Earlier this afternoon there were some whispers that the Oilers were going to draft Ryan Murray, leading many Columbus fans to get excited for the prospect of Nail Yakupov becoming a Jacket. The Oilers ended up going with the consensus number one pick in Yakupov, and the Jackets took the top-ranked blueliner second overall.
The Jackets have been steadily upgrading their defense over the past couple seasons, and Murray is the latest addition to what is becoming a great looking unit. He is known for his steady play and leadership abilities. Most impressively, he was only the second junior-aged player to play for Team Canada at the Men’s World Hockey Championship. He is generally considered to be NHL-ready, and the consensus is that he is wise beyond his years.
With the impending trade of star player Rick Nash, it would have been great for the Jackets to draft a marketable star like Yakupov, but Murray will nonetheless be an important member of the Jackets going forward. He won’t wow you with his play, but he plays a solid, safe game.
Here’s video of Murray meeting with the media after being selected second overall