From NHL.com. You can view the full article here: https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/columbus-blue-jackets-robinson-0328/c-297410954

By Brian Hedger
Blue Jackets.com

CALGARY - In the span of six hours Monday, Eric Robinson got a full-picture view of the recent past and near future.

All it took was one flight from New Jersey to Columbus, where the former captain of the Princeton men's hockey team signed his first professional contract with the Blue Jackets. After the Tigers were eliminated in the NCAA Tournament this past weekend, by Ohio State of all teams, Robinson found himself right in the Buckeyes' backyard.

He surrounded by scarlet and gray, and just had to laugh.

"It's pretty funny," said Robinson, a 22-year old power forward. "It's pretty recent, too, so it definitely hurts, but [the Buckeyes] are a great team. They were a really tough challenge during the tournament, but I'm proud of what my team was able to do this season. It's something I'll definitely look back on for a while, and have really great memories of."

Robinson, a left-handed shot, was named captain at Princeton as a senior this season. He set career-highs in goals (17), assists (14) and points (31) and helped the Tigers win the ECAC tournament championship.

Now, after signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets, he's in the NHL less than a week after losing to Ohio State.

"I'm beyond excited right now," said Robinson, who took a red-eye flight from Columbus to Edmonton on Tuesday to meet his new team. "It's something I've worked for my whole life, and to be able to sign with an organization such as Columbus is just a dream come true."

The Blue Jackets, who tracked Robinson the past two seasons, made a good impression during discussions with him about his future. Those talks, with members of the Columbus hockey-operations staff, were the main reason he picked the Blue Jackets and signed so quickly.

"They'd showed interest in me for a while, and that's something I appreciated," said Robinson, who's 6-foot-2, 201 pounds. "It ultimately came down to a combination of opportunity and comfort level. Opportunity plays into it, but so does feeling comfortable with people, and I really felt comfortable with all of the staff that I spoke with."

The Blue Jackets feel the same about him, after watching Robinson ascend to the captain's role and continue an upward trend in his hockey career. What they see at this point is a coveted combination of size and speed, with the kind of character needed to make developmental gains.

"A lot of kids, you refer to them as late-bloomers or whatever the case may be," said Basil McRae, the Blue Jackets' director of player personnel. "I watched him last year and a lot this year, so I've seen his game improve from last year to this year, and that's the whole idea of it. You try to really make projections in what kids will be, whether it be in six months or six years, but you have no idea where they're going to go. He's certainly trending in the right direction."

Robinson adds depth for Columbus up front, adding the kind of size and speed the Jackets were seeking. Those assets, combined in one player, aren't easy to find or secure.

"He's a very good skater," McRae said. "For me, that's his biggest asset is his speed and size. He's also got a great work ethic. At the end of the day, probably the big picture or the ultimate dream would be that he could be our left-handed Josh Anderson. Josh took three years in the American Hockey League to get to where he was at last year, but [Robinson] is somewhat that type of player."

Anderson had a breakout season this year, leading the team with 18 goals prior to spraining his knee Feb. 26 against the Washington Capitals. Anderson has overwhelmed opponents this season with his size-speed combination, and the Jackets would love to add another guy with similar skills.

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