The 2017-2018 season is a critical one for many Columbus Blue Jackets prospects. This campaign is as vital to Sonny Milano as anyone else in the organization.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are young and they will stay that way with many new players competing to make the team this season. There will be incredible competition in training camp amongst the prospects to see who makes the opening night NHL roster.
No prospect has a more important training camp than Sonny Milano. The former 1st round pick finds himself facing the most important season of his life with not many options.
Due to savvy moves by management and solid draft selections, there is a wealth of competition for just a few forward spots. There may just not be a place for Milano left on the team when it is all said and done.
Forwards like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Vitaly Abramov will be looking to make the jump from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to the big leagues this season. Two recently acquired players, Tyler Motte and Jordan Schroeder, are going to make a big push to make the team as well.
Then you have fellow Cleveland Monster Markus Hannikainen, who played six more NHL games this season than Milano. Hannikainen will be very tough to beat out.
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Columbus? Cleveland?
The organization does like Milano, evident by his call up for the 2017 NHL Playoffs, where he played in game three. Sure it was only six minutes, but that’s six minutes that could have went to someone else in a critical game in the series.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Milano had a solid year in Cleveland. He increased his points per game from .57 to .75 and has shown he’s also adapting to the speed and physicality of the game. There is no doubt Milano has NHL talent, but his defense needs to be better this year.
It all comes down to whether or not he plays tough and can defend this training camp. That will decide whether Milano is living in the 614 or the 216.
Or Colorado?
That is if the Jackets don’t trade him.
The value of prospects is so much more than just future playing value, it’s value as a commodity. When you have as many good prospects as the Jackets do, you can afford to package some of the top end guys without a spot like Milano in trades.
The rumors of Milano in trade deals have swirled and swirled and we’d be crazy to think that he still isn’t being shopped around. Colorado will still likely trade Matt Duchene at some point, and Milano may certainly be in that deal.
I think it will come down to Abramov, Hannikainen and Milano for the final left wing spot. Cleveland for at least the first half is where I see Milano in 2017 because it’s not easy to focus with so much uncertainty swirling around your future. Although if he can come into this training camp focused and improved enough to make the team, I’ll be very impressed and pleased.