Hockey Wilderness Community 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Columbus Blue Jackets

by BReynolds on May 26, 2011 9:01 AM CDT in Features

Once again, the "Oh, hell no, we're not taking a defensemen" line of thinking holds true. With several of the top defensive prospects still on the board, this particular mock draft has the Atlanta Thrashers skipping over even a couple higher ranked forward prospects. I won't lie, this one caught me a little bit off guard, but it also shows just how close these players are in talent level.

With the seventh pick, the Atlanta Thrashers have selected Mika Zibanejad, a player that most mock drafts have going at ten to the Wild. A big center, Zibanejad is a two way player out of Sweden. This plenty of talent for our next contestants.

Our Mock Draft thus far:

1. Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
2. Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog
3. Florida Panthers: Adam Larsson
4. New Jersey Devils: Sean Couturier
5. New York Islanders: Jonathan Huberdeau
6. Ottawa Senators: Ryan Strome
7. Atlanta Thrashers: Mika Zibanejad

Next up, we make a selection for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Make the jump, cast your vote, and make your case.

Personally, if it were me, I would make the Jackets send Rick Nash to the Wild. You know, just for kicks. No real reasoning or logic, I just really think he should be on the Wild. Make it happen.

Looking at the organizational depth, most of the prospects in the Jackets organization is at forward. A couple of defensemen speckle the page, but nothing or real note. With some very high end defensive prospects still on the board, the Blue Jackets could make themsleves very happy and bring home a blue chip. Depending on which way they want to go, they have an offensive, puck moving d-man available in Ryan Murphy, or a big, stay at home type in Dougie Hamilton.

Of course, with Ken Hitchcock out in Columbus, and in the mix for the Wild job, Nikita Filatov could find his way back to the NHL. This adds offensive talent to a team that could use an infusion at the top level. This would open up some space in the organization for another forward prospect.

Still, it seems highly unlikely a franchise with such little defense would pass on the defensive talent left on the board.

That, as always, is up to you.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

That's twice now

It’s Sven Bärtschi or Sven Baertschi or Sven Bartschi if you’re avoiding the umlaut. Not Steven :)

Proprietor of Hockey Wilderness - We take Minnesota hockey WAY too seriously.

by nathaneide on May 26, 2011 9:12 AM CDT reply actions

Ha ha! Whoops. Copied the name directly from Dan’s list. Didn’t even read it. He can’t be Sven now. Only Steven.

Editor:Hockey Wilderness Editor:In Lax We Trust Now with more Twitterness: ReynoldsSBN

Rule #17: You may not impersonate representatives of Hockey Wilderness and handout NHL themed wrist bands.

by BReynolds on May 26, 2011 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions

Forgot to honk before I threw Dan under the bus, there.

Editor:Hockey Wilderness Editor:In Lax We Trust Now with more Twitterness: ReynoldsSBN

Rule #17: You may not impersonate representatives of Hockey Wilderness and handout NHL themed wrist bands.

by BReynolds on May 26, 2011 10:09 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe it was an iPhone autocorrect… wait… I don’t have an iPhone.

Editor:Hockey Wilderness Editor:In Lax We Trust Now with more Twitterness: ReynoldsSBN

Rule #17: You may not impersonate representatives of Hockey Wilderness and handout NHL themed wrist bands.

by BReynolds on May 26, 2011 10:15 AM CDT up reply actions

What I meant was...

Steven? What are you talking about? It says Sven.

Sigh.

Editor:Hockey Wilderness Editor:In Lax We Trust Now with more Twitterness: ReynoldsSBN

Rule #17: You may not impersonate representatives of Hockey Wilderness and handout NHL themed wrist bands.

by BReynolds on May 26, 2011 10:31 AM CDT up reply actions

Thanks for doing this and sending it our way! First and foremost, NO NASH FOR YOU!

Second of all, with Strome off the board, my pick is Ryan Murphy. He doesn’t have much size, but you can’t argue with that offensive talent, which is something the Jackets sorely need considering what Scott Arniel wants to do with his system.

And, I say again: NO NASH FOR YOU.

Writer for The Cannon
Follow me on Twitter

by Dan P. on May 26, 2011 11:11 AM CDT reply actions

President Sarkozy joins me in shaking fists at you

Editor:Hockey Wilderness Editor:In Lax We Trust Now with more Twitterness: ReynoldsSBN

Rule #17: You may not impersonate representatives of Hockey Wilderness and handout NHL themed wrist bands.

by BReynolds on May 26, 2011 12:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Well, if no Nash for us...

Then tell him to stop being so damn good against the Wild!

JS, Champion of the first ever Hockey Wilderness Playoff Bracket Challenge! WHOOOOOOOO!

Author, watchdog, enforcer and french-canadian connection for Hockey Wilderness.

twitter: BubbleWild48

by JSLandry on May 26, 2011 10:00 PM CDT up reply actions

I hope and believe the Jackets will package the 8th pick in order to add immediate help to the roster by way of NHL-ready talent. Everyone can use more picks and prospects in their system, of course, but the CBJ is not in position to provide the time necessary for proper development of young talent. Columbus is a team that has to show major progress immediately, and that is best done by trading decent picks and prospects in exchange for current NHL player. I think that #8 pick will be used as part of a trade to get the kind of help we need for the upcoming season. The pressure is building on our GM and I think he’s going to be jolted out of his risk-averse conservatism.

"If less is more, think how much more MORE is!"

by pete goegan on May 26, 2011 11:56 AM CDT reply actions

I tend to agree

This seems to be the buzz around the Jackets, but I voted for Murphy thinking that it’s hard to definitively say “trade” without knowing who will be out there. I wouldn’t want to trade our pick just to trade it, but if Vancouver wanted to trade us Cory Schneider… :-)

Writer for The Cannon
Follow me on Twitter

by Dan P. on May 26, 2011 12:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Please take a defensman!

I really hope that some of these defensman start to come off the board, or the wild are going to be screwed at number 10

I want SVEN dammit!!!!

by Brandon Godward on May 26, 2011 8:32 PM CDT reply actions

Breathe easy, my friend. The Islanders are loaded up front with new blood and talent, so they will look to add on the blueline first. Their true need is not another forward, despite the poll.
Ottawa, while needing more scoring punch, desperately needs talent on the blueline. If Hamilton is still available, he’s going to Ottawa.
There’s such a massive drop off in talent for defenseman that teams needing help will kill each other to get either Murphy (puck-moving Dan Boyle style) or Hamilton (two-way defenseman). Also, Olesksiak could be a wild-card, as teams do want that power, shut-down defensman, a-la Marc Staal.
Fans want scoring, but a franchise is built from the blueline out. Not a coincidence that Schultz is the longest tenured member of the Wild and one of the “Puck Daddy” Faces of the Franchise.

by JDesthubert on May 26, 2011 10:41 PM CDT up reply actions