31 Teams in 31 Days - Columbus Blue Jackets

Liam Foudy leads the OHL crop for the Blue Jackets.

1. Liam Foudy - London Knights
The Blue Jackets organization really couldn't have asked for a better developmental season from Foudy. He really took some nice steps forward. His engagement level without the puck, his defensive play, his work in traffic, and his work as a forechecker really became so much more consistent. And these are the areas of Foudy's game that will be his bread and butter at the NHL level given his speed and projection as a high quality middle six player. Additionally, he was more assertive in using the middle to gain entry to the offensive zone, rather than being kept to the perimeter. This opened up more options for him as a playmaker and made him a more consistent offensive facilitator. In his short emergency recall to Columbus, these improvements were on full display. Ditto for the World Junior Championships, where he was one of Canada's most effective forwards en route to a gold medal. Offensively, Foudy has some limitations still. His shot will likely never be above average. He can still have a tendency to play with tunnel vision in transition. He is not the most creative player. However, I do think that his poise and patience with the puck in the cycle and when working the half wall, really improved. And realistically, this is more critical as Foudy is likely to be utilized more in retrievals and as a support player at the next level, and not relied upon as much for entries as he has been in the OHL. I do not think Foudy will require time at the AHL level. I think he can play next year with the Blue Jackets and fill a third line role for them. I wouldn't expect a ton from him offensively, but a 10 goal, 20 assist kind of season is very realistic.

2. Tyler Angle - Windsor Spitfires
During stretches this year, Angle was one of the most dangerous offensive players in the OHL. When he was on, and in the zone, he was nearly unstoppable from shift to shift. When he wasn't, he was difficult to spot. Some of that is certainly on Angle, to improve conditioning or find another way to be more consistent. Some of that is a reflection of the Spitfires, who were up and down as a team this season. Angle did look like he had improved his skating, in particular the explosiveness of his stride, which was necessary given his lack of size. He always keeps his feet moving in the offensive zone and plays with a lot of energy, but when the puck is on his stick, there was previously a bit of lull. I saw improvement there this season. More improvement will be needed to be a pro player, but it's a step in the right direction. I also still see his pro projection being on the wing and not down the middle, where he can use that tenaciousness to support, rather than lead the attack. Next year, he'll return to Windsor as an OA. I see his OA season going one of two ways. The first way, is a stagnant year where he's around the point per game mark and probably fails to earn a contract from Columbus. The second way is that he corrects some of his consistency issues and explodes offensively, emerging as a 90+ point player. 

3. Eric Hjorth - Sarnia Sting
Hjorth came pretty much advertised this season in the OHL, his first in the league after crossing the pond. On a lot of nights, he looked like a kid coming off a lost season of development due to injury. Tough coming into the league on a poor team too; baptism by fire. As such, there was certainly some tentativeness to his game. At times, I felt him to be indecisive with the puck...at both ends. No question, he needs to make quicker decisions when the puck is on his stick. I also felt him to be too passive in the defensive end; too often a bystander. A 6'4 defender should certainly never be a bystander. All that said, he's a raw kid who definitely has the potential to improve in his second season next year. The big point shot is real. He can fire the puck and he is aggressive in searching out opportunities to utilize it. His skating is also good for a big man and I think that as he gains confidence, we really could see him become more of a factor in leading the attack. He just needs to extend deeper. Sometimes for Import defenders, we see a totally different player in their second season as they adjust to the pace and rigorous demands of the OHL. I suspect we could see a different player next season in Hjorth. Wouldn't shock me at all if we see him in the 17-18 goal range and the 45+ point range next year. He'll probably need to be there in order to earn a contract too. The key is just how much growth is possible regarding his decision making.