Columbus Blue Jackets: Top 10 prospects entering 2018
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a young and exciting team on the rise. Unfortunately, that means they recently cleaned out their prospect pool to make the team better. Here are the best prospects left.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are one of the best young teams in the NHL. That’s excellent for their future, but their current prospect pipeline has been drained. Still, there are good prospects left who can help the team down the road, and they’re represented here.
These prospects are broken down according to three categories: ceiling, NHL readiness, and the likelihood they play consistently with the Columbus Blue Jackets. These prospects have to have not qualified for their rookie season, meaning none of them have played 18 or more games in the NHL in one season.
Let’s start with the goaltenders.
1. Elvis Merzlikins [24 years old]
Stats (HC Lugano, NLA): 42 gp, 2.72 GAA, .921 SV% (18 pgp, 2.17 GAA, .935 SV%).
Elvis Merzlikins has a higher ceiling than Berube, as he could be an NHL starter sooner rather than later. But with the Columbus Blue Jackets, that’s not likely to happen. There are two goaltenders currently in his way, and even if Bobrovsky leaves in free agency, Korpisalo is the way of the future.
Merzlikins was one of the best goaltenders in the NLA of Switzerland, especially in the playoffs
But Merzlikins was one of the best goaltenders in the NLA of Switzerland, especially in the playoffs, where he had the best goals against average of any goaltender with more than five games and the best save percentage with more than two. In the regular season, Merzlikins was tenth in goals-against average and sixth in save percentage. He’s an incredibly adept goaltender, someone who could have an NHL future.
It just likely isn’t with the Blue Jackets. Still, he’s one of the best trade pieces the Blue Jackets have, and if they’re in a contending spot at the deadline, they could trade Merzlikins in a package for playoff help.
2. Jean-Francois Berube [27] (4-95, 2009)
Stats (Chicago Blackhawks, NHL): 15 gp, 2.37 GAA, .920 SV%. Rockford Ice Hogs, AHL; 13 gp, 3.78 GAA, .894 SV%.
Jean-Francois Berube has made a career out of being an excellent AHL goaltender. He’s already the Columbus Blue Jackets’ natural third-string netminder. But he’s not delivered at the NHL level, at least not consistently. In each of his last two NHL stints (with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders) Berube delivered save percentages under .895. He’s gotten progressively better in stints in the AHL, but he’s just not at an NHL level.
He’s already the Columbus Blue Jackets’ natural third-string netminder.
At least not yet, see, he’s still had numerous games in the NHL, and is thus NHL ready. He’s got a good chance of playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets in case of injury to one of their two netminders. His ceiling is being a competent NHL backup, which the Blue Jackets might need not this year but next year. They could potentially lose Sergei Bobrovsky, and while they can survive that loss if Joonas Korpisalo, who the Blue Jackets trust, steps up, they’ll need someone behind him who could help him.
That’s where Berube comes in. Have a good (healthy) season in the AHL, and then become a good backup next season.
10. Eric Robinson, LW [23 years old]
Stats (Princeton University, NCAA): 36 games played, 17 goals, 14 assists, 31 points, 1 power-play goal, 1 shorthanded goal, 2 game-winning goals.
Stats (Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL): 1 gp, 0 g, 0 a, 0 p.
Eric Robinson did well in the NCAA but did so as a slightly older player in that league and at best did top-30 damage, and not anywhere near the top. Robinson was actually tied for 29th in goal scoring this past NCAA season and was 90th in points per game. Those are his best numbers. That’s not great. But compared to some of the other players in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ pipeline, it’s fine.
If he does make it, it will be as a bottom-six winger… a position of need, especially in a league moving towards depth.
Robinson was good on both special teams units, faced stiff competition in the Ivy League, and then got a game in the NHL. He’s not ready for the NHL fully yet, as he’ll spend a bit of prove-it time in the AHL, but he could be a Blue Jacket down the road. If he does make it, it will be as a bottom-six winger, but that’s always a position of need, especially in a league moving towards depth.
The fact that he did well shorthanded is a good mark for his future, and he can be clutch as well. Robinson won’t be a major factor for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but he could be a secondary scorer, and that’s important as well.
9. Maxime Fortier, RW [20 years old]
Stats (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL): 61 gp, 32 g, 43 a, 75 p, 6 PPG (10 A), 5 SHG (2 A), 4 GWG, 265 shots on goal, 1.23 points per game (9 pgp, 5 g, 3 a, 8 p, 1 PPG, 1 SHG, 1 GWG, 33 SOG, .89 pts/g).
Fortier did better than Robinson in his league, but he has holes in his game big enough to have not been drafted, even at age 20. Fortier had a good season in the QMJHL, being above a point-per-game pace (his third straight season achieving that accomplishment) but he also took a step back. He scored 87 points in 16-17 and 75 in 17-18. If he had continued to grow after that 87 point season, he might have been drafted this past season.
He’s a good goal scorer and a decent playmaker.
As it stands, Maxime Fortier was tied for 16th in scoring, 17th in goal scoring, 20th in assists, and 15th in points per game. He didn’t do as well in the playoffs, though he didn’t get much of a chance, and was 34th in points per game. Still, he showed an ability to score on both special teams units in both the regular and postseason, and was good at shot generation as well, producing at a 4.34 shots per game pace.
He’s a good goal scorer and a decent playmaker. If he can take a few more steps in the AHL, he has a third-line ceiling. He isn’t NHL ready and he doesn’t have a high chance of playing with the Columbus Blue Jackets any time soon. But again, with a good campaign in the AHL, a lot of things change.
8. Marcus Karlberg, LW/RW [18] (3-80, 2018)
Stats (Leksands IF J20, SuperElit): 39 gp, 15 g, 32 a, 47 p (2 pgp, 0 g, 0 a, 0 p).
Marcus Karlberg had a weird season, bouncing around four leagues, including the SuperElit, the J18 Elit, the J18 Allsvenskan, and the Allsvenskan. His best season was with the SuperElit, where he was tied for fifth in scoring, fourth in assists, and 34th in goal scoring. He was sixth in points per game (greater than 10 games).
Karlberg is an excellent playmaker and a forward with a lot of speed and skill.
He actually impressed quite a bit, and was a heralded pick in the 2018 draft, one of the consensus top 100 picks. The Columbus Blue Jackets getting him at 80 was a good thing for the team, who do need more depth in the pipeline. He likely won’t be in North America till he’s gotten time in one of the top two leagues in Sweden, but if he gets that time and impresses, he should rise up this list.
Karlberg is an excellent playmaker and a forward with a lot of speed and skill. His biggest problem area is his size, where he’s just 5’7″, but the NHL is moving towards smaller, more skilled players with the growing elimination of head hunting and fighting. If he can continue to grow as a player in Sweden, his size shouldn’t be a problem.
7. Jonathan Davidsson, RW [21 years old]
Stats (Djurgardens IF, SHL): 52 gp, 10 g, 21 a, 31 p, 1 PPG, 3 GWG, .60 pts/g (11 pgp, 4 g, 4 a, 8 p, .73 pts/g).
One of the older prospects on this list, Jonathan Davidsson delivered on the chance the Columbus Blue Jackets took on him as an overage draft pick. He was tied for 26th in scoring, 50th in goal scoring, 26th in assists, and 47th in points per game in the regular season. But it’s the playoffs where Davidsson truly shined. He was tied for 14th in scoring, ninth in goal scoring, 20th in assists, and ninth in points per game (more than 10 games) in the playoffs. That’s the kind of performance the Columbus Blue Jackets should like to see.
with the damage he can do at even strength and in clutch situations, the Blue Jackets could always use a player of his caliber.
Davidsson will make his North American transition next season, which puts him at risk. If he’s staying in Sweden, that means his NHL readiness is in jeopardy (it’s hard to make the jump from overseas to the NHL for all but elite players) and his chances of being a Blue Jacket slim. Still, if Davidsson does make a successful transition when he does come over, he’ll be in good shape as a prospect.
And with the damage he can do at even strength and in clutch situations, the Blue Jackets could always use a player of his calibre. It just might take longer than anticipated.
6. Alexandre Texier, C/W [18 years old]
Stats (KalPa, Liiga): 53 gp, 13 g, 9 a, 22 p, 2 PPG, 2 GWG, .42 pts/g (6 pgp, 1 g, 1 a, 2 p, .33 pts/g).
For a 45th pick to be as good as Alexandre Texier is is a great thing. Texier was third in goal scoring, 12th in assists, tenth in points per game (ninth amongst players with more than five games) and seventh in scoring amongst players under the age of 20 in the Liiga last season. That’s a professional league and he did incredibly well.
it appears Texier has a bright future when he does come over, and the skill to translate to the smaller ice
Texier has already signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, though it might be another season before the Frenchman comes to North America (and likely the AHL when he does come). Still, it appears Texier has a bright future when he does come over, and the skill to translate to the smaller ice. If he can produce more next season and make a bigger impact with one of the better teams in the Liiga, he’ll leave a mark before heading over.
His ceiling is a top-six forward, which is what gets him on this list and puts him near the top five. But he’s nowhere close to NHL ready and is still multiple years away. That drops him down the list, as does the fact that him becoming a Columbus Blue Jackets player is anything but guaranteed.
5. Liam Foudy, C [18 years old]
Stats (London Knights (OHL): 65 gp, 24 g, 16 a, 40 p, 1 PPG (3 A), 5 SHG (2 A), 4 GWG, 136 SOG, 47.1 faceoff percentage, .62 pts/g (4 pgp, 1 g, 1 a, 2 p, 1 PPA, 8 SOG, .50 pts/g).
Foudy is one of the most confusing first-round picks in a long time. In a league directed towards speed, Foudy makes a ton of sense. He is a sensational athlete and skate and was a track star, which resulted in his ability to speed down the ice. It contributes to his ability to score more than anything (tied for 55th in the OHL).
Still, he lacks great numbers and even 24 goals isn’t a whole ton, especially when considering the fact that Foudy was a first-round pick and a mid-rounder at that.
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He was dominant at the draft combine at well, which likely contributed to the Columbus Blue Jackets being as high on him as they were. His skating likely means he can be a great middle-six center, but he’ll need to work on the other areas of his game, especially passing and bettering his vision. If he can be a better playmaker, he’ll make himself more attractive for the future. Right now, he looks like a younger version of Erik Haula, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Liam Foudy should be a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets eventually, which means he does well in the playing consistently with Columbus category. He’s also got a decent ceiling, but his NHL readiness suffers and that’s why he’s just fifth on this list, despite being the Blue Jackets’ highest pick in the top five. Right now, Foudy is a flyer the Blue Jackets hope turns into something.
4. Emil Bemstrom, C [19 years old]
Stats (Leksands IF, Allsvenskan): 18 gp, 12 g, 13 a, 25 p.
Stats (Leksands IF J20, SuperElit): 33 gp, 8 g, 7 a, 15 p (11 pgp, 2 g, 0 a, 2 p).
Bemstrom was one of the best players in the SuperElit last season, second in points per game (more than 10 games) and tied for 86th in scoring in just 18 games. He didn’t do as well in the Allsvenskan, the first time he played an extended time in one of the top leagues in Sweden. This season, Emil Bemstrom could be in the SHL and become one step closer to making his North American transition.
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At 19, a season in the top Swedish league wouldn’t hurt his chances of becoming a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. In fact, it would make Bemstrom even more attractive to the Blue Jackets, especially if he does well.
If he does do well and then makes the North American transition, that could mean big things for Bemstrom. He’s likely not in the Blue Jackets’ plans down the middle (not with Pierre-Luc Dubois, Alexander Wennberg, and Foudy) but if he can transition to the wing as well, he can play a necessary role.
Bemstrom is an excellent producer, and his ceiling is likely a middle-six forward. If he can take steps forward in the next two seasons (one in the SHL, one potentially in the AHL), then his NHL readiness will be closer than others. Finally, his chances of playing with the Blue Jackets is a limiting factor, which is why he doesn’t make the top three.
3. Kevin Stenlund, C [21 years old]
Stats (Cleveland Monsters, AHL): 43 gp, 7 g, 15 a, 22 p, 1 PPG, 2 GWG (2 pgp, 0 g, 1 a, 1 p). HV71, SHL; 7 gp, 0 g, 2 a, 2 p, 6 SOG, .29 pts/g.
Kevin Stenlund was 81st in the SHL in points per game and tied for 78th in scoring. Those aren’t particularly appealing numbers, but in the best league in Sweden, against some of the best competition in the world (at an average age of 25), putting up those numbers at 21 is great. Stenlund is an exciting prospect, and his chances of being an NHL player improve every season.
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Stenlund had two of his seven goals as game-winners, which shows an ability to come in clutch. He also was a significant playmaker with HV71, which shows an ability to play with, and make better, great players. That’s why putting him in the AHL on one of the top two lines with other excellent prospects for the Columbus Blue Jackets could be a smart idea this season. Allow Stenlund time to transition and to play with other players who are good enough and hoping to make the Blue Jackets in the future.
He’s already near his ceiling and is getting much closer to being NHL ready. He’s a middle-six scorer, someone who can be relied on to provide scoring from a depth role. He’ll get more assists than goals if he makes the NHL, but most players do. Already having seven games with the Cleveland Monsters, if he can make a good statement this season, he’ll be a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets eventually as well.
2. Gabriel Carlsson, D [21 years old]
Stats (Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL): 14 gp, 0 g, 2 a, 2 p.
Stats (Cleveland Monsters, AHL): 33 gp, 2 g, 3 a, 5 p, 30 SOG, .15 pts/g.
Gabriel Carlsson has already played games with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’ll play more this season, and will likely function as one of the team’s top six defensemen. He’s an excellent defensive presence, one of the very few true defensive defensemen in Columbus’s system, and one of the best as well. His lack of point production but the ability to play in the AHL and the NHL relatively well shows how Carlson has made his career, and that even in the modern era, defensemen don’t need both sides of the puck if they’re able to excel at one.
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Carlson likely tops out as a top-four defenseman, but that’s still a good thing. Paired with a more offensive presence like Markus Nutivaara long term, the two could form an excellent defensive pairing. Carlson needs to learn how to plug holes a more offensive defenseman leaves, but if he can do that he should be a key part of the Blue Jackets’ blueline moving forward.
Carlson was given some protected minutes last season, but as he learns how to play at the NHL level and continues to grow in his role, that should stop. He was decent defensively when it came down to it, and he’ll continue to take steps towards being better at it as he’s given the chance to.
1. Vitali Abramov, C/W [20] (3-65, 2016)
Stats (Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL): 16 gp, 12 g, 14 a, 26 p.
Stats (Victoriaville Tigers, QMJHL): 40 gp, 33 g, 45 a, 78 p, 12 PPG (19 A), 1 SHG (1 A), 9 GWG, 215 SOG, 57.5 FO%, 1.86 pts/g (13 pgp, 9 g, 7 a, 16 p, 3 PPG (2 A), 1 SHA, 2 GWG, 36 SOG, 50 FO%, 1.23 pts/g).
Abramov was one of the best players in the QMJHL this past season, and will likely be ready for a bigger role within the Columbus Blue Jackets organization this upcoming season. He was second in scoring, second in goal scoring, second in assists, and first in points per game. He didn’t do as well in the playoffs, but still came in tied for tenth in scoring, seventh in goal scoring, 32nd in assists, and was 11th in points per game.
Vitali Abramov was traded during the season, which isn’t usually a signifier of success in the Canadian minors. But he excelled once he got to the Tigers, scoring at a nearly two points per game pace. He was excellent on the power play throughout the season, did somewhat well while shorthanded, and scored nine game-winning goals. He’s an excellent forward and somebody who should be an impact forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets down the road. He should be a top-six forward, one who can score as well as make plays.
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Abramov is just 5’9″, but that’s far from the shortest player of his calibre in the NHL. If he can be the Blue Jackets’ answer to Alex DeBrincat, then he reached his ceiling. There’s a high likelihood that he ends up with the Blue Jackets as of right now, and if he impresses with the Monsters this season, that could be sooner rather than later.