A TASTE OF EUROPE
GM has nothing against North Americans, but his latest finds have been from overseas
IT’S PROBABLY A coincidence, but the only team with a European GM has gone heavy on kids from the other side of the pond recently. Even the rare major junior picks, such as Vitaly Abramov and Calvin Thurkauf, hail from Europe. But the hallmark of Jarmo Kekalainen’s drafts has been creativity, whether it’s taking Alexandre Texier from France or Russian goalie Daniil Tarasov, who missed his draft year with a growth on his shin. With a stacked NHL roster, the Jackets have been taking kids who won’t be contributing for years. IMMEDIATE NEEDS: If Columbus is going to make noise, they need a legit No. 1 center. Pierre-Luc Dubois may be that player in a couple years – he had a solid rookie season, playing well against top forwards – but he can only do so much now. Alexander Wennberg is a good No. 2 center, but the Jackets lack a franchise pivot. LONG-TERM NEEDS: With the exception of Artemi Panarin – who will be a UFA in 2019 – the Jackets’ best offensive threats are D-men Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. That needs to change. Perhaps Cam Atkinson can bounce back, but otherwise the answer lies with the kids. Oliver Bjorkstrand, Sonny Milano and Abramov all have the pedigree, now it’s just a matter of proving it. CAP SITUATION: Columbus has about $20 million to play with, and there are no bigticket contracts on the docket. D-man Jack Johnson is likely gone, while Boone Jenner’s offensive regression will put a ding in his negotiations. Two other RFAs are Bjorkstrand and Ryan Murray, though both have modest salary profiles. IN THE SYSTEM 2018-19: Abramov was too good for junior this season but couldn’t play in the AHL. If he can score early, his tenacious and fearless game will surely catch the eye of coach John Tortorella. Defenseman Gabriel Carlsson will also be in the mix. DID YOU KNOW: Texier was drafted out of Grenoble in France’s top league. That team is called the ‘Wolf Burners,’ a reference to local folklore. Evidently, villagers in the 17th century once immolated a pack of wolves that were preying on their livestock.