Player's Profile
- Name: Tom Sestito
- Position: LW
- Shoots: Left
- Height: 6-4
- Weight: 209 lbs
- Birthdate: 1987-09-28
- Eligible for Draft: 2006
- Drafted:
- Hometown: Utica, New York
- Acquired: 3rd round (85th overall), 2006
- Playing In: Pro
Tom Sestito
Prospect Grade: 6.5 C (About Prospect Grades)
Profile Contributed By: HF Staff
History
2006-07: With a surprising 42 markers in 60 regular season games for the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL, forward Tom Sestito displayed enough talent to suggest that the Jackets investment of a third-round selection was not in vain. A teammate of fellow Blue Jacket prospect Jared Boll in a competitive Plymouth lineup, Sestito improved dramatically at the offensive end of the ice in what was essentially his third season as an amateur. Flourishing within a deep and competitive pair of forward lines with the Whalers, the 19-year-old leveraged his 6’4 frame in the offensive zone and displayed a scorer’s touch not previously manifest in his junior career. Primarily attractive in the 2006 draft as a result of his imposing size and skating ability, the offensive strides have to be a pleasant surprise for the organization.
2007-08: Sestito brought his rugged game to the AHL, where his big bodied presence was every bit as intimidating as it had been in the OHL. Sestito was a regular on the Crunch’s third line last season, on a Crunch team that performed well. Sestito proved he could play a physical game in the AHL and keep pace with the play. He contributed offensively here and there, although his offensive production will need to improve. The organization rewarded his efforts by playing him in his first NHL game.
Talent Analysis
The obvious question, however, is whether the marked improvement manifest on the scorer’s sheet is indicative of real development, or evidence of an older, experienced player taking advantage of the space created by a deep forward corps. While Sestito may have ended the season as the top goal scorer in the entire Columbus organization, those 42 goals barely cracked the top 20 in the wide-open OHL. Improving on that blistering goal-scoring pace in the postseason can be viewed as a leading indicator that Sestito has, like fellow power forward Matt Marquardt, begun to develop an offensive skill set to compliment his NHL-caliber size and physical presence. Consecutive seasons of over 130 penalty minutes suggests that Sestito is not shy about asserting himself physically at both ends of the rink, and continued growth into his large frame can be expected over the next several years.
Future
Sestito has made the jump out of juniors successfully. With a solid year of professional experience under his belt, Sestito will come to camp with a chance to stick with the big club. Most likely scenario is that he spends the majority of next season with the Crunch honing his game and working on his scoring.
Stats
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Profile Last Updated: August, 7th 2009
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