The Blue Jackets continue to search for a winning formula, with the current plan involving surrounding their young talent with as much depth and experience as possible. Unfortunately for some of the guys on the fringe, that means a tougher road to NHL minutes. Included in that group is defenseman Daemon Hunt.
Acquired by the Blue Jackets in the trade that sent David Jiricek to the Minnesota Wild organization, Hunt is a seldom talked about player within the CBJ system. This isn't entirely surprising, because he's not a guy who puts up big numbers or throws highlight reel hits. He just quietly goes about his two-way game with a consistent effort.
In that regard, you might look at him in a similar light of a guy like Dante Fabbro. In the right situation, I think Daemon could be a similar type of support piece alongside a more skilled defenseman. Though, I don't see him as a potential top pairing guy at any point.
More likely, I think this is the kind of player that could play on the third defense pairing and bring you steady, reliable minutes from the back-end. He's not going to generate a ton offensively, but he's also not going to hurt you by taking bad penalties or missing open ice hits. He's just a smart, reliable defender who could play against secondary competition and hold his own. And, I think he's pretty close to being ready to do that at the NHL level.
The issue is: there isn't a clear path to the NHL for him in the near future. The Jackets have Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov, Denton Mateychuk, and Jake Christiansen all signed for at least the next two seasons. Outside of Christiansen, it's hard to see any of these guys going anywhere any time soon. At which point, the team may be looking ahead to someone like top prospect Jackson Smith to come through the system.
For all of these reasons, it feels like now is the time for Daemon Hunt to separate himself from the pack. He's probably not going to do it by scoring (he accrued just 2 goals and 16 points in 48 games with the Cleveland Monsters last year), and he doesn't have the size or snarl to be a physical presence on a consistent basis.
So, what can he do to earn himself an opportunity? It's really simple: don't complain, and just keep being consistent. The Blue Jackets have a lot of defensemen, and may be looking to add another if the camp invitation to Brendan Smith is any clue. Clearly, they see a hole on the left side, and that's where Daemon has to show them that he fits in. Even if he spends the beginning of his season back in the AHL, there may be an eventual path to minutes with the Blue Jackets when injuries pop up.
One bold prediction: Daemon Hunt will make the CBJ roster out of training camp.
There's a theory behind this prediction. By inviting veteran UFA Brendan Smith to training camp, Don Waddell has tipped his hand a little bit. It seems like the Jackets want to carry two extra defensemen on the NHL roster (Jake Christiansen being the obvious 7th man).
My prediction is that Hunt will be good enough in camp that his play, along with Dean Evason's familiarity with him; will springboard him into making the team and preventing them from having to sign Smith. With a fresh new one year, two-way contract in hand, he definitely has a lot to prove if he wants to earn another extension next summer. Why not get started right away?