Columbus Blue Jackets: What’s Next for Bjorkstrand and Milano?

The Columbus Blue Jackets forwards have both either been scratched or sent down to Cleveland.

Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand have had bad seasons for the Columbus Blue Jackets. While it may seem cruel to state it so bluntly, it’s likely the best way to get the point across.

Through eight games, Milano’s only point was a goal against the Philadelphia Flyers and the lack of points isn’t the only issue. He simply didn’t seem reliable and didn’t make an impact with any part of his game.

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Mix that with his status of being one of the only players on the team who can be sent down without having to clear waivers and a returning Brandon Dubinsky, there was no surprise to see him going back to the AHL.

Oliver Bjorkstrand got lucky that he’s passed the threshold for being able to be sent down through the amount of NHL games he’s played. He’s performed better offensively than Milano, but only through two assists as the difference maker. His shooting percentage is a measly 4.8%, down from a career percentage of an already bad 8.3%.

Oddly in terms of ice time, despite his bad play Milano gained time on the ice while Bjorkstrand’s dropped seemingly off of a cliff suddenly against the Ducks.

In his second game with the Cleveland Monsters, Milano was able to net a goal. If he performs well down there, hopefully it would give him the confidence needed to perform at the NHL level.

The future doesn’t look great for these two, especially considering the abundance of talent coming through the pipeline in the near future. Unless they pick up their play soon, head coach John Tortorella and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen will be forced to move at least one of them for a player who will perform at the NHL level.

It may be too late for Sonny Milano, as he’s been given a large amount of opportunities to make it to the NHL and failed to stick consistently. Bjorkstrand has had a solid NHL season and that certainly helps his case to stay. Both players are on a short leash going forward though.