Don't Mess With The Metro

Columbus Blue Jackets

Outlook: The Blue Jackets don’t have many top prospects, their system really consists mostly of wingers that should be ready either to start this year or to next year however the prospects they do have look like they can jump right into a key role right from the first puck drop. Pierre-Luc Dubois has the highest ceiling of any Jackets prospect, tempting comparisons to Anze Kopitar, after being drafted 3rd overall in the 2016 draft. Gabriel Carlsson could jump into a 3rd line defensive pairing should the Jackets trade Ryan Murray. Carlsson is a mobile stay at home defenseman that could thrive in a shutdown role. Oliver Bjorkstrand has his fair share of NHL experience but is still a prospect in the development sense, I granted him a Hansen comparison but to be fair if his scoring touch transitions to the NHL he’ll be so much better. Look for Bjorkstrand to have a breakout year if he can sneak his way onto the Blue Jackets roster. Another underrated prospect is Vitali Abramov, this kid straight up LIT UP the Q on his way to Player of the Year honors. Sonny Milano is the guy always thought of as a prized possession for the Blue Jackets yet is still struggling to live up to the hype. Many use the term bust with Sonny but there’s still hope look for him and Abramov to battle it out for the final CBJ roster spot.

1. Pierre-Luc Dubois

Center/Left Wing

3rd Overall 1st Round (2016)

Top 6 Center

Anze Kopitar (LAK)

2018/19 Season

8.3

2.Oliver Bjorkstrand

Right Wing

89th Overall 3rd Round (2013)

Top 6 Winger

Jannik Hansen (SJS)

2017/18 Season

7.6

3.Vitali Abramov

Right/Left Wing

65th Overall 3rd Round (2016)

Top 9 Winger

Johnny Gaudreau (CGY)

Late 2017/18 Season

7.5

4.Gabriel Carlsson

Defense

29th Overall 1st Round (2015)

Top 4 Defenseman

Marc Staal (NYR)

2017/18 Season

7.3 

5.Sonny Milano

Left Wing

16th Overall 1st Round (2014)

Top 9 Winger

Nick Schmaltz (CHI)

2017/18 Season

7.1

Introducing our very own prospect rankings, each Metro division team will receive their own top 5 rankings and after we have released each top 5 we will release a Metro division top 25 prospects list. Prospects will be described by the following and ranked by the final category “prospect rating” which is made up of projected success, projected ceiling, success in the development leagues, and likelihood of success (For scaling Connor McDavid would be a 9.9, Victor Hedman a 9.3, Mika Zibanejad an 8.5, Travis Hamonic a 7.7, Oscar Lindberg a 6.9 and Matt Martin a 5.5. The category “player comparison” is based on similarity in player type not general talent (Ex: Gabriel Carlsson could be compared to the player Marc Staal was before the eye injury not the trainwreck he is today (Please no crying CBJ fans) or Julien Gauthier being compared to Rick Nash does not mean he is going to score 40 goals one year and then miss an empty net in a SCF the next).

Position

Draft Position

Player Ceiling

Player Comparison

Estimated Arrival Time

Prospect Rating

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