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Blue Jackets: CHL prospect season in review

Written by: Aaron Vickers on 03/24/2004

The 2003-04 Canadian Hockey League's regular season has come to a close, and many teams are deep into the first round of their playoff match-ups. With the regular season now complete, the Columbus Blue Jackets organization can look back on the season that was for those prospects playing in the CHL.

The Western Hockey League
The Columbus Blue Jackets have several players spending the 2003-04 season in the Western Hockey League. Brandon Wheat King teammates Tim Konsorada and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen were selected in the 2002 National Hockey League Entry Draft, as well as Steven Goertzen of the Seattle Thunderbirds, also selected in 2002.

Steven Goertzen - Right Wing/Defense - Seattle Thunderbirds - Selected in the 7th Round (225th Overall) in 2002
Although he didn't perform offensively at the level that was expected of him, the season was not lost for Goertzen, who set career highs in goals, points and minutes in penalties for the Seattle Thunderbirds. He dressed in 69 games for Seattle this season, and was recently signed to an amateur try-out and this past week made his professional debut in a Syracuse Crunch jersey.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Seattle Thunderbirds	WHL	69	15	18	33	115	+16
Since Last Update		6	2	0	2	4	+1

Tim Konsorada - Right Wing - Brandon Wheat Kings - Selected in the 6th Round (168th Overall) in 2002
Despite missing a third of the season due to a separated shoulder suffered in the Columbus Blue Jackets training camp, all was not lost for Konsorada, who was named captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings prior to the injury. Konsorada, who leads his Brandon squad into the playoffs against the Prince Albert Raiders, finished 11th in club scoring and seventh in plus/minus.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL	25	3	18	21	23	+6
Since Last Update		7	0	7	7	4	+5

Ole-Kristian Tollefsen - Defense - Brandon Wheat Kings - Selected in the 3rd Round (65th Overall) in 2002
After an injury riddled 2002-03 season, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen managed to stay relatively healthy during his 2003-04 campaign. Tollefsen, playing in a career high 53 games, missed time both due to a relatively minor injury and captaining his native Norway squad in the World Junior Championships 'B' Pool. On top of setting a career high in games played, Tollefsen set career marks in assists, points and penalty minutes.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL	53	3	27	30	94	+17
Norway	WJC	5	1	3	4	2	+2
Since Last Update		5	0	2	2	14	+9

The Ontario Hockey League
The Columbus Blue Jackets have a pair of prospects currently playing in the Ontario Hockey League. Defensemen Marc Methot of the London Knights and Trevor Hendrikx of the Peterborough Petes are 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft Selections, while Columbus' second round selection Dan Fritsche, who may be returned to the Sarnia Sting, continues to skate with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Dan Fritsche - Center - Sarnia Sting - Selected in the 2nd Round (46th Overall) in 2003
Danny Fritsche, much like Tim Konsorada, had a shortened CHL season, although for a different reason. Fritsche was returned to the Sarnia Sting after winning a gold medal with Team USA in the World Junior Championships in January. Fritsche, who started the season in Columbus, finished up his regular season on a strong note with the Sting, registering 29 points in 27 games while wearing the 'C' on his jersey.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Sarnia Sting	OHL	27	16	13	29	26	-6
Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL	19	1	0	1	12	-5
Team USA	WJC	6	2	2	4	4	+5
Since Last Update		6	3	1	4	8	-4

Trevor Hendrikx - Defense - Peterborough Petes - Selected in the 9th Round (283th Overall) in 2003
Heading into the 2003-04 season, even Trevor Hendrikx himself couldn't have predicted his offensive outburst. Hendrikx, whose previous career high in points was easily tripled this season, saw himself score eight goals this season. Those eight tallies quadrupled his previous career total, which had saw him score twice in 102 games over two seasons with the Petes. Offensive marks were not the only ones set by Hendrikx this season, who also set a career high in penalty minutes, nearly doubling his mark of 128 last season.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/
Peterborough Petes	OHL	63	8	24	32	208	-3
Since Last Update		6	1	2	3	21	+1

Marc Methot - Defense - London Knights - Selected in the 6th Round (168th Overall) in 2003
Although Methot's statistics may not be overly flashy, the Columbus Blue Jackets must be happy at Methot's plus/minus, a mark that saw him finish in the top three in the Ontario Hockey League. Methot, who actually put up greater offensive totals in 2002-03, established a new career high in minutes in penalties with 66, up 20 minutes from last season. Methot, playing with an extremely strong London Knights squad, plays host to Windsor in the first round of the OHL playoffs.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
London Knights	OHL	63	2	9	11	66	+39
Since Last Update		4	0	0	0	2	+2

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Columbus Blue Jackets have two players currently playing in the Quebec Major Junior League. Mathieu Gravel, selected in the 8th round of the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft, as well as Philippe Dupuis of the Gatineau Olympiques, selected four rounds earlier in the same draft.

Mathieu Gravel - Right Wing - Shawinigan Cataractes - Selected in the 8th Round (233rd Overall) in 2003
It is certain that both the Columbus Blue Jackets and Mathieu Gravel himself would've liked to see a larger improvement statistically in comparison to his 2002-03 campaign with the Shawinigan Cataractes. Gravel, who scored 50 points (24-26-50) in 72 games last season, managed only 35 points (14-21-35) this season. Gravel may get a chance to redeem himself in the 2004 QMJHL Playoffs when the Cataractes plays host to Drummondville in the first round.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Shawinigan Cataractes	QMJHL	59	14	21	35	50	+2
Since Last Update		2	1	1	2	0	+1

Philippe Dupuis - Center - Gatineau Olympiques - Selected in the 4th Round (104th Overall) in 2003
Despite failing to set a new career high in points this season, Philippe Dupuis did set a number of career bests on the ice this season with the Gatineau Olympiques. Dupuis, who for the most part played a secondary scoring role with the Olympiques, set career marks for points-per-game, assists, and plus/minus. Gatineau, one of the top teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, earned a bye in the first round of the QMJHL Playoffs.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Gatineau Olympiques	QMJHL	60	18	37	55	77	+23
Since Last Update		7	2	3	5	11	-

Copyright 2004 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.

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