Hope Wins NHL Rookie Tournament With Blue Jackets

Blenheim’s Kyle Hope might not have an NHL contract, but he got a taste of the NHL life this past week, helping the Columbus Blue Jackets win the annual Traverse City NHL Rookie Tournament.

Hope, who signed this offseason with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League, was suiting up as an NHL free agent with the Blue Jackets.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for myself to attend the Traverse City Rookie tournament in September with the Blue Jackets and then at the Springfield Falcons camp,” Hope told CKSN following his signing this summer. “It is a step toward the NHL and I’m very excited for it.”

The Blue Jackets defeated the Dallas Stars 3-2 in overtime to capture the annual NHL Rookie tournament, which is hosted by the Detroit Red Wings in Traverse City, Michigan.

Hope finished his OHL career, which he split between the Owen Sound Attack and Oshawa Generals, and played a pair of AHL games last season with the Lake Erie Monsters.

This will be his first professional season.

Thamesville’s Dane Fox (Vancouver Canucks) and Wallaceburg’s Seth Griffith (Boston Bruins) also took part in NHL rookie tournaments this week.