Columbus Blue Jackets 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft Recap
usatsi_23643764
The Columbus Blue Jackets are finished drafting in this year's edition of the NHL Draft. Don Waddell had a pair of goals for this year: Draft big and draft defense.
After making a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes in which they traded #69 and #133 overall for the 60th pick, the Jackets would finish the draft picking six young prospects.
Pick 4 - Cayden Lindstrom- Center - 6′3″ - 213lbs - Medicine Hat(WHL)
Pick 36 - Charlie Elick - Defense - 6′4″ - 202lbs - Brandon(WHL)
Pick 60 - Evan Gardner - Goalie - 6′0″ - 175lbs - Saskatoon(WHL)
Pick 86 - Luca Marrelli - Defense - 6′2″ - 185lbs - Oshawa(OHL)
Pick 101 - Tanner Henricks - Defense - 6′4″ - 206lbs - Lincoln(USHL)
Pick 165 - Luke Ashton - Defense - 6′7″ - 231lbs - Langley(BCHL)
Draft Picks By The Numbers
- Average Height - 6′2''
- Average Weight - 202 lbs
- Ages - Four 18-year-olds, One 19-year-old, One 17-year-old
New GM Don Waddell made a clear statement with these picks: to get bigger. In 2023, former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen's draft picks averaged 5 feet-11 and 176 lbs. And after Kekäläinen drafted only one defenseman in last year's draft, Waddell took four this year.
Per CBJ team reporter Jeff Svoboda's post, Waddell hasn't begun the interviews for the new head coach and suspects that it might go beyond July 1st. Todd McLellan is widely to be considered the front-runner for the job.
So that concludes the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft. All the speculation, all the rumors, and all the analysis about the draftees will come to an end. Next up is the NHL Free Agency Frenzy which starts this Monday, and I’m sure it will be equally speculated, filled with rumors, and overanalyzed, but that’s what we live for.
What do you think? Please share your thoughts on our forum.
More From THN Columbus