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Blue Jackets CHL prospect update: Playoff edition

Written by: Aaron Vickers on 04/11/2004

The 2003-04 Canadian Hockey League's regular season has come to a close. For many Columbus Blue Jacket prospects, this means an earlier tee time on the golf course. For others, though, the real season is just starting to get into full swing.

WHL
The Columbus Blue Jackets have several players playing in the 2003-04 playoffs in the Western Hockey League. Brandon Wheat King teammates Tim Konsorada and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, both draftees in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, have represented Brandon in this year's WHL playoffs.

Tim Konsorada - Right Wing - Brandon Wheat Kings - Selected in the 6th Round (168th Overall) in 2002
Captain Konsorada and the re-tooled Brandon Wheat Kings were successful in making the post season, and began their playoff drive against the Raiders of Prince Albert. After splitting the first two games in Prince Albert, the Wheat Kings won both games in Brandon, taking control of the series, up 3-1. After dropping the next game in Prince Albert, the Wheat Kings closed out the series, with a convincing victory on home ice.

In the second round, the Wheat Kings drew the Medicine Hat Tigers, the regular season champions of the Eastern Conference. Gas City made short work of Brandon, disposing them in five games, thus ending the season for the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Konsorada, who managed to play in just 25 regular season games due to shoulder surgery in September, played in all 11 games for the Wheat Kings, registering two goals, seven points, and a -12 rating in 11 games.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL	25	3	18	21	23	+6
Playoffs		11	2	5	7	8	-12

Ole-Kristian Tollefsen - Defense - Brandon Wheat Kings - Selected in the 3rd Round (65th Overall) in 2002
Tollefsen and his Brandon Wheat Kings suffered a second round series defeat at the hands of the Medicine Hat Tigers. Allowing 21 goals in five games, the Wheat Kings were overpowered offensively by the top team in the Eastern Conference.

Tollefsen dressed in each playoff game, registering four points over the 11 game span. He also recorded 15 minutes in penalties while being a modest -4.

Tollefsen's season is far from over, however, as he is set to represent his native Norway at the upcoming Division 1 (A) World Championships, taking place April 12th to 18th. This isn't the first time this season that Tollefsen has represented his country, captaining his Norway squad in the World Junior Championships in December.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL	53	3	27	30	94	+17
Playoffs		11	0	4	4	15	-4

OHL
The Columbus Blue Jackets had a pair of prospects currently playing in the Ontario Hockey League's 2003-04 playoffs. Defensemen Marc Methot of the London Knights and Dan Fritsche of the Sarnia Sting have both seen playoff action thus far.

Dan Fritsche - Center - Sarnia Sting - Selected in the 2nd Round (46th Overall) in 2003
Danny Fritsche's Sarnia Sting were bounced in the first round of the OHL's Western Conference Playoffs to the Erie Otters. The series, which went five games, contained four one-goal games, showcasing how close this series actually was. Aside from a 7-2 blowout in Erie, the series was highly competitive, with three of the five games finishing with a score of 3-2.

Sting forward Danny Fritsche lead his team in points, recording five assists and six points through the five game series.

Fritsche is still playing hockey this season, however. He was assigned to the Crunch after finishing his season with the Sarnia Sting, where he is helping contribute to another playoff drive in Syracuse. Fritsche, who isn't reported as being injured, hasn't played since being taken heavily into the boards during a recent Crunch game.

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
Playoffs		5	1	5	6	0	0

Marc Methot - Defense - London Knights - Selected in the 6th Round (168th Overall) in 2003
As the London Knights roll through each opponent they've faced so far, sweeping Windsor and Erie, defenseman Marc Methot picks up where he finished in the regular season, leading the OHL in plus/minus during the playoffs.

Methot finished the regular season with a +39 rating through 63 games, good enough for third in the Ontario Hockey League. Through eight games in the post season, Methot is an impressive +15, first among a top ten littered with both London Knight and Guelph Storm players.

The Knights, who have outscored opponents 48-15, are currently slated to play for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy against the Guelph Storm, with the series set to get under way on April 13th.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
London Knights	OHL	63	2	9	11	66	+39
Playoffs		8	0	2	2	10	+15

QMJHL
The Columbus Blue Jackets have two players currently playing in the Quebec Major Junior League's 2003-04 playoffs. Mathieu Gravel, selected in the eighth 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, have seen playoff action.

Mathieu Gravel - Right Wing - Shawinigan Cataractes - Selected in the 8th Round (233rd Overall) in 2003
After edging out Drummonville in a series that went to seven games, the Rimouski Oceanic made short work of the Cataractes in round two, disposing of Shawinigan in four games for the sweep. Outscored 21-8 in the series, Shawinigan was dominated from the drop of the puck.

Mathieu Gravel had a disappointing showing in both series, managing to register a mere goal in ten games played, and was among the lowest scoring forwards on the Cataractes in their playoff drive.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Shawinigan Cataractes	QMJHL	59	14	21	35	50	+2
Since Last Update		10	1	0	1	12	-2

Philippe Dupuis - Center - Gatineau Olympiques - Selected in the 4th Round (104th Overall) in 2003
After receiving a bye in the first round of the 2003-04 QMJHL playoffs, the Gatineau Olympiques were quick to dispose of their second round counterparts, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, in four straight games. Gatineau, who is still waiting to see who they will play in the semi-finals, will have played a mere four games in a span of nearly a month when it comes to step on the ice again.

Dupuis, who tallied 18 goals through 60 games this season, has already put up three goals in four games for the Olympiques. His three tallies ties him for the team lead in the post season, with fellow center Maxime Talbot.

Team	League	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-
Gatineau Olympiques	QMJHL	60	18	37	55	77	+23
Playoffs		4	3	1	4	4	+4

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