After what seems like an interminable off-season so far, the NHL draft is finally here! Your Columbus Blue Jackets are currently scheduled to make three selections tonight, including the #5 overall pick. The action starts at 8 p.m. EDT on ESPN2 here in the states or on SportsNet north of the border.
Here at The Cannon, we have profiled over 30 prospects who could be chosen tonight. You can find those profiles here.
We are also waiting to find out if defenseman Seth Jones gets traded this weekend. There have already been a flurry of deals made today, including Rasmus Ristolainen to Philadelphia, Pavel Buchnevich to St. Louis, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to Vancouver.
UPDATE: Before the draft, Seth Jones was traded for Adam Boqvist, a first and second round pick in 2022, and a swap of #12 and #32 this year. The second round pick was then traded to Carolina for Jake Bean.
UPDATE2: With the #5 pick, the Jackets selected center Kent Johnson from the University of Michigan.
UPDATE3: With the #12 pick, the Jackets selected center Cole Sillinger, son of former Jacket Mike Sillinger.
Here is the full draft order, which we will keep updated through the night:
1. Buffalo Sabres – Owen Power
2. Seattle Kraken – Matthew Beniers
3. Anaheim Ducks – Mason McTavish
4. New Jersey Devils – Luke Hughes
5. Columbus Blue Jackets – Kent Johnson
6. Detroit Red Wings – Simon Edvinsson
7. San Jose Sharks – William Eklund
8. Los Angeles Kings – Brandt Clarke
9. Arizona Coyotes (from Vancouver Canucks) – Dylan Guenther
10. Ottawa Senators – Tyler Boucher
11. Forfeited pick
12. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Chicago Blackhawks) – Cole Sillinger
13. Calgary Flames – Matthew Coronato
14. Buffalo Sabres (from Philadelphia Flyers) – Isak Rosen
15. Detroit Red Wings (from Dallas Stars) – Sebastian Cossa
16. New York Rangers – Brennan Othmann
17. St. Louis Blues – Zachary Bolduc
18. Winnipeg Jets – Chaz Lucius
19. Nashville Predators – Fedor Svechkov
20. Minnesota Wild (from Edmonton Oilers) – Jesper Wallstedt
21. Boston Bruins – Fabian Lysell
22. Edmonton Oilers (from Minnesota Wild) – Xavier Bourgault
23. Dallas Stars (from Detroit Red Wings from Washington Capitals) – Wyatt Johnston
24. Florida Panthers – Mackie Samoskevich
25. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Toronto Maple Leafs) – Corson Ceulemans
26. Minnesota Wild (from Pittsburgh Penguins) – Carson Lambos
27. Nashville Predators (from Carolina Hurricanes) – Zachary L’Heureux
28. Colorado Avalanche – Oskar Olausson
29. New Jersey Devils (from New York Islanders) – Chase Stillman
30. Vegas Golden Knights – Zach Dean
31. Montreal Canadiens – Logan Mailloux
32. Chicago Blackhawks (from Columbus Blue Jackets from Tampa Bay Lightning) – Nolan Allan
— Arizona Coyotes forfeit pick No. 11 for violating NHL Combine Testing policy during 2019-20 season