Elliott: Jankowski carrying on a NHL family tradition
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Mark Jankowski had one hit at the 2007 Baseball Canada peewee championships in Quebec City.
Yet, his throw from centre field was as significant as any strike thrown by Ontario pitchers Brad Bedford, Zack Sardellitti, Luke Sinclair, Ron Stewardson, Adam Anderson, Carson Kelly, Kyle Hann and Tom Byckowski who dominated opposing hitters.
Coach by Bill Byckowski, Ontario won the gold with a 5-1 win over Quebec to finish the season 54-3. The one loss in Quebec City was to British Columbia and that’s when Jankowski flashed his strong right arm.
Ontario was losing 2-0 going in the sixth when Sinclair retired the first hitter and watched the next three reach on clanked infield ground balls to make it 3-0. The next hitter singled to centre and with half the bench screaming “second base! second base!” Jankowski charged and threw a strike to catcher Carson Kelly for the second out. Sinclair struck out the final hitter.
The throw meant that it was a 3-0 loss. Had Ontario lost by more than three runs it would have dropped from first in pool play into a tie-breaking situation and it would have been required to play a quarter-final game. So, Jankowski not only saved a run -- but seven innings worth of arms.
Now, after being chosen in the first round by the Calgary Flames, skating for the Providence Friars and starting this season with the Stockton Heat in the American Hockey League, Jankowski is with the Flames. He made his debut in a 2-1 overtime loss against the New York Islanders. And Wednesday the Toronto Maple Leafs visited the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The 6-foot-4 Jankowski has grown 15 inches since his peewee days when he was 5-foot-1. He had the one hit but combined to go 1-for-6 with two RBIs and four runs scored. He singled in a run in the opener, an 8-0 win over New Brunswick as Carson Kelly homered twice. Was hitless in one at-bat with two walks in a 6-5 extra-inning win against Quebec.
Jankowski did not play in an 8-0 win over Alberta or an 11-0 victory against Quebec.
Then he was 0-for-1 with two walks against BC RHP Jesse Hodges (Victoria, BC), who played third base in the Chicago Cubs organization this season. Hodges spent time at class-A South Bend and class-A Myrtle Beach hitting .254 with one homer and 32 RBIs in 90 games with a ,644 OPS.
After the loss to BC, Jankowski was 0-for-2 in a 10-0 win over Saskatchewan with a walk in the semi final and walked twice as well as being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to knock in a run in the three-run first.
OF Mark Jankowski, left, is presented with a trophy by his coach Bill Byckowski after a tournament win in Brampton. Photo: Craig Bedford.
On the season, he hit .257 with two doubles and 18 RBIs in 54 games. He owned a .361 on-base mark scoring 40 runs and was 36-for-38 stealing bases.
Two years later Jankowski doubled in a pair of runs in a 14-0 win over Nova Scotia at the bantams and grounded out in a 6-0 win against Nova Scotia.
INF-OF Josh Anderson at the 2009 bantam nationals in Vaughan. Photo: Craig Bedford.
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Also in the lineup against Nova Scotia was Josh Anderson (Burlington, Ont.). Anderson scored a pair of runs in a 16-0 win against Saskatchewan.
You might see Anderson on the TV some nights. He also traded in his ball glove for skates playing three years for the OHL’s London Knights. Anderson was an assistant captain for the Knights in his third OHL season 2013-14, with 27 goals and 24 assists in 59 regular. That year London, hosted thhe Memorial Cup, won by the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Anderson moved on to the Springfield Falcons in 2014-15 which included six games with Columbus. Anderson, then 20, made his NHL debut Jan. 16 game against the New York Rangers — skating in six games with Columbus before returning to the Springfield. He had one assist and was -1 with two penalty minutes, averaging 13:27 minutes of ice time with the Blue Jackets. Anderson scored seven goals with 10 assists in 52 regular season games for Springfield.
Last season he was with the Lake Erie Monsters in the AHL and with the Blue Jackets for 12 games. This season he has seven goals and three assists in 21 games. He scored one goal with two assists and was -1 with two penalty minutes, averaging 10:36 minutes of time with Columbus. After missing the start of the season with an injury (eye) to open the season.
NHLer Josh Anderson of the Columbus Blue Jackets ...
RHP Luke Sinclair (Dundas) is playing pro hockey in Sweden with Söderhamn-Ljusne HC.
Not all players from those two national championship team and the pick-ups for the nationals went on to play hockey:
C Carson Kelly (Markham) reached the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals, while SS Daniel Pinero (Mississauga), OF Nathan Desouza (Milton) and RHP Dayton Dawe (London, Ont.) also signed pro contracts. A total of 10 played college ball south of the border and seven were with for the Canadian Junior National Team.
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Jankowski comes from a family with deep hockey roots. His father Len Jankowski, went to the Ottawa 67s camp -- during Jimmy Fox era -- before deciding to go to school, skating for the Cornell Bid Red. Brian Kilrea, the 67’s Hall of Fame coach, had stayed with the Jankowski family in Hamilton in 1954-55.
And Mark’s grandpa was Lou Jankowski, who played 130 games in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, scoring a career-high 15 goals for the 1953-54 Blackhawks.
As a junior Jankowski won the Eddie Powers trophy skating for the Oshawa Generals as the OHA’s leading scorer in 1950-51. During his minor league days he skated with the San Francisco Shamrocks in the Pacific Coast League as well as the Indianapolis Capitals, St. Louis Flyers and the Buffalo Bisons during his six seasons in the American Hockey League.
From there it was on to the Edmonton Flyers, Calgary Stampeders, Denver Invaders, Victoria Maple Leafs, Phoenix Roadrunners and Denver Spurs in the Western Hockey League, plus the Amarillo Wranglers for one season in the Central Hockey League. Born in Regina, he grew up in Hamilton and later split time between Calgary and then Florida.
He scouted for the St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and the New York Rangers, for whom he was employed for 15 years. Retiring to Florida he was a regular at home games of the Tampa Bay Lightning. After his death, a moment of silence was held as a tribute before the puck was dropped as the Carolina Hurricanes visited the Lightning on March 23, 2010.
The Jankowskis had three children: Ryan Jankowski, an amateur scout with the Montreal Canadiens and former assistant general manager of the Islanders, where he drafted John Tavares; Kathy Jankowski-Slegers, am Ontario skating coach who concentrates on hockey and powerskating and Len Jankowski, who is Mark’s father. A second son David Jankowski skates for the Hawkesbury Hawks in the Central Junior League.
So we know a little about some of those national champs in 2007 and 2009 ... where else did the others go?
2007 Peewee nationals
At Quebec City, Que.
Ontario
Players No. Name Position Hometown Age Height Weight Bats Throws
3. Bedford, Brad Pitcher Catcher Burlington, ON 13 5’8” 135 lbs. L R
Went on to play for: University of Toronto, Ontario Blue Jays, Team Ontario.
6. Hoover, Adam Outfielder Georgetown, ON 13 5’2” 115 lbs. R R
Georgetown Eagles, Oakville Royals
14. Kelly, Carson Pitcher Markham, ON 13 5’9” 160 lbs. R R
St. Louis Cardinals, 10 games this season, triple-A Memphis, double-A Spingfield, class-A Palm Beach, class-A Peoria, class-A State College, class-A Johnson City.
17. Leff, Kaleb Outfielder, Mississauga, ON 13 5’2” 110 lbs. R R
University of Western, Oakville Royals
19. Sinclair, Luke Catcher Dundas, ON 13 5’1” 120 lbs. R R
Söderhamn-Ljusne HC, Hamilton Bulldogs, Ontario Terriers
22. Hann, Kyle Second Base Oakville, ON 13 5’1” 110 lbs. R R
St. Johns River State, Canadian Junior National Team, Mississippi State, Ontario Blue Jays, Mississauga Majors
24. Palumbo, Jonathan First Base Georgetown, ON 13 5’7” 120 lbs. R R
Davenport University, Ontario Terriers
25. Byckowski, Tom Shortstop Georgetown, ON 13 5’1” 110 lbs. R R
Ontario Terriers
27. Stewardson, Ron Pitcher London, ON 13 5’11” 150 lbs. R R
Cleary University, Rhodes State College, Canadian Junior National Team, London Badgers
32. Anderson, Adam First Base Georgetown, ON 13 5’7” 155 lbs. R L
University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Canadian Junior National Team, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Terriers
44. Sardellitti, Zackary Pitcher Vaughan, ON 13 5’10” 175 lbs. L R
Davenport University, Central Arizona, Ontario Terriers
61. Jankowski, Mark Outfielder Dundas, ON 13 5’1” 100 lbs. L R
Calgary Flames, Stockton-AHL, Providence College, Hamilton Cardinals
88. Courvoisier, Mike Outfielder Acton, ON 13 5’0” 100 lbs. R R
Northland College
94. Marra, Anthony Third Base Guelph, ON 13 5’4” 120 lbs. R R
SUNY Geneseo, The Hill Academy
Manager: Bill Byckowski
Coaches: Jim Ridley, Jason Corrigale.
2009 Bantam nationals at Vaughan, Ont.
Ontario
Players No. Name Position Hometown Age Height Weight Bats Throws
1. Grilli, Robert Second Base Mississauga, ON 15 5’5” 125 lbs. L R
University of Houston, Salt Lake Community College, Ontario Terriers
2. Pinero, Daniel Shortstop Mississauga, ON 15 6’2” 160 lbs. R R
Detroit Tigers draft, ninth round 2016, class-Connecticut, University of Virginia, Canadian Junior National Team, Ontario Blue Jays
3. Bedford, Brad Catcher Burlington, ON 15 6’0” 160 lbs. L R
University of Toronto, Ontario Blue Jays, Team Ontario.
7. Dressler, Steven Outfielder Burlington, ON 15 5’9” 150 lbs. L R
Texas San Antonio, Cisco College, Canadian Junior National Team, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Terriers
9. Anderson, Josh Second Base Burlington, ON 15 5’7” 138 lbs. R R
Columbus Blue Jackets, Lake Erie-AHL, Springfield-AHL, London Knights
11. Desouza, Nathan Outfielder Milton, ON 15 5’11” 160 lbs. R L
Drafted by Toronto Blue Jays, three seasons at rookie-class Gulf Coast League Jays, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Terriers
13. Dawe, Dayton Third Base London, ON 15 6’2” 165 lbs. R R
Drafted by New York Yankees, three seasons at rookie-class Gulf Coast League Yankees.
14. Howarth, Paul Outfielder Burlington, ON 15 5’6” 148 lbs. R R
Field House Pirates
19. Sinclair, Luke Third Base Dundas, ON 15 5’8” 145 lbs. R R
Söderhamn-Ljusne HC, Hamilton Bulldogs, Ontario Terriers
21. Rizquez, Andris Outfielder Hamilton, ON 15 5’9” 153 lbs. L L
Lewis & Clark State, Central Arizona, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Terriers,
22. Jannetta, Steven Catcher Georgetown, ON 15 5’6” 170 lbs. R R
Connors State, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Terriers
24. Palumbo, Jonathan Outfielder Georgetown, ON 15 5’11” 180 lbs. R R
Davenport University, Ontario Terriers
25. Byckowski, Tommy Shortstop Georgetown, ON 15 5’9” 150 lbs. R R
Ontario Terriers
28. Craigen, Michael Outfielder Mississauga, ON 15 6’1” 155 lbs. R R
Saint Mary’s College of California, Oakville Royals, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Terriers
32. Anderson, Adam First Base Georgetown, ON 15 5’10” 190 lbs. R L
University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Canadian Junior National Team, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Terriers
44. Clouthier, Michael First Base. Guelph, ON 15 6’1” 176 lbs. R R
Unniversity of Waterloo, Boston College, Canadian Junior National Team, Ontario Terriers
51. Good, Scott Outfielder Mississauga, ON 15 5’11” 140 lbs. R L
61. Jankowski, Mark Outfielder Dundas, ON 15 5’9” 140 lbs. L R
Calgary Flames, Stockton-AHL, Providence College, Hamilton Cardinals
Manager: Bill Byckowski
Coaches: Scott Van de Valk, Andrew Laverty
Chef de mission: Lamarucciola, Cathy