Blue Jackets' scouting report: Tyler Motte

Editor’s note: Blue Jackets training camp takes to the ice Sept. 15. Between now and then, The Athletic will canvas the roster for an in-depth look at the players who are expected to make an impact this season — what they did in 2016-17, where they fit within the organization and what’s expected of them in 2017-18.

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TYLER MOTTE

Age: 22

Position: F

Height / weight: 5-9/193

‌‌‌ The low-down: Motte was a standout in training camp with the Chicago Blackhawks’ last fall, surprising many by earning a roster spot when camp broke and even playing on top lines with Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane and the gang. He had 2-2-4 in the first six games of the season, and it looked like he was off and running. … When he suffered a left leg injury in early November — spending two weeks on the shelf — everything changed. The spot in the top six was gone, and Motte’s ice time and production faded. He averaged just 10:35 of ice time and totaled just 2-1-3 in his final 27 games before being sent to the AHL shortly after the New Year.

When the Blue Jackets traded Brandon Saad back to Chicago in the trade that brought Artemi Panarin to Columbus, Motte was more than a throw-in. The Jackets had watched him extensively when they tracked defenseman Zach Werenski through his freshman year in Ann Arbor and came to really appreciate the player. The Blackhawks wanted goaltender Anton Forsberg — they needed a cheap back-up amid salary cap woes — the Jackets asked for Motte to square the deal. … Motte was a three-year standout at Michigan, including a sterling junior season in which his 32 goals were second-most in the entire NCAA. He left Michigan, signing an entry-level deal with Chicago on April 6, just eight days after Werenski signed his entry-level deal with Columbus and began playing in Cleveland.

Scoring in the NCAA doesn’t necessarily translate to scoring in the NHL. The game is faster, the scoring chances are fewer and the space and time to handle the puck shrinks. Motte’s lack of size is a concern, sure, but less so than it would have been 10 years ago in the NHL. He has skill and he has moxie; that might be enough to fashion a career. … Motte’s best chance to stick with the Blue Jackets would figure to be on the third or fourth line, but there isn’t an obvious spot yet. He played almost exclusively as a left wing with the Blackhawks, but he has played center most of his career before the NHL. He will need another eye-opening camp to earn a roster spot.

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If he plays on the wing, he’ll likely need to outplay Markus Hannikainen for a spot on the fourth line. (It’s hard to see him uprooting Matt Calvert or unsigned Josh Anderson, right?) That’s tough enough already, but Hannikainen also has a contractual advantage. He has a one-way deal — he’ll be paid $675,000 no matter where he plays — while Motte has a two-way deal, paying him $70,000 in the AHL as opposed to $832,500 when he’s in the NHL. Motte also has 47 NHL games to go before he needs waivers to head to the AHL. … Motte’s flexibility and his potential for offense should put him on the short list for a Columbus call-up, even if he doesn’t make the cut out of training camp. He will play games for the Blue Jackets this season, it’s just a matter of how many and in what position.

Contract: Signed through 2018-19

Up next: Ryan Murray

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