The story of Kole Sherwood continues to be an inspiration to the central Ohio hockey community.
When the Blue Jackets came to Columbus, not only did the franchise promise to deliver the highest level of pro hockey to the city, it also promised to continue the development of a burgeoning youth hockey community.
The fruits of that labor are being seen now with a number of central Ohio natives hitting the professional scene, a list that includes New Albany native Kole Sherwood.
Sherwood became the first-ever Columbus-born and developed player to sign with the Blue Jackets organization after an impressive showing at development camp in the summer of 2015, and his star has continued to shine. Sherwood has impressed the past two years in the Ontario Hockey League, and he has joined the AHL's Cleveland Monsters for the team's playoff push and is expected to be in the lineup tonight.
Sherwood spent four years with the AAA Blue Jackets from 2012-15, impressing during his final campaign with 22 goals and 26 assists in 31 games before a three-game cameo with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL, America's top developmental league.
He was committed to play college hockey at Boston University but the Jackets took notice in the summer of 2015 and signed him to a three-year entry-level deal. Sherwood has spent the past two years in the Ontario Hockey League, winning the OHL and Memorial Cup titles with the London Knights a year ago.
He moved to Flint this year and excelled to the tune of a 33-52-85 line in 60 games, including a seven-point game in January. He added four goals in five playoff games before the Firebirds were eliminated from their first-ever postseason appearance by the Soo Greyhounds.
Everett Clark finds @92KSherwood and Sherwood puts the puck in the back of the net! pic.twitter.com/zC8eWApCQo
— X Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) March 31, 2017
Sherwood turned 20 in January and has excellent offensive skills to go with a 6-1, 200-pound frame.
His older brother, Kiefer, has spent the past two seasons playing college hockey with Miami University, where he had 38 points in 36 games this season.
