LOOKING FOR A HERO
JARMO KEKALAINEN is one of the NHL’s gutsiest GMs, but for the second straight season his scouts are going to be a little bored at the draft table. After making just three selections in 2019, the Blue Jackets have five picks this summer but only one in the first three rounds (at least it’s a first-rounder). Previous trades for Ryan Dzingel and Ian Cole sent the other picks away. IMMEDIATE NEEDS: It’s hard to pick on a team that overachieved so greatly, but the Blue Jackets need high-end scoring punch. Losing Artemi Panarin didn’t hurt Columbus in the standings, but Pierre-Luc Dubois was their top producer with 49 points in 70 games. The Jackets didn’t have anyone close to a point per game. A game-breaker is necessary for this team to contend.
LONG-TERM NEEDS: The pipeline needs a rebuild. Columbus ranked 17th overall in Future Watch, but with the aforementioned three-pick 2019 draft, it’s not trending in the right direction. While the Jackets have been adept at hitting on gems lately (Trey FixWolansky, Dmitri Voronkov), they need a bigger pool to draw from, and AHL Cleveland was a bottom-dweller so that depth isn’t there right now. CAP SITUATION: The good news is Columbus has no UFAs. The bad news is they have a slew of RFAs and not much cap room to play with (they already have commitments of around $68 million). Dubois, the No. 1 center, leads the pack, with goalies Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins right behind him. The team may move disgruntled RFA Josh Anderson.
IN THE SYSTEM 2020-21: Andrew Peeke played 22 NHL games in his first pro year after leaving Notre Dame. Results were good for the big blueliner. Speedy center Liam Foudy also came up from OHL London as an emergency recall, and he’ll be pushing for a job next fall. DID YOU KNOW: Foudy was a first-rounder in 2018, and this summer he gets to see where younger brother Jean-Luc will go. The center is ranked in the second round.