With the 159th pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets selected Tim Berni, defenseman from GC Küsnacht Lions in Switzerland.
They acquired this pick from Detroit in exchange for a 2019 fifth round pick.
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 175 lbs
Shoots: Left
Unlike Marcus Karlberg and Liam Foudy, Berni appears to be a decent value pick, based on the rankings:
Ranked #140 by HOCKEYPROSPECT.COM
Ranked #253 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #138 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #62 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Skaters)
Berni is not known for his offense, but is said to be a good moving the puck:
Berni is a hard-working puck mover who can hold his own in the physical department but wasn’t as creative as he could have been. It seemed as if Berni and his defense partner — fellow neophyte Davyd Barandun — had trouble dealing with the forecheck more than the other Swiss pairings. Nonetheless, Berni was solid in his one-on-one battles and maintaining a rigid position at his blue line to slow down or turn back opposing entries. He didn’t provide much offense but his speed and playmaking ability are two things he should exploit for next year. – Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst