The Blue Jackets dipped into the college free agent market yesterday, signing University of Michigan Wolverines forward Josh Eernisse to a one-year entry-level contract, which begins next season. He fits into the style of player that Don Waddell has worked to add since being hired in Columbus.
Eernisse had previously signed a tryout contract to finish the season with the Cleveland Monsters, earlier on Sunday. He will join them for their stretch and playoff run, with just two games remaining in the AHL regular season.
He spent the last three seasons with the Wolverines, after playing one season with the University of St Thomas. In four years in the NCAA, he accrued 34 goals and 65 points in 151 games played, along with 170 penalty minutes.
This isn't the kind of player that is being brought in to spark the offense, however. Eernisse is a Don Waddell type of player. At 6'3" and over 215 pounds, he's a big two-way winger that can skate really well and bring some leadership. Waddell spoke highly of him in the team's press release:
"As we looked at a number of college free agents we identified those that could fill an organizational need and Josh does just that ... He is a big, strong right winger who skates well and has great character, and we are excited to welcome him to the Blue Jackets."Don Waddell
Eernisse fits right into the archetype that the Blue Jackets GM seems to prefer. I'm looking at names like Zach Aston-Reese, Hudson Fasching, Brendan Gaunce, and Danton Heinen as comps here. Big, low event guys who can help out in the bottom six.
A future penalty kill specialist?
Probably the biggest area that the organization thinks Eernisse can help, is on the penalty kill. This season, he established himself as one of the better shorthanded players in college hockey, finishing second in the country in shorthanded goals.
You can never have too many of those guys around, I suppose. But, with that said, I don't know how much NHL upside there is here. After all, to get to the highest level, you have to be able to contribute a little bit offensively.
Take Aston-Reese as an example. He finished four years of NCAA hockey and signed as an undrafted free agent out of Northeastern. In his final year in college, he scored 31 goals and 63 points in 38 games-yet he's still only managed to eke out a career as an AHL/NHL 'tweener.
For Ernisse to make a difference here, he'll have to find ways to contribute aside from just being a reliable two-way guy who can skate. At 24 years old, I'm not sure there's a ton of time for him to do that.
Of course, time will tell. For now, lets see how he makes the adjustment to the American Hockey League, at a time when the games really matter.