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Third Overall - Who You Got? |
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For the second time in franchise history, the Columbus Blue Jackets will be selecting third overall in an NHL Entry Draft.
In 2016, the Blue Jackets selected center Pierre-Luc Dubois with that that choice. Dubois spent one extra season in development with Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before making the jump to the Blue Jackets’ opening night roster, never spending a single game with the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League.
PLD had 159 points in 239 career games with the Jackets before his trade request occurred, and landing him with the Winnipeg Jets uniting him with his father. The second pick, Patrik Laine, and Columbus native Jack Roslovic came back in the return.
Dubois has 143 points in 195 games with the Jets, before he moves to Montreal.
With the third pick this draft, the question comes down to who will general manager Jarmmo Kekalainen select?
There are several intriguing forward options available once the top two come off the board:
Matiev Mitchkov (RW - KHL)
Mitchkov has been compared to Ovechkin light before the season, but with his contract being long term, his stock has continued to fall outside of the Top 2.
Leo Carlsson (C - SHL)
Carlsson is complex. The Swede is currently ranked first in European skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
He is under a point per game in the Swedish Hockey League. 27 points in 44 games played this season.
He is 6 foot 3 inches tall. He has the size to be the top center on any team with the right development and time.
Ideally, his size and speed is my selection.
Will Smith (C - USHL)
The American center seems to be the direction fans are going with and are not too thrilled about.
He has been climbing up the charts as the season progressed, but he has a ways to go before becoming a number one center. Smith had 127 points in 60 games with the USDP.
Player Profile - Justin Richards
Justin Richards is the son of former Columbus head coach, Todd Richards.
Richards just competed his first season with the Cleveland Monsters, having 39 points in 60 games. He also had an assist in two games with Jackets this season.
He is an Orlando native that played with the Ohio Blue Jackets before playing with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Richards was with the Rangers’ organization the last two years before this stint.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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