired wide with Alex Katerinakis gathering the puck and firing a shot that PLD put past the Cats goalie to make it 5-1. That ends the first period…maybe I should’ve mentioned that before. Early in the second the Armada scored their only even strength goal before PLD would take over again. Midway through the period, Alexander Alain fired a shot/pass through the Cats PK that found PLD down low where he tipped it past the netminder to make it 5-3. Late in the third with the Armada on the power play, PLD took a drop pass and skated around two defenders before going wide on the other two and firing a shot to make it 5-4. In the win PLD was named first star.
Up next in a matchup between two of the Jackets top offensive prospects it would be all PLD when he and his team faced off against the Gatineau Olympiques and Vitaly Abramov. Early in the first, Alexander Alain took a shot that started some net front chaos. That allowed Dubois to finish for his fourth goal of the week. Midway through the third, PLD struck when, on a dump in, the Piques goalie started to play the puck but with PLD driving towards him he changed his mind allowing PLD to gather it and score on a wraparound to make it 3-2 and five goals on the weekend for Dubois so far. In the win, PLD would again be named first star.
Closing out the week against Sherbrooke, late in the third, PLD drove to the net and curled around before finding Alexander Alain who fired a one timer to make it 3-2 Armada. Unfortunately, the Phoenix scored 10 seconds later to tie and add the game winner 1:21 later to win it 5-3.
Vitaly Abramov-Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Season Stats 45GP 32-33-65 -5 54PIM
Let’s start off by talking about Vitaly doing something he’s done a lot this season, this time against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Off a faceoff, the puck went to Alex Breton who passed to Vitaly at the wall. The Jackets’ prospect fired a shot so fast the cameraman didn’t even get Vitaly in the shot to make it 1-0 in a 7-3 Gatineau loss. This would be the eighth among his 31 goals when Vitaly made it 1-0 Olympiques.
Up next against Val-d’Or, Vitaly made it 9 of his 32 goals making it 1-0 when Matthew Thorpe fired a shot that Zach MacEwan tipped. Vitaly picked up the rebound and fired into an empty net to make it 1-0 early in the second. Early in the third out of a board battle, Vitaly gathered a loose puck and found Mitchell Balmas who fired to make it 2-2 in a 4-2 Gatineau loss.
Up next against Charlottetown, Vitaly did not make it 1-0 but he would help make it 2-2. Late in the first Vitaly streaked in past the Islanders defense and slammed on the brakes before finding a trailing Yakov Trenin who scored to tie it at two in a 5-4 overtime loss.
Vitaly had his six game point streak snapped in a 3-2 loss to PLD and the Armada. During his streak, which started off after going without a point for two straight games for the first time all season, Vitaly collected nine points including four goals.
Calvin Thurkauf-Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Season Stats 36GP 21-17-38 +16 62PIM
Calvin and the Rockets opened the week against Everett. Late in the first with the Tips leading 3-2, Calvin finished a bang bang pass play in close to tie it at three in a 5-4 Rockets loss.
Up next against Moose Jaw, the Rockets fell behind 2-1 before Calvin struck. Late in the third, Calvin got the puck at the blueline and went wide before snapping a shot to make it 2-2 in a 3-2 Moose Jaw overtime win. In the win Calvin was named first star.
Next it was off to Vancouver…well Langley if you want to get technical. The Giants would take a 2-0 lead before Calvin scored his 21st goal of the season. Late in the first, Kole Lind dropped a pass to Calvin who skated to almost the goalline before hitting the brakes and snipng a shot to make it 2-1 in a 5-4 Giants win.
Closing out the week, despite only having an assist, Calvin was named first star in a 4-1 win, but you can’t see it in the highlights.
Keegan Kolesar-Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Season Stats 27GP 8-10-18 +8 50PIM
Keegan and the Birds opened the week against Everett and Keegan had a star performance. In the second, with the game tied, Mathew Barzal did what he does best, dangle, before sending a between the leg pass/shot that was stopped. But Keegan, who was creating chaos in front, snapped a shot to make it 2-1. Late in the third with the Everett net empty, Keegan came out of the penalty box and stole the puck from the player at the point before finding Alexander True who fired from the center redline to make it 3-1.
Keegan and all of his teammates were held pointless in a 1-0 loss to Everett in the follow up game.
Closing out the week against Vancouver, Keegan picked up an assist on Mathew Barzal’s lacrosse style goal but his assist didn’t make the highlights. The Tbirds won the game 6-1.
There you have it, another week in the world of CBJ prospects. Next week we’ll recap Ryan Craig, Oliver Bjorkstrand and the just added Anton Forsberg who will be playing for the Central Division in the AHL All Star Game in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.
