As you probably already saw on TV or read over at Puck Rakers, the Jackets’ epic streak of bad luck decided to carry over to the draft lottery, where the New Jersey Devils won the pick, moving them up to 4th, and dropping the Jackets down to 8th.
Amazing how a team in a major market, with one of the lowest chances, managed to win. Amazing that the Devils have a pick to use at all, since the NHL decided to give Don Lou a chance to forfeit the pick of his choice after the Kovalchuk contract debacle, instead of forcing them to forfeit this year’s first rounder.
Who says Gary Bettman doesn’t understand omerta?
It certainly would have been nice to land a top three pick, but in the end I doubt it changes the Jackets’ plans a great deal. Scott Howson will likely have the pick in play as he looks to reshape his roster – 7th vs 8th won’t matter all that much.
To give you an idea of what we might expect, CBJ Prospects found this nifty listing of every 8th overall pick since 1980.
Let’s hope for a little more Braydon Coburn or Devin Setoguchi, and a little less Alexandre Picard…