As players begin to trickle back into town and even play some summer hockey, why not start to think about how the roster may take shape come October. It’s not hard to fill in the Jackets’ top nine forwards or their top four defenseman. Where the Blue Jackets and new head coach Mike Babcock go from there is anybody’s guess. The logjam of NHL players really muddies the water when it comes to the final roster spots.
Don’t get me wrong, it is a great thing to have such strong organizational depth on the roster, but unless some trades are made some legitimate NHL players that will be without a spot. It is truly mind-blowing how difficult it is to put together the lines for this team when you recall how often they were scraping the bottom of the barrel just to ice a team last year.
With such high-end young talent as well as veterans all but guaranteed a spot on the roster, these are a few names who I think tend to get overlooked when projecting lines for the upcoming season.
Trey Fix-Wolansky
Fix-Wolansky is tops on my list simply because I don’t think he stands much of a chance to land on the roster come opening night. It sucks for him because there really isn’t anything else left to prove in the AHL, and he will turn 25 at the end of the upcoming season. It took a while for him to sign his contract extension as an RFA, and I am happy for him that management rewarded him with a very healthy AHL salary should he find himself in Cleveland again.
Personally I think someone like TFW should be in the lineup over a guy like Eric Robinson. Robinson, at 28 years old is already at his ceiling, should not be playing over a younger player who’s absolutely paid his dues in the minors, while yet to reach his ceiling. I worry Fix will become discouraged only to request a trade and blossom elsewhere. He is a guy who can play anywhere in the lineup and be successful. He has the skill to play on a scoring line, but also the tenacity and grit to play on a checking line. Don’t let his size scare you, he’s built like a brick house and is not afraid to throw his body around.
Yegor Chinakhov
The former first round pick has had a slow start to his NHL career. Inconsistency and injuries are largely to blame for his name being left off of many depth charts. There is no denying his cannon of a shot, but the issue is that we never saw enough of it. In his defense, he was still adjusting to the North American game, and learning to play a more complete game. With very little leverage, Chinny signed a one-year extension worth $800k that will pay him that amount regardless which league he plays in. I think it is just as possible he could find himself playing in Cleveland to start the year as it is for him to score 15-20 goals for the Blue Jackets.
He’s flown very much under the radar since his injuries sidelined him for much of the year, and will need a strong summer if he hopes to impress his new coach. He’s one of the few waiver exempt players, and without a big camp/pre-season, he could find himself a victim of that status.
Justin Danforth
Danforth was pretty much forgotten by November of last year after suffering a torn labrum that required surgery and a six month recovery. It was a very brief sample size last year, but when the team started the year skating in wet cement, Danforth was a lone bright spot. His energy and tenacity is contagious, dragging his teammates into the fight. It sounds silly to say that missing a 4th liner can have a tangible impact on a team, but I do believe that he was missed more than we realized. Along with his style of play he adds a much needed element of skill to the 4th line that is missing from Robinson and Olivier.
It’s hard to see where Danforth fits in the lineup considering the logjam of forwards, especially the consensus composition of the 4th line.
Nick Blankenburg
Blankenburg quickly became a fan favorite when he signed as a free agent two years ago. His fearless play was admired by his teammates as well as CBJ fans instantly. Similarly to Danforth, his personality is infectious and his style of play tends to inspire his teammates. He had a little bit of a setback in year two with injuries and some struggles in his own end. Sadly, that may have been enough to almost eliminate his role with the team. The additions of Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov will make it even harder for Blanks to get back on the ice at Nationwide.
Realistically, there only one spot in the top six (two if you don’t think Jiricek is ready). The competition will be stiff for those spots considering Adam Boqvist and Jake Bean are still on the roster. Both of them have higher draft pedigree and perhaps a higher ceiling, but they don’t bring the same heart and soul that #77 brings. Is that enough to keep him around as even the seventh defenseman? It’s not going to be easy, but I think his absence will be felt more than many realize.
Jordan Dumais
This is my wildcard. I think a cup of coffee in the NHL may be the best thing for the dynamic young forward. You don’t just put up the numbers he posted in juniors without having a special skillset. He clearly thinks the game at an extremely high level and has absolutely nothing left to prove in the QMJHL. Assuming he shows well in training camp, a taste of the NHL can propel him in his development. Shane Wright played a handful of games in the NHL before being sent back down to juniors where he also captained team Canada to a World Juniors gold medal. The Blue Jackets can take a similar approach with Dumais considering he will also be a big part of Canada’s WJC team, as well as Halifax’s quest for a Memorial Cup. He will most likely join Cleveland after his season wraps up for a potential playoff run.
It’s safe to say his time will come, but I don’t think it is out of the realm of possibility that he makes the team out of camp. Scott Wheeler of the Athletic’s words in his top 50 prospects list stuck with me. He said, “Players who’ve produced like he has historically almost never miss.”