Blue Jackets cut 14 from camp roster

The Columbus made a major cut to its training camp roster on Friday (Sept. 25) dropping 14 players.

Nine of them were re-assigned to the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League while two others were put on waivers with the purpose of having them join their other teammates on the Monsters. Three others were released from tryout contracts.

The following players were re-assigned to the Monsters:

Oliver Bjorkstrand – A 20-year-old, 6’0,” 174 lbs. winger from Herning, Denmark, Bjorkstrand will make his pro debut with the Monsters after wrapping up three seasons with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. Bjorkstrand was selected by the Blue Jackets in the Third Round (89th Overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Last season at Portland, Bjorkstrand collected 118 points (63g, 55a) and 35 penalty minutes in 59 games and he likely will be an integral member on Team Denmark which will this season be competing with the Elite teams at the World Junior Championships at Helsinki, Finland in December.

Alex Broadhurst – A 22-year-old, 5’11,” 194 lbs. forward from New Lenox, IL, Broadhurst was selected in the Seventh Round (199th Overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and came to the Blue Jackets this past summer as part of the seven player deal with the Hawks that brought Brandon Saad to Columbus.

Last year Broadhurst played 29 games with the Rockford Ice Hogs and picked up 14 points (6g, 8a).

Dillon Heatherington – A 20-year-old, 6’4,” 214 lbs. defenseman from Calgary, AB, Heatherington was selected by the Blue Jackets in the Second Round (50th Overall ) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Last season Heatherington completed his fourth and final full season of play with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, collecting 15 points (1g, 14a) and 48 minutes in penalties in 48 games.

Sonny Milano – A 19-year-old, 6’1,” 190 lbs. native of Massapequa, NY, Milano is one of the team’s top prospects, originally selected in the First Round (16th Overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Last year, Milano played with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL, collecting 68 points (22g, 46a) and 24 penalty minutes in 50 games. Sonny Milano could be a key cog in what should be a potent Team USA lineup at the World Junior Championships at Helsinki in December.

Nick Moutrey – A 20-year-old, 6’3,” 220 lbs. winger from Shelburne, ON, Moutrey was selected by the Blue Jackets in the Fourth Round (105th Overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He started last season with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL wearing an ‘A’ on his jersey, but he was traded near the halfway mark of the season to the North Bay Batalion. Between the two, Moutrey collected 62 points (25g, 37a) and 54 penalty minutes in 62 games.

Michael Paliotta – A 22-year-old 6’4,” 205 lbs. defenseman from Westport, CT; Paliotta was originally selected in the Third Round (70th Overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. It was Paliotta that came to the Hawks along with Broadhurst and Brandon Saad in a major seven-player trade earlier this summer. Paliotta just wrapped up his fourth and final year at University Vermont. He collected 36 points (9g, 27a) and 40 minutes in 41 games with Vermont and was named team captain in his senior season.

John Ramage – A 24-year-old, 6’0,” 201 lbs. defenseman from Chesterfield, MO, Ramage is the son of former NHL blueliner Rob Ramage. Selected in the Fourth Round (103rd Overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames, Ramage signed on with the Blue Jackets in July. In 57 games at Adirondack last season, Ramage picked up 15 points (3g, 12a) and 81 penalty minutes.

T.J. Tynan – A 23-year-old5’9,” 165 lbs. center from Orland Park, IL, Tynan was selected by the Blues Jackets in the Third Round (67th Overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Last year Tynan played 75 games with the Springfield Falcons, former AHL affiliate of the Blue Jackets, picking up 48 points (13g, 35a) and 48 penalty minutes.

The following players were placed on waivers for the purpose of also being assigned to the Monsters.

Austin Madaisky – A 23-year-old, 6’1,” 185 lbs. defenseman from Surrey, BC, Madaisky was selected by the blue Jackets in the Fifth Round (124th Overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He split time between Springfield and Evansville in his first two seasons of pro and played all year at Springfield this past season, collecting 35 points (12g, 23a) and 28 penalty minutes in 53 games.

Jaime Sifers – A 32-year-old 5’11,” 205 lbs defenseman from Stratford, CT, Sifers is a veteran of 403 AHL contests, but last year returned from a three year stint in Germany to join the Springfield Falcons as an Assistant Captain. He played in all 76 games and collected 22 points (3g, 19a) and 82 minutes in penalties.

The players below were released from Professional Tryout Contracts

Antti Pihlstrom – A 30-year-old, 5’11,” 190 lbs. native of Vantaa, Finland, Pihlstrom played the past six seasons in Europe, last playing in North America in 2008-09 when he played 53 games with the Nashville Predators and 15 with the Milwaukee Admirals. He played in the World Championships with Team Finland last season and collected 28 points (16g, 12a) in 60 games with Salavat Yulaev UFA in the KHL.

Dante Salituro – An 18-year-old, 5’9,” 174 lbs. center from Willowdale, ON, Salituro came on a tryout after playing last season with the Ottawa 67’s of the OHL. He will return to the 67’s where last year he collected 78 points (37g, 41a) and 38 minutes in penalties in 68 games.

James Sheppard – A 27-year-old 6’1,” 216 lbs. forward from Lower Sackville, NS; Sheppard played 57 games with the San Jose Sharks last season, collecting 16 points (5g, 11a) and he also appeared in 14 games with the New York Rangers where he added two goals. An NHL vet with 394 games under his belt, Sheppard was originally selected by the Minnesota Wild in the First Round (Ninth Overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

With these moves, the Blue Jackets roster is reduced to 35 players including 19 forwards, 12 defensemen and four goaltenders.