Bill Daly is still handing out the official pecking order, but fans in Columbus got the news we were expecting / dreading. With only a 0.5% chance to move up, it was highly unlikely the Blue Jackets would move to first overall…and in fact, they will not.
Columbus will pick 14th with their own pick, and likely have selections in the 15-18 range for their picks from the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. All things considered, it’s a good place to be. There’s a strong bit of depth in this draft, and there’s a decent opportunity to move up – especially with Colorado winning the first overall pick.
The Avalanche may very well decide to take Seth Jones, but with so many holes in their roster of late, you have to wonder if they might consider trading down to fill more needs.
The board is set. Now we’ll see what GM Jarmo Kekalainen and President John Davidson will do with it.