Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering: Draft highlights, lowlights under GM Jarmo Kekalainen

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A set of notes, insights, ruminations and did-you-knows gathered all through the week that was for the Blue Jackets:

Merchandise No. 1: Jarmo Kekalainen’s tenth draft

Exhausting to consider, however Blue Jackets basic supervisor Jarmo Kekalainen is the fourth-longest tenured GM within the NHL, trailing solely Nashville’s David Poile (1997), St. Louis’ Doug Armstrong (2010), and Winnipeg’s Kevin Cheveldayoff (2011).

Subsequent weekend will mark Kekalainen’s tenth NHL Draft as GM of the Blue Jackets, that means he’s been working the draft ground for practically half of the franchise’s existence. Inaugural GM Doug MacLean was with the group by way of seven drafts, whereas his successor, Scott Howson, ran six.

Kekalainen, a longtime NHL scout earlier than he joined the administration facet, has made some memorable picks with the Blue Jackets … picks that will likely be remembered fondly, and a few he’d moderately neglect. Listed here are 10 picks — 5 highlights, 5 lowlights — that stand out throughout his time.

5 finest

RW Oliver Bjorkstrand, third spherical (No. 89) in 2013: Humorous how the draft works, isn’t it? The Blue Jackets had three first-round picks this yr, however one of the best participant they pulled out of your complete draft class was a diminutive Dane within the third spherical. Bjorkstrand could be a top-20 decide if the draft had been held immediately. Solely eight gamers on this draft class have extra targets (111) and solely 14 have extra factors (234).

D Vladislav Gavrikov, sixth spherical (No. 159) in 2015: He’s nonetheless a relative unknown across the NHL, however the Blue Jackets depend Gavrikov as one in all their most constant gamers, an anchor on the second defensive pairing. Extremely, there have been 53 defensemen taken forward of Gavrikov on this draft, 4 of them by the Blue Jackets.

C Pierre-Luc Dubois, first spherical (No. 3) in 2016: This could resonate a bit extra if Dubois had been nonetheless with the Blue Jackets. And it could appear a wierd alternative on the floor since you ought to land a very good participant at No. 3. However Kekalainen’s determination to pick Dubois as a substitute of Finnish winger Jesse Puljujarvi, the heavy favourite to go No. 3, was booed lustily in Buffalo and made him a pariah again dwelling in Finland. In the end, it was the best name.

D Zach Werenski, first spherical (No. 8) in 2015: What’s the outdated line? Among the finest trades are those you don’t make. This is applicable right here. The Blue Jackets in the end wouldn’t pay the value to maneuver up within the draft order, in order that they stayed put and landed Werenski. He was the third D-man taken after Noah Hanifin (No. 5 to Carolina) and Ivan Provorov (No. 7 to Philadelphia), however Werenski has been one of the best of the bunch.

C Cole Sillinger, first spherical (No. 12) in 2021: We’re getting forward of ourselves right here a bit, as Sillinger has performed just one season. Nevertheless it’s already obvious that Kekalainen landed one of many franchise’s future pillars with this decide. The Blue Jackets had been sweating bullets eventually yr’s draft, hoping Sillinger fell to them. They didn’t anticipate him to offer a right away NHL impression, however Sillinger had a powerful rookie season for an 18-year-old. The long run is shiny.

5 worst

F Sonny Milano, first spherical (No. 16) in 2014: This was a really un-Jarmo decide, and it backfired. Milano’s ability was plain, however his means to suit inside a system and his total hockey sense had been main query marks. These are sometimes purple flags for Kekalainen. Forwards who had been picked inside the subsequent 10 spots: Alex Tuch (No. 18) to Minnesota, Nick Schmaltz (No. 20) to Chicago, and (gulp) David Pastrnak (No. 25) to Boston.

F Kerby Rychel, first spherical (No. 19) in 2013: The Blue Jackets acquired this decide within the huge commerce a yr earlier that despatched Rick Nash to the New York Rangers. They thought they had been getting a budding energy ahead, however Rychel’s two-way sport by no means materialized as a professional. Three years later, he was traded in a minor-league deal, and by 2020, he was out {of professional} hockey.

D Gabriel Carlsson, first spherical (No. 29) in 2015: This may occasionally appear just a little harsh, as Carlsson remains to be with the group and nonetheless has an opportunity to reside as much as expectations. However it will be a shock at this level. The Blue Jackets traded a second- and third-round decide to get again into the primary spherical and decide Carlsson (with Sebastian Aho nonetheless on the board), however Carlsson has but to solidify an NHL function, enjoying simply 75 video games during the last six seasons.

F Marko Dano, first spherical (No. 27) in 2013: Dano had a powerful begin to his NHL profession, turning into a Nationwide Enviornment favourite in 2014-15 with 8-13-21 in his first half-season (35 video games). It fell aside from there, although. He bounced round with Chicago, Winnipeg, Colorado and again to Columbus however by no means may re-create the magic. He performed in Czechia’s high league final season.

F Paul Bittner, second spherical (No. 38) in 2015: The one decide on our record that wasn’t within the first spherical, but additionally the one one which by no means made it to the NHL. Bittner (6-foot-3, 210 kilos) had all of the makings of an influence ahead, and his manufacturing within the junior ranks advised a scorer’s contact. However he topped out as a help participant within the AHL and is now enjoying in Europe.

Merchandise No. 2: Commerce up unlikely

On this house final week, we plunged into the potential for the Blue Jackets utilizing their a number of first-round picks and glut of forwards to maneuver up from No. 6 on this yr’s draft order. Early indications counsel that received’t occur, Kekalainen stated.

“I doubt we’re going to maneuver up from six,” Kekalainen stated. “It might most likely take (No. 6 and) No. 12, and we’re not going to do this. We’re probably going to take our possibilities on what’s there at No. 6, and if we don’t like what’s there after 5 picks, possibly we’ll transfer again.

“I’m undecided we’d transfer up except the value was very affordable.”

This can be a extremely unpredictable draft. Oddly, the one decide most really feel most assured in is that heart Logan Cooley will go No. 3 to Arizona. However the No. 1 decide, belonging to Montreal, could possibly be spent on both heart Shane Wright or winger Juraj Slafkovsky, leaving New Jersey to pick the opposite at No. 2.

The Devils are reportedly open to buying and selling the decide, however that seemingly received’t occur till after Montreal has chosen. If the Canadiens choose Slafkovsky, for example, the worth of New Jersey’s No. 2 decide may skyrocket with Wright nonetheless on the board.

Among the many subsequent cluster of gamers anticipated to go are defensemen Simon Nemec and David Jiricek, and ahead Cutter Gauthier. Not less than one in all them will likely be on the board when the Blue Jackets decide No. 6.

Kekalainen received’t drop hints about which means the Blue Jackets may be leaning.

If Nemec or Jiricek make it to 6, they might be a tempting alternative as a participant to pair with Werenski a number of years any longer the highest pairing. The Jackets spent a first-round decide (No. 25) a yr in the past on defenseman Corson Ceulemans, a rising sophomore on the College of Wisconsin.

Then once more, Gauthier may change their lookup entrance, too. At 6-foot-3, 190 kilos, he tasks as an influence ahead, and he’s anticipated to play heart for Boston School as a freshman subsequent fall.

The consensus says that this draft class had a great deal of expertise, however no superstars. Time will inform, in fact, nevertheless it’s one of many causes Kekalainen finds worth in having two actually good picks as a substitute of 1 nice decide.

“Why blow two picks to get a participant who you assume may be there at six?” he stated.

Merchandise No. 3: ‘I’d higher take this’

Mathieu Olivier and his spouse, Laurence, have a rule: no cellphones on the desk throughout dinner. However there are exceptions to each rule.

“I appeared midway by way of dinner and David Poile had known as,” Olivier informed The Athletic. “I used to be like, ‘Oh, boy. I higher take this.’”

Poile was making an attempt to let Olivier know he’d been traded to Columbus for a fourth-round decide (No. 122) after spending 4 years within the Predators group. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

Olivier, 25, has performed in 48 NHL video games with Nashville, totaling 3-4-7 and 76 penalty minutes. The Blue Jackets had been trying so as to add muscle to their lineup, and Olivier — 6-foot-2, 210 kilos — suits the invoice.

“Nashville was actually good to me,” he stated. “They gave me a superb alternative, together with my first shot on the NHL. However for each events, it is a good transfer. I’m extraordinarily excited to return to Columbus.

“Excited … I really feel like I’ve been saying that phrase all evening.”

Olivier is the primary and solely Mississippi-born participant to achieve the NHL, however that’s just a little deceptive. He was born there, in February 1997, whereas his father, Simon, performed for the Mississippi Sea Wolves of the ECHL.

The Oliviers left Biloxi, Miss., after the season and Mathieu has by no means returned. Nonetheless, the “Biloxi Bull” moniker has adopted him, and on one stage it really works.

“A very good a part of my sport is the toughness I can convey,” Olivier stated. “However the larger half is the extent of depth and the competitiveness. I wish to play on the forecheck, the cycle and get to the entrance of the online. I’m the man who likes to get into the soiled areas.”

Snacks

• The Blue Jackets had been relieved this week by studies that the Winnipeg Jets, having been snubbed by Barry Trotz, had employed Rick Bowness as coach. Blue Jackets affiliate coach Pascal Vincent, who spent 10 years within the Jets group earlier than becoming a member of coach Brad Larsen’s employees final summer time, was a finalist for the job. “We’re by no means going to face in the best way of someone making a greater life and higher profession for his or her households,” Kekalainen stated. “Having stated that, he’s a giant a part of our teaching employees and we actually hope he stays. He’s a superb coach and a superb individual.”

• Qualifying gives are attributable to restricted free brokers by July 11, which is the Monday after the draft. The Blue Jackets’ unsigned RFAs, as of immediately, are forwards Patrik Laine, Emil Bemstrom, Trey Repair-Wolansky and Kevin Stenlund, and defensemen Nick Blankenburg, Adam Boqvist and Carlsson. Kekalainen stated the hockey operations employees had “just about” determined who will and received’t be getting gives, however the participant(s) on the “no” record haven’t been knowledgeable as such. The gamers the Jackets determine to not “qualify” will change into unrestricted free brokers. The most important query mark on the record would look like Stenlund, who performed simply three video games in Columbus final season, none after Nov. 13.

• The Jackets signed Carson Meyer of Powell, Ohio, to a one-year, two-way deal Saturday that can pay Meyer $750,000 within the NHL and $125,000 within the AHL. He made his NHL debut final season and performed 13 video games, totaling 1-2-3 and discovering fast chemistry with fellow central Ohioan Sean Kuraly. The Blue Jackets additionally signed forwards Josh Dunne, Brendan Gaunce, Liam Foudy and Joona Luoto to two-way offers this offseason. Dunne, Luoto and Meyer can go to AHL Cleveland with out waivers subsequent fall, however Gaunce and Foudy would wish to clear waivers to go to the minors.

• Humorous how the lottery and the draft work, isn’t it? In 2017, New Jersey moved from fifth to first within the draft order by means of the lottery, whereas Philadelphia jumped from thirteenth to second and Dallas went from eighth to 3rd. The membership with the worst document within the NHL that season, Colorado (48 factors), slid all the best way to No. 4. And but all of it labored out completely. The Avalanche spent the No. 4 decide on defenseman Cale Makar, who simply helped information them to a Stanley Cup win over Tampa Bay. Makar received the Norris Trophy because the league’s high defenseman, then added the Conn Smythe Trophy for his dominating play within the postseason. He doesn’t have sufficient arms to carry all of his trophies this season. It’s solely truthful to surmise that if the Avs received the lottery that season, they might have drafted someone apart from Makar, and the entire look of that roster modifications. New Jersey took heart Nico Hischier with the highest decide, adopted by heart Nolan Patrick to Philadelphia and defenseman Miro Heiskanen to Dallas.

• Small world: Olivier stated he doesn’t have any shut buddies within the Blue Jackets’ dressing room, however he rented Scott Harrington’s dwelling in Nashville when Olivier was as much as play for the Preds. And his household may be very near the household of AHL Cleveland defenseman Olivier Leblanc. They grew up collectively in Quebec Metropolis.

• George Matthews, the beloved play-by-play radio voice of the Blue Jackets for the franchise’s first 13 seasons, will likely be inducted into the Prince Edward Island Sports activities Corridor of Fame subsequent weekend in Summerside, PEI. Matthews has continued to name video games for the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League for the previous eight seasons. “After they known as me to ship the message, I believed they had been asking me to be the emcee,” Matthews stated. “It took me a second to grasp what was being stated. It’s simply not one thing you anticipate. You actually don’t anticipate it. I’m actually honored by it, I’ll inform you that.” The ceremony will happen the identical weekend because the NHL Draft, so a lot of Matthews’ buddies in hockey will likely be in Montreal, not PEI. Longtime buddy Doug MacLean will likely be away for a guide signing. Matthews discovered a silver lining of their absences. “In the event that they had been to attend,” he stated, “the ceremony may need change into a roast.” Congratulations, Massive Fella.

(Photograph of Oliver Bjorkstrand: Gary A. Vasquez / USA In the present day)