Columbus Blue Jackets notes: Undersized Jordan Dumais off to big start in Traverse City
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Jordan Dumais has embraced his biggest drawback.
Listed at just 5 feet 9, 165 pounds on the Blue Jackets’ roster for the 2022 Traverse City Prospects Tournament, the 18-year old forward wears his size like a badge of honor. He’s heard so many doubts about players his size making it to the highest levels of hockey that all of them just blur together.
Those same doubts also provide motivation.
“It’s nothing too specific, but I always have a chip on my shoulder,” said Dumais, who was selected by the Blue Jackets in July in the third round (96th overall) of the NHL draft. “I think a lot of people doubt me, and all I can do is just work my hardest and try to prove them wrong. I’m definitely used to it … and it’s not such a bad thing, to be honest. It makes you work harder.”
Dumais’ hard work is paying off.
After an impressive showing at the Jackets’ development camp that followed the draft, he continued to open eyes in Traverse City with two goals, one assist and three points in a 7-1 rout over the St. Louis Blues to open the tournament Thursday. Dumais gave the Blue Jackets a quick 2-0 lead with back-to-back goals less than five minutes into the game and just 3:07 apart, rifling a pair of wrist shots past Blues goalie Colton Ellis.
It was reminiscent of another undersized player who lit up the scoreboard here five years earlier for the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex DeBrincat, a 5-7, 165-pound forward, led Chicago to a championship here in 2017 with an overtime goal against the Blue Jackets and then used that performance as a springboard into his NHL career.
DeBrincat has 160 goals, 147 assists and 307 points in the first 368 games of his career, including 41-goal efforts in 2018-19 and last season. The Blackhawks traded him to the Ottawa Senators at this year’s draft, but DeBrincat, 24, is a strong role model for Dumais.
Other size-challenged NHL examples include former Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson (5-8, 176), now with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point, who’s generously listed at 5-10, 183.
“(Those guys) make it easier for guys like me to just believe that I can do it,” said Dumais, who had a huge breakout with 39-70-109 in 68 games last season for the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. “If I just play my hardest and go all out, I can be like them.”
Blue Jackets defense impressive in Traverse City
After selecting David Jiricek (fifth overall) and Denton Mateychuk (12th overall) with his first two picks in this year’s draft, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen talked up the defensive group Columbus could bring to Traverse City.
It took only one game for the group's talent to show.
Samuel Knazko, a third-round pick in 2020, scored a goal and nearly notched another with a shot that rung off the goal post. Ole Bjorgvik-Holm (2020 fifth round) had two assists. Jiricek (+1 rating, three shots) and Mateychuk (+3, one shot) operated smoothly as a two-way top pairing. Stanislav Svozil, a third-round pick in 2021, finished with an assist, while partner Marcus Bjork (international free agent) had one shot with a +1 rating.
As a whole, the group was strong in all three zones and got some help, when needed, from goalie Jet Greaves (22 saves).
Blue Jackets’ Del Bel Belluz working on skating, eating
Similar to Kent Johnson, the Jackets’ top prospect who’s listed at 6-1, 168 pounds, center Luca Del Bel Belluz spent much of his offseason shoveling food into his mouth and weightlifting.
“I was on a meal plan, so that helps a lot,” said Del Bel Belluz, who’s listed at 6-1, 179. “(I’m) lifting more weights and really dialing in this year. When I was younger, a couple years ago, I’d say it was a lot harder (to put on bulk), but as I’m getting older it’s becoming a little easier.”
Del Bel Belluz also has work to do with his skating, which he’s trying to improve with weight training and power skating work.
“For me, it’s skating and growing in my legs,” said Del Bel Belluz, who flashed his offensive upside with a goal and assist against the Blues. “I think they correlate to each other. Getting stronger, the bottom half of my body is going to help with my skating, so if I can do that it will really help my skating.”
Blue Jackets prospects shine early in Traverse City
Dumais wasn’t the lone standout during the Jackets' blowout win against St. Louis.
Johnson had a goal and two assists while centering the top line and Del Bel Belluz, the second-line center, added a goal and assist. Bjorgvik-Holm finished with two assists and Liam Hawel, a free-agent from St. Francis Xavier, also had a goal and assist.
Knazko and forward Kirill Marchenko were the Jackets’ other goal-scorers.
The Blue Jackets conclude the tournament with games Friday against the Detroit Red Wings and Sunday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Get more Columbus Blue Jackets news by listening to our podcasts
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets hope undersized Jordan Dumais becomes big find
