AHL: Syracuse Packs a Crunch

The hard work by the scouting staff of the Columbus Blue Jackets is beginning to show, as the Blue Jackets are a team on the rise and their development system is full of talented prospects such as Jakub Voracek and Derick Brassard. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese looks at their key prospects currently playing in Syracuse of the AHL.

Alexandre Picard (CBJ), LW, Syracuse Crunch

Hard-working winger with a quick shot that continues to bounce back and forth between the AHL and NHL .. awkwardly hunched-over skater with a good motor and nimble agility however, his galloping start-up strides hinder his ability to accelerate .. owns the quick release and accurate shot of a goal scorer with the knack of sneaking in behind the defenses' back door .. however, he needs to be more confident and poised with the puck in scoring chances and while trying to get the puck out of his zone, as he can rush the shot or cough the puck up when pressured .. can score some garbage goals, as he is willing to battle in front of the net .. gives a strong effort and displays good defensive awareness, as he clogs the proper shooting lanes while blocking a shot .. backchecks hard and shows good marking skills .. not the power winger he was hyped to be but he competes hard on the puck and is gritty .. solid prospect but there does not appear to be anything special here, especially being the eighth overall selection Columbus used to select him.

Adam Pineault (CBJ), RW, Syracuse Crunch

Burly and highly skilled winger with a dangerous shot and blossoming two-way game .. skating harder and with more speed recently, as his acceleration and top gear have notably improved .. owns soft, quick hands and he uses his bulky frame to cover the puck well in traffic .. dangerous coming down the wing and in tight, as he possesses a heavy and accurate shot with a sniper's release .. own a goal scorers mindset, as he buzzes around the net a lot .. does not see the ice naturally and can still overplay the puck, although he can also make a nice, simple dump in .. defensive commitment and awareness has improved and he is being rewarded with time on the penalty kill .. is pursuing the puck and back checking with notable vigor this year .. he does a good job using his strong wrists and active stick to strip the opposition off the puck, although he needs to put his big, thick frame to use and hit somebody .. his sub-par numbers would normally indicate a struggling prospect, but Pineault is actually progressing nicely

Tom Sestito (CBJ), LW, Syracuse Crunch

Towering winger is still very raw and struggling to make an impact .. possesses quick feet that he keeps driving however, he is a cumbersome skater that still appears to be growing into his gangly frame, as his turn radius is far too wide and his short and choppy stride hinders his top gear .. puts his big frame to acceptable use, as he can land some heavy bodychecks while closing in on his man fast when pursuing the puck .. his offensive awareness is questionable, as he seems to bottleneck his options by just following the puck aimlessly .. tends to stick to the perimeter too much and must begin to drive the net harder and to compete for scoring chances .. is not doing much offensively at this point despite the occasional nice pass .. could use a demotion to the ECHL to rediscover his offensive flare.

Marc Methot (CBJ), D, Syracuse Crunch

Steady stay-at-home defenseman with no glaring weakness .. stable skater for a big man with fluid pivots and a quick first step however, he could show more urgency skating backwards, as he is susceptible to being beaten one-on-one with a quick burst of speed .. not a creative or offensively gifted player however, he is poised and cannot be forced into an error, as he makes a consistently smart headman pass .. displays exceptional gap control and stickwork when playing his man one-on-one off the rush .. his defensive awareness is exceptional, as he is close to flawless in terms of play in his own end .. not a mean player but he is a tough one that is a great shot blocker .. projects as a third pairing stay-at-home defenseman.

Philippe Dupuis (CBJ), C, Syracuse Crunch

Small but poised and creative center whose stock is on the rise .. displays great patience and poise as well as good skill on the puck .. creative player that sees the ice well and can execute a crisp tape-to-tape pass while moving at full speed .. passes the puck almost to a fault, as he needs to shoot the puck himself instead of looking for the pass at times .. smart and active without the puck in the offensive zone, as he pick and rolls expertly to get open, like he's playing basketball .. all-access skater with deceiving but not great speed .. not a physical player however, he is greasy in the corners and has habit of walking out of a scrum with the puck on his stick .. thinks the game at a high level, as the puck seems to follow him .. displays good defensive support, as he will take deep lying defensive zone positions and takes the proper angles to block a shot .. cerebral player that provides Columbus with good depth down the middle.

Andrew Murray (CBJ), C, Syracuse Crunch

Big and physical forward with a strong defensive game and a great top gear .. commanding skater once he gains some momentum, as he has a long stride with a powerful late burst to it .. uses his superb top gear to win a number of footraces, although he has not learned how to harness it as an offensive weapon .. decent goal scorer that is on pace to eclipse his career highs, although the offensive play can die with him, as he tends to fumble the puck .. pursues the puck hard all over the ice .. an asset to the penalty kill that maintains an active stick and utilizes his long reach to disrupt the oppositions passing lanes .. alternate captain that leads by example with hard work every shift .. deserves an NHL audition on the fourth line.

Steve Goertzen (CBJ), RW, Syracuse Crunch

Big and fast defensive-minded winger that is back in the AHL after playing 46 games in the NHL over the last two seasons .. purposeful skater for a player of his size with superb speed propelled by his languid and strong stride .. asset to the penalty kill thanks to his hard-working and smart defensive game .. possesses a big and strong frame, although he is not a naturally aggressive player .. does not have much finesse, as he is limited with the puck and is far from dangerous one-on-one .. appears to have peeked, as he is a good depth winger with the intangibles of size and speed.

Derek Dorsett (CBJ), RW, Syracuse Crunch

An abrasive player with a habit of wracking up penalty minutes .. tireless worker that can effectively check the opposition's top line .. fiery competitor that plays with jam and grit .. likes to get his nose dirty on the forecheck with his vigorous puck pursuit .. crisp skater with good quickness and agility, although he has not figured out how to use his speed as an asset with the puck .. does not possess finesse skills, although he does a fine job keeping his game simple by driving the net where he displays his competitiveness on the puck and his sturdiness on his feet .. offensive ability stops with his ability to make heady one-touch passes to further along his linemate with the puck .. the type of player that is tough to play against but his sparse offensive skills makes him a long shot to make the NHL.

Brett Motherwell (ATO), D, Syracuse Crunch

Skilled puck moving defenseman with good vision and poise that has transitioned seamlessly to the pro game after leaving Boston College earlier this season .. moves with fluidity in all directions, as he is a nimble skater with good foot speed .. sees the ice well, as he makes smart outlet passes and can execute creative plays on the point .. displays a strong transition game, as the instant he has the puck in his own end he is looking to make a play moving it out .. uses his swift mobility well to defend off the rush .. short but stocky defenseman with sturdy balance, although he can still be bulled over by larger forwards in front of his net .. should receive an NHL contract soon.