T-Birds sign Scott Eansor out of Colorado

Denver’s Scott Eansor is the latest player to join the T-Birds. (Seattle Thunderbirds photo)

By Andrew Eide

The Seattle Thunderbirds continued their recent flurry of signings as they have announced the signing of listed player Scott Eansor to a WHL Standard Player Agreement. Eansor is a 17-year-old forward from Colorado who played for the same Colorado Thunderbirds program as current T-Birds players Seth Swenson, Griffin Foulk and Danny Mumaugh once did.

“He’s a hard working guy; he’s a guy who has a reputation for going after it,” Seattle general manager Russ Farwell said of Eansor. “He’s fairly exciting because he’s pretty proficient on the forecheck. We had him and he practiced with us for three days there and he’s a smart player – he looks around and really goes after it.”

Eansor had some injuries that sidelined him for most of last season, but Farwell says he’s 100 percent healthy now and skating this offseason. Eansor had been listed by the T-Birds before the season and had options for playing this upcoming season. He was drafted in 2012 by the USHL’s Omaha Lancers but now has decided to join the Thunderbirds and the WHL.

“He wants to go after it; he waited out, called and said he wanted to come. We’re happy to have him and for that age group he fills a need for us,” Farwell said.

Eansor is listed as a forward/center, but Farwell said there is an opportunity for him to play both with Seattle.

This signing is another in a strong list of players the T-Birds have been able to get in the fold. That list is highlighted by last year’s No. 1 draft pick, Matthew Barzal, and includes Austin Douglas, Keegan Kolezar, Ethan Bear, Lane Pederson and Logan Flodell.

Having these players competing for time is a positive for a club that many feel may be on the rise.

“I think it’s going to be a real interesting training camp. It’s good to see,” Farwell said about the fall. “We have enough returning guys with adding these top players. It’s going to be very competitive camp.”

With these signings, and the Barzal signing, the going theory is that Seattle is becoming a place top players want to play. Does that include 2011 top pick Ryan Gropp? Farwell said they are still talking with the young forward.

“Gropp would be ideal because the two (Gropp and Barzal) would complement each other so well,” Farwell said. “We’re talking and we’d sure love to have him, it’s just a matter of working through it now.”

It goes without saying that with or without Gropp, the Thunderbirds have put themselves in a good position in the coming seasons.

Follow Andrew on Twitter @andyeide.