Zak MacMillan

"CBJ"

Harrisburg, PA • United States • 23 Years Old • Male

CBJ- Draft Review

The 2016 NHL Draft was filled with interest and intrigue. In my review, I will provide who was selected by Columbus, and will let you, the reader, learn a little more about them. I will also be reviewing the whole draft as well, and letting you guys in on who I think were winners and losers of the draft.


Listed Players Selected

#3- C Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles- QMJHL)

#34- D Andrew Peeke (Green Bay- USHL)

#65- LW Vitaily Abramov (Gatineau- QMJHL)

#155- G Peter Thome (NAHL)

#185- LW Calvin Thurkauf (WHL)



Detailed Review

The Blue Jackets came out at number three and made an extremely controversial and off the board move with selecting Pierre-Luc Dubois with the third overall selection, leaving Finnish players including Jesse Puljujarvi and Oli Juolevi on the board for other teams to take. Dubois turned 18 on June 24, the day of the first round. He is also the highest drafted forward to come from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, and only the second player ever to selected in the top five; Marc-Andre Fleury was the first.

Potential: Top Line Center

In the second round, the Jackets went with another off the board move by selecting defenseman Andrew Peeke with the 34th overall draft choice. He played this season with Green Bay in the USHL, and will play next season with Notre Dame as a freshman in college.

Potential: Top Four Defenseman

In the third round, the Jackets nabbed a guy that went lower than i expected. With the 65th draft pick, the Blue Jackets drafted Russian winger Vitaily Abramov from the Gatineau Olympics of the Quebec Major Hockey League. Abramov had 93 points in the regular season, six less than Dubois. And he was a third round pick. In my mock draft, I had him going late in the first round.

Potential: Top Six Winger

In the sixth round, the Jackets selected a goalie to add to their young pool of goalies they already have. Thome is played in the NAHL this year, and is going to the University of North Dakota to continue his development.

Potential: Backup Goalie

With the seventh round, the Jackets selected winger Calvin Thurkauf from the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League. He is a secondary producer there, and has a couple years of development to go there.

Potential: Bottom Six Forward/AHL Forward


Overall Review

Anaheim: Great selections late in the first round with Max Jones and Sam Steel. Jack Kopacka is a steal in the fourth round, in my opinion. They couldn't get anything done with Cam Fowler this weekend, but the Freedrik Andersen trade got them Sam Steel, which is what the Ducks need, depth at forward and down the middle.

Arizona: This team had the best first round and made intriguing moves. Briniging in the contract of Pavel Datsyuk. A young talented defenseman in Anthony D'Angelo. Drafting Clayton Keller and Jacob Chychrun. Cam Dineen is a solid section in the third round.

Boston: Got a hometown guy (Charie McAvoy) with their pick. Went off the board at 29 with Trent Frederic.

Buffalo: Brining the Toronto-Buffalo rivalry to life by drafting the younger Nylander. Also made a splash by acquiring Dimitry Kulikov on the second day of the draft. Also a fan of Sweedish winger Rasmus Asplund and Cliff Pu. Also picked up Vojtech Budik in the 5th round too, who may make it to the pros.

Calgary- Got their number one goalie in Brian Elliot. Tkachuk will be a top six forward in the NHL one day. Also a fan of Dillon Dube, a speedy guy.

Carolina- Got two talented first rounders in Jake Bean and Julien Gauthier. Bean is part of a now young talented and up and coming defensive core in Raeligh.

Chicago- The Hawks move Andrew Shaw and get back Alex DeBricant. The steal of the first two rounds. No idea how no other team took him. It's insane that they got him.

Colorado- Tyson Jost will be a top six forward. They moved on from Nick Holden to get a draft pick for next year. Travis Barron is a young guy they took in the final round.

Columbus- Dubois and Abramov were great pickups. The rest is yet to be determined. Good move to give Kerby Rychel a better opportunity in Toronto.

Dallas: Got a power forward in the first round, and made an interesting trade with the Los Angeles Kings involving Jack Campbell, a very good prospect for one of LA's young d-men in Nick Ebert.

Detroit: Found a way to get rid of Pavel Datsyuk's contract, but lost an opportunity to get Jacob Chychrun at the 16th overall pick. Jordan Sambrook may become an eventual steal, their fifth round selection.

Edmonton: Got another young top six forward with Jesse Puljujarvi. The streak doesn't stop. They also got a power forward in Tyler Benson they could make it one day. Also like Markus Niemelainen and Graham McPhee (son of former Caps GM George McPhee).

Florida: Out of all 30 teams in the NHL, this team has been the strangest with acquiring draft picks. They move good defensemen, and then move down to get what they want. Kulikov and Gubdransson gone. Pysyk and Adam Mascherin and Linus Nassen in. Also, Henrik Bogstrom was an off the board pick at 23.

Los Angeles: Kale Clague and Jacob Movare are steals in my opinion. They are good young defensemen, which is what this team needs. Stripping Dustin Brown of the captaincy was bold, and they gave it to their best player.

Minnesota: The Wild got young forwards which they needed. I don't know much about them to be honest. Buying out Vanek was gutsy, but it seems apparent who they want in the open market.

Montréal: They trade Eller and get back Shaw. They loose two draft picks and get back two draft picks. They lost a chance to get Alex DeBricant. They add grit. Mikhail Sergachev is a good pick at 9, but Russians in Montreal have not really worked out; however, the Habs need defense.

Nashville: The Predators love young defensemen, and got two in Sam Girard and Dante Fabbro.

New Jersey: Michael McLeod is a good pick at 12, and they got an extra third round pick from the Senators in that trade. Good draft by the Devils.

New York Islanders: Keifer Bellows could be a top six forward. With not many draft picks, the Islanders did their best. I also liked Golyshev and Quenneville as well.

New York Rangers: Sean Day may become the biggest steal in the draft. If he gets back on track, imagine him with Ryan McDonagh. Tim Gettinger and Ty Ronning are underrated guys too.

Ottawa: Logan Brown is a beast. He could've went higher. I think he'll be a number one center.

Philadelphia: They got offensively better. By a lot. Ron Hextall said they needed to improve on the offense, and German Rubtsov was one of seven forwards drafted by the Flyers. Carter Hart was the first goalie selected in the draft, and he could become a solid goalie one day.

Pittsburgh: Filip Gustvasson may become the best goalie overall in the draft, adding to the depth of Fleury, Murray, and Jarry. Beau Bennett for a third round pick was a good move too.

San Jose: Didn't have many draft picks, and dos what they could. Can't say much about the Sharks but they came so close to the Stanley Cup.

St. Louis: The Blues are adding offense with Jordan Kyrou, Tage Thompson, and Connor Bleackley. Good pickups.

Tampa Bay: Big fan of the Bolts' draft. Surprised they moved Anthony D'Angelo. Liked Ben Howden as the Tampa-Florida rivalry could start. Taylor Raddish, Libor Hajek, Otti Somppi, and Christopher Paquette were good draft picks too.

Toronto: Auston Matthews. That's all I really need to say. Also liked Carl Grundstrom and Keaton Middleton.

Vancouver: Oli Juolevi. That's all I really know. The Canucks are an interesting team with what they do.

Washington: Lucas Johansen at 28. He's Ryan Johansen's younger brother. The Caps are good with drafting guys in the first round. Fan of picking up Lars Eller too.

Winnipeg: Patrik Laine. Logan Stanley. Luke Green. The Jets are picking up really good prospects, and not losing anything. Maybe the best prospect pool in the NHL.

What are your thoughts on the 2016 NHL Entry Draft?

More to come…