CHL Prospect Pipeline – Columbus Blue Jackets

By Cory Wilkins June 2, 2021

Introducing the CHL Prospect Pipeline presented by Kubota, the premiere feature highlighting current CHL talent that has been drafted or signed by each of the National Hockey League’s 32 teams.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Tyler Angle

A shifty centre, the talented Windsor Spitfires forward had a breakout season in 2019-20, besting his previous career high-water mark by 23 points as he ultimately finished the year with 29 goals and 38 assists across 62 appearances and tied for top spot in team scoring. A late round selection by the Blue Jackets in the 2019 NHL Draft, the 2000-born forward spent four seasons in the OHL in which he accumulated 132 points over 228 career contests, while this year he played on loan with the Blue Jackets’ farm club in Cleveland. In all, the Thorold, Ont., native showed he was ready for the pro ranks as his 23-game showing saw him lead the team in scoring with 24 points counting 11 goals and 13 assists. In March, Angle and the Blue Jackets came to terms on an entry-level contract.

Sending out a huge congratulations to Tyler Angle @tyler_angle7 on signing with the @BlueJacketsNHL! #Spitfires pic.twitter.com/6Om1fWyqLt

— Windsor Spitfires (@SpitsHockey) March 29, 2021

Ole Bjorgvik-Holm

Chosen by Mississauga in the first round of the 2019 CHL Import Draft, the Norwegian rearguard joined the Steelheads for the ensuing season and made a solid first impression in collecting 19 points counting two goals with 17 assists in 57 games. With the OHL unable to return to play the following season, the 19-year-old returned home and tried his hand at the pro ranks, making 22 appearances with Manglerud of Norway’s top professional league where he finished second in scoring among all blue-liners with 10 points. Selected in the fifth round of last summer’s NHL Draft, Bjorgvik-Holm later joined the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters where he picked up five points through 16 showings, while he also recently competed with Norway at the 2021 World Championship.

Get hyped for Ole Bjorgvik-Holm’s first IIHF World Championship game with his best moments in a Steelheads uniform 🐟

🇳🇴 vs 🇩🇪 tomorrow | #DONTMISS pic.twitter.com/mfsaE4j1eo

— Mississauga Steelheads (@OHLSteelheads) May 21, 2021

Liam Foudy

One of the top skaters in his class, Foudy was a draft-year riser who put together a solid second-half with the London Knights before ultimately hearing his name called with the 18th pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. Foudy then returned to the Knights for his third season where he posted a then-career high of 68 points counting 36 goals with 32 assists across 62 appearances, good for second in team scoring as well as a 28-point increase from the prior season. Named co-captain of the Knights ahead of his fourth season, that year saw the budding left-wing match his production from the previous campaign – doing so in 17 fewer showings – while a longtime dream became a reality as an emergency recall to the big leagues saw him play his first NHL contest as part of a brief, two-game stint with the Blue Jackets, with his second game seeing him pick up an assist for his first NHL point, before returning for a 10-game run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs where he tallied another two points. This season, the 2000-born then elevated to the pro ranks where he split time between the Blue Jackets and the minor-league club in Cleveland. In all, Foudy was particularly impressive at the AHL level where he scored above a point-per-game in recording three goals and 13 assists in 12 outings. Internationally, the Scarborough, Ont., native has also been regularly called upon by Team Canada, highlighted by a gold-medal win at the 2020 World Juniors, while he is also currently competing with the Great White North at the 2021 World Championship. Originally chosen with the 18th pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, Foudy spent four seasons in the OHL in which he totaled 97 goals and 94 assists for 191 points through 230 career contests.

The winner of the 2019-2020 London Knights Most Valuable Player Award: Liam Foudy 🏆
Congratulations, @foudshow! 👏 pic.twitter.com/1L6KVOqlV9

— London Knights (@LondonKnights) July 16, 2020

Eric Hjorth

Another European-born blue-liner chosen by the Blue Jackets, Hjorth joined the Sarnia Sting after being selected in the top round of the 2019 CHL Import Draft. He then made an immediate impression upon arriving to Ontario, quickly demonstrating his ability to move the puck from the back end as he later wrapped up his first season with 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 60 games, good for top spot among all Sarnia defenders. Meanwhile, this season saw the 2001-born Swedish native play on loan overseas, where he started in the tier-two Finnish league before splitting time in the top-ranked amateur leagues in Finland and Sweden. Selected by Columbus in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, the unsigned Hjorth is eligible to remain on the Blue Jackets’ reserve list until 2023.

Taken with our 1st round pick in the 2019 CHL Import Draft, @erichjorth didn't take long to make an impact here in Sarnia. pic.twitter.com/Sxr4Lwy5Wa

— Sarnia Sting (@StingHockey) April 28, 2020