In their first ever draft in 2000,
the
Columbus Blue Jackets selected the notable Rostislav Klesla, but other 2000 draftees haven’t turned out to be notable. Andrej Nedorost is making a strong bid to
show the
organization who selected him with the 286th
overall pick that the draft was not wasted after Klesla.
Andrej, who was 20 at the time of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, was playing with the Essen Mosquitoes of Germany’s Elite League. Nedorost, a native of Trenien, Slovakia, moved from Slovakia at the tender age of 18 to play in the Deutsche Eishockey League in Germany, in an attempt to further his career. It was while playing with Essen that he caught the eye of Columbus scouts.
Overlooked in both the 1998 and 1999 Entry Drafts, a change of scenery allowed Nedorost to further round out his game in Germany, first with Essen Jr., the top team in Germany’s junior league. Despite not putting up the strong numbers in the German junior league that he routinely displayed while playing in Slovakia, it wasn’t long before Nedorost was invited to play with the big club. His shot with the Essen Mosquitoes, who happened to be the last place team in the Deutsche Eishockey League at the time, allowed Andrej more exposure to scouts than he’d seen previously in his career.
Taking a chance on a slightly older draftee, General Manager Doug MacLean trusted European Scout Kjell Larson in his decision to select the 20-year-old prospect. Dismissed after the draft as just another ninth round selection, Nedorost packed his bags once again, all for the sake of furthering his development.
His next move saw him leave Germany, after an impressive relegation-round run with Essen, a run that saw him match his seasonal output of six points in 55 games, doing so in only eleven games. The next move for Nedorost had him heading closer to home, as Andrej signed to play with HC Plenz of the Czech league.
Used sparingly, Nedorost, now property of the Columbus Blue Jackets, had much more of an offensive impact with HC Plenz, recording 18 points, ten of which were goals, while playing in 33 games, only dressing in just over 60% of the club’s games. Injuries plagued Nedorost in his season with HC Plenz, limiting the young forward’s progress. Despite this though, it was clear Nedorost had improved. What was clearly improving in Nedorost, though, was his ability to play at both ends of the ice. Nedorost, once a one-dimensional offensive threat, was now developing into more of a two-way forward, and was ready to make his way over to North America, and give hockey across the pond a go.
There are significant differences between European and North American hockey, and undoubtedly Andrej Nedorost was one to find that out. Playing his first season with the Columbus Blue Jackets American Hockey League affiliate Syracuse Crunch, Nedorost was introduced to a smaller rink, harder hitting, and an entirely new culture.
Just like the season before, lack of in-game action limited the development of Nedorost. In his first season with the Syracuse Crunch, Nedorost was able to dress for less than half of the club’s games, playing in only 37 contests. As Nedorost was eased into an offensive role with the Syracuse Crunch, injuries again discouraged the Slovak, whose playmaking abilities allowed him to register 13 assists on the season, and potted five more goals.
Despite his mediocre season with the Syracuse Crunch, Nedorost was still able to enjoy an offering from the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2001-02. Nedorost, a late season call-up for the Jackets, managed to get a taste for the National Hockey League by participating, in a limited role, in seven NHL contests. Again, displaying his playmaking ability, Nedorost registered two assists in seven contests, including one in his first NHL game.
The goal of playing in the National Hockey League remained with Nederost, especially after his late season call-up. Heading into camp for the 2002-03 season, Nedorost looked primed to take over a spot on one of the bottom two lines for Columbus, if not one on the second scoring unit for the Blue Jackets. Despite having a very strong camp, Andrej was reassigned to the Syracuse Crunch two days before the start of the 2002-03 campaign.
Nederost took the opportunity to develop into one of the Crunch’s most dangerous offensive threats. Not only did Nedorost improve upon his offensive abilities, including his on-ice vision and playmaking skills, but he also developed something key in his game, an aspect that will help him make the jump to the next level.
Recording 85 minutes in penalties with the Syracuse Crunch, an element of grit was added to Nedorost’s game, which had been missing thus far. His newfound grit was as much a realization of what it takes to get to the next level, as it was a complete adjustment to the North American style of play. Nedorost, widely referred to as the most dynamic player on the Crunch, was now working the play down low and grinding in the corners.
Now, with two seasons of American Hockey League experience, and a handful of National Hockey League games under his belt, more is to be expected of the Slovakian. Nedorost is one of few battling for a remaining job on the Columbus Blue Jackets roster. His game is not perfect. While his defense and physical play has improved, it may still be a notch or two below the expected level of a player skating a regular shift. Despite this, though, Nedorost has displayed his offensive gift, one so remarkable that it may have him in a Columbus Blue Jackets jersey more often than not for the 2003-04 season.
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