![]() 1 overall pick. But they’ve never actually won it, either holding steady in their spot or sliding back in the draft order in all but one instance: in 2016, they moved up from No. This marked the 17th time that the Blue Jackets have been in the lottery, and the 10th time they’ve had a chance to win the No. Still, Monday’s lottery followed a familiar script for the Blue Jackets. “There will be a great center ice man available at No. “We’ve talked a lot about center ice, how we need to strengthen that position,” Kekalainen said. He has committed to Boston College next season. Smith will hit the NHL in 2024-25 at the earliest. ![]() National Team Development Program.Ĭarlsson, who played this season with Orebro in Sweden’s top league, has an outside shot to play in the NHL in 2023-24, but could spend one more season playing in Europe. 3 overall pick, the Blue Jackets are likely to consider two players: Leo Carlsson, a 6-foot-3 playmaker from Sweden, and Will Smith, a 6-foot offensive whiz who has spent the past two seasons with the U.S. Read more: NHL Mock Draft 2023: Connor Bedard to Blackhawks as we pick for every lottery team That’s a desperate need on the current Columbus roster and a chronic weakness for most of their 23 seasons in the NHL. The good news: This is considered one of the strongest drafts in many seasons, and it’s rich with players capable of playing center. Kekalainen said that last phrase repeatedly in his post-lottery media conference call, but the tone of his voice and his body language didn’t match that optimism. We’re going to get a real good player at (No.) 3.” “You hope for the best and keep your fingers crossed. “I always try to remain optimistic, but I look at the odds, and you know the odds weren’t great when you have a 13.5 percent chance at winning the lottery,” Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said. Bedard and Fantilli are both considered NHL-ready centers, ready to make an impact in 2023-24 and beyond. The Blue Jackets were dreaming of a chance to draft Bedard, of course, but they were hopeful of landing a top-two spot. 3 pick before deputy commissioner Bill Daly turned over the card. It was a crushing blow to the Blue Jackets, and perhaps extra difficult for their fans, who watched on television as the Blue Jackets were announced as having the No. ![]() 1, slid to No 2, where they’re expected to take Fantilli. Anaheim, which came into the draft with the best chance at No. ![]() 1, giving the Blackhawks the right to select Bedard, the most anticipated rookie to hit the NHL since Edmonton’s Connor McDavid in 2015. ![]()
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