Blue Jackets prospects impressing, survive the first-round of U.S. Junior team cuts
The Columbus Blue Jackets have four American prospects participating for Team USA in the National Junior Evaluation Camp.
Forwards Sonny Milano and Paul Bittner, and defensemen Zach Werenski and Ryan Collins didn't just survive the first cut, they have been some of the better players for their teams.
Team USA cut the roster down to 18 forwards, 10 defensemen and four goaltenders yesterday. Arizona Coyotes forwards Ryan MacInnis, Christian Fischer and Conor Garland, Minnesota Wild forward Jordan Greenway, Nashville Predators defenseman Jack Dougherty and New Jersey Devils defenseman Josh Jacobs were all cut from the team.
Team USA was broken up into two teams, Team Blue and Team White, prior to the first round of cuts. Team White lost to Team Blue in the opening game 4-3, but beat both Finland and Sweden 5-2 and 10-4, respectively. Team Blue has lost its two match ups to Sweden and Finland, 5-2 and 10-3, respectively.
Milano, drafted in the first round of the 2014 draft with the 16th overall pick, has two goals and an assist in three games for Team White. Milano, who played in his first season in the OHL last year for the Plymouth Whalers, scored 22 goals and 68 points in 50 games, good for 32nd in the OHL in points. He also participated in 10 games for the Springfield Falcons in the AHL, recording five assists. Milano has previously played for Team USA in the World Junior Championship last year, scoring two goals and two assists in USA's five games. The United States were eliminated in the Quarterfinals against Russia.
Bittner has managed to score three goals in three games for Team Blue, which co-leads the camp. Drafted this year with the 38th overall pick in the second round of this year's draft, Bittner finished 28th in scoring in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks, scoring 34 goals and 71 points in 66.
Zach Werenski, the ninth overall pick in this year's draft, has two assists in three games for Team White. The defenseman played for Team USA in the World Junior Championship last year, recording a goal and an assist in his five games. Werenski, who played for the University of Michigan a year early last year, scored nine goals and 25 points in 35 games last year. The freshman was one of college hockey's top defensemen, and is expected to have another big year at Michigan next year.
Collins also performed for Team USA in the World Junior Championship last year, and will look to make the roster again this year. Collins hasn't recorded a point for Team Blue in his three games in the evaluation camp. Collins played in 32 for the University of Minnesota last season, recording a single goal and eights assists in 32 games as a freshman. Collins, drafted in the second round with the 47th overall pick in last year's draft, will return to Minnesota next season.
The evaluation games continue today, when USA plays Finland at 4:00 PM EDT. USA will play Sweden on Thursday and Friday before playing Finland again on Saturday. All four Blue Jackets are in the lineup today.
