Blue Jackets Sign Local Prospect Kole Sherwood

The 2015 New Albany High School graduate signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets, making him the first Columbus-born player to sign with the 15-year-old franchise and the first to sign with a National Hockey League club directly from the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets program, the parent club’s elite youth organization. Sherwood also received a signing bonus.

“I don’t think I could be any more excited”, Sherwood said. “To go into [the Blue Jackets’ tryout camp] as an undrafted player in that camp and get that contract is special”.

This season was the first time in the five seasons he’s seen National Hockey League games that he’s had a negative score-adjusted relative possession number. He led the league in goals.

Patterson said Sherwood’s “skills jumped out at you – his strength, his power, his skating”.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have added another prospect to the system.

“With Kole, he can skate really well and he’s got the ability to make plays”. “I remember watching (Blue Jackets) games with my dad (Roger) and sitting in the nosebleed seats at Nationwide Arena. He had no fear, no trepidation whatsoever”. Both Sherwood brothers were possible late-round draft picks – with the Blue Jackets having their hopes most set on bringing in the eighteen-year old Kole – but when the Metropolitan Division club couldn’t come up with an extra draft pick for him, they settled for signing him post-development camp instead.

Sherwood will play in the OHL next season with a stacked London Knights team that features high-end 2016 draft eligibles Max Jones, Matthew Tkachuk and Victor Mete. Loney is the son of Phantoms co-owners Troy and Aafke Loney.