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Blue Jackets AHL prospect update
Written by: Jeff Parzych on 12/04/2003 
The Syracuse Crunch, Columbus’ American Hockey League affiliate, are twenty games in to the 2003-04 season and despite a defensive corps ravaged due to injuries on the parent Blue Jackets, the Crunch are right in the thick of things in the AHL’s North Division race.
The fact that Syracuse has remained competitive is testament to many of Columbus’ prospects currently skating for the Crunch. It is a group void of any first round selections outside of goaltender Pascal Leclaire, but one that still should graduate its share of players in the upcoming years.
Pascal Leclaire, Goaltender, Columbus’ first selection, 8th overall in the 2001 Entry Draft
What a difference a year makes. One AHL beat writer summed it up best when he stated that last season Leclaire may have had trouble stopping a beach ball. However blunt that statement may be, it wasn’t far from the truth.
Leclaire struggled mightily in his rookie season, a year in which he admits he may not have prepared properly for. All that is behind him now. Under the tutelage of goaltending coach Rick Wamsley, who frequently visits Syracuse to work with the young netminder, Leclaire’s technique has finally caught up with his confidence level and it shows in his numbers. Outside of the World Junior Championships in 2001-02, Leclaire has never posted a goals against average below 3.00. This year he checks in at a very respectable 2.41 after 12 games played. The key for Leclaire now is consistency. What he does over the course of an entire season will be his true measuring stick.
Karl Goehring, Goaltender, Signed as a free agent by Columbus on
May
7, 2001
After basically stealing the number one job from Pascal Leclaire last season, Goehring has been overshadowed somewhat by Leclaire’s early season success. That doesn’t mean this diminutive netminder has performed poorly however. His win-loss record may not be that appealing, but his 2.36 goals against average and his .921 save percentage are solid.
Goehring also displays many of the traits that make for a perfect back-up and never was that more evident than this past Friday in Syracuse. After watching Leclaire surrender three goals on five shots, Goehring was summoned to stop the bleeding. He ended up recording 23 saves on 24 shots and was a major part of Syracuse’s 5-4 come from behind win.
Aaron Johnson, Defenseman, Columbus’ fourth pick, 85th overall in the 2001 Entry Draft
After watching Rusty Klesla, Rick Nash, and now Nikolai Zherdev all bypass the AHL and head right to the big stage, seeing a legitimate prospect like Aaron Johnson don a Syracuse sweater is a sight for sore Crunch fans eyes. Johnson is the real deal. He bolted right out of the gates with points in three out of his first five professional contests and hasn’t looked back since.
The rookie blueliner has made a seamless transition to the professional game with his trademark up-ice rushes to go along with a very underrated nasty streak. Combine his obvious talents with his personality and the Jackets have a real star in the making.
Columbus now must decide just how quickly they want to bring Johnson along. They were forced this past week to beckon Johnson from Syracuse after losing two more bodies from their already decimated defensive corps. It will probably be just a “carrot and stick” type promotion that works two-fold for Columbus. In the short term they plug another hole on their blueline plus they also give Johnson a taste of the good life so he remains motivated and on the right track.
Andrej Nedorost, Left Wing, Columbus’ 10th pick, 286th overall, in the 2000 Entry Draft
Nedorost remains an enigma for the Jackets. Vastly talented, Nedorost is widely known for playing better with the Jackets than with the Crunch and this year is no exception. After breaking camp with Columbus, he appeared in nine games, recording two goals and flashed signs of bringing his game to the next level.
Since that time he as appeared in eight games in Syracuse and is still looking for his first goal. His play remains inconsistent and his lack of scoring is amplified by the Crunch’s need for some offensive firepower.
All of this leaves Nedorost in a catch-22 situation. He obviously plays better with better talent, but his sub-par play at the minor-league level makes it very difficult for the Jackets to summon him when needed. That is why Nedorost is often subject to long stints away from the big club and he may be facing that same scenario once again.
Tim Jackman, Right Wing, Columbus’ second selection, 38th overall, in the 2001 Entry Draft
The Jackets have to be pleased with Jackman’s progress since drafting him back in 2001. Last season, his rookie year in the AHL, Jackman struggled at times, but that was expected after his exit from MSU-Mankato after only two seasons. He finished the year with a respectable nine goals, seven assists, to go along with 48 penalty minutes.
Flash forward to the present and Jackman continues to improve on an almost daily basis. Jackman has already matched his assist total from last year and has also registered five goals in just twenty games. The sky may be the limit for this young power forward and if he continues to improve at his current rate he should join the already impressive group of young players that Columbus continues to stockpile.
Ben Knopp, Right Wing, Columbus’ second selection, 69th overall in the 2000 Entry Draft
After a rather disappointing rookie season as a professional, Knopp was one of the few surprises in Columbus’ training camp. He came into camp in possibly the best shape of his young career after spending a good portion of the summer in Columbus working out under the guidance of the Jacket staff.
That training paid immediate dividends as Knopp impressed in his appearances with Columbus in the preseason and was also a standout in Syracuse’s exhibition season. Unfortunately for Knopp, success has been harder to find in the regular season. He has only recorded two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in 19 games, but Knopp is still contributing in different areas. He has worked extremely hard on his overall game and that has shown in his strong play away from the puck and also on the forecheck.
Brad Moran, Center, Signed as a free-agent by Columbus on June 5, 2000.
After last season, an injury-plagued campaign for Moran; Columbus almost opted to let the then free agent sign elsewhere. Boy, are fans in Syracuse glad they didn’t. Moran has arguably been the best player for the Crunch this season.
After surgery to repair a sports hernia, Moran is healthy again and it shows in the gaudy numbers he has posted so far. In just 20 games, Moran already has 7 goals to go along with 10 assists. He plays in all situations on the ice and is also a key faceoff man for the Crunch. If Moran continues to produce he can almost guarantee a look from the Jackets at some point this season.
Joe Motzko, Right Wing, Signed as a free agent by Columbus on May 15, 2003.
Motzko may be somewhat of a sleeper as far as prospects are concerned. After being passed over in the draft, Motzko auditioned in Syracuse to close out last season and was offered a contract by Columbus in the offseason.
Like the aforementioned Brad Moran, Motzko also plays in every situation for the Crunch, which is surprising for a rookie. Motzko has also shown a knack on the offensive end and is on pace for a 40-point season, astounding numbers for a first-year forward. He is definitely someone to keep an eye on.
Tyler Sloan, Left Wing, Signed as a free agent by Columbus on September 24, 2000.
Sloan, at Columbus’ request, officially made the switch to forward from defense in training camp. Sloan has embraced the move and he is beginning to show signs of becoming a decent checking line forward.
He also has proven to be very valuable to the Crunch because of his versatility. With the rash of call-ups by Columbus, the Crunch were forced to slide Sloan back to the blueline on more than one occasion. Sloan’s ability to be multi-faceted may bode well down the road when the influx of bodies inevitably arrives once Columbus gets healthy.
Mike Pandolfo, Left Wing, Rights acquired in a trade with Buffalo at the 2002 Entry Draft.
Pandolfo, the Crunch’s other power forward prospect along with Tim Jackman, has progressed some what slower than his second-year counterpart, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Like Ben Knopp, Pandolfo also worked extremely hard in the offseason, especially on his skating, and the results are extremely evident.
Maybe it is size (6’3”, 226 lbs.) or his bloodlines (Brother Jay
plays
for the New Jersey Devils), but it just seems like Pandolfo has more to
offer and he is struggling to find his niche. On the other hand his
numbers
this season have been decent and he displays a real willingness to
improve,
which should lead to greater success in the future.
Copyright 2003 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
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