The Columbus Blue Jackets assigned two of their top prospects, defenceman Ryan Murray and centre Boone Jenner, to their respective minor hockey league clubs.
Murray will head back to the Western Hockey League’s Everett Silvertips. The 18-year-old was selected second overall by Columbus in the 2012 NHL Draft in June. The White City, Sask., native has 20 goals, 84 assists, 104 points, 107 penalty minutes and a plus-51 rating in 168 career WHL games with Everett.
Meanwhile, Jenner heads back to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League. The 19-year-old Generals captain was drafted 37th-overall by the Blue Jackets in 2011 and had 49 points in 43 games with Oshawa last season. He made his professional debut with the American Hockey League’s Springfield Falcons at the end of the 2011-12 campaign, scoring one goal and adding two penalty minutes in five games.
With a potential lockout looming, many NHL teams will be sending prospects back to their junior clubs so they can have full training camps and continue to develop their skills.
Both Murray and Jenner represented Canada at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships.
