CBJWerenski8
Formerly CBJWennberg10 (RIP Kivi)
- Jun 13, 2009
- 42,567
- 29,878
Who do you think might go before and after him in the top-14 or so?Lakovic seems like a really good pick if you can get him at #14, where he's ranked on average. But I also have a hard time seeing him making it to #14 if this scouting report is how the NHL scouts will view him.
Are we trading up?so looks like a top D. I’m leaning towards Smith. Fits the profile of what Don likes.
I mean no but boards also never will shake out the way we think. Think that will be especially true in this draft after like 5.Who do you think might go before and after him in the top-14 or so?
What theory?
Are we trading up?
To be fair some guys just need a little fire or kick in the ass to get the motivation they been lacking. Sometimes thats a teammate, sometimes it's a coach.I mean no but boards also never will shake out the way we think. Think that will be especially true in this draft after like 5.
I’m iffy on Lakovic. There’s a reason a guy with his tools and size is so low. Particularly in his class like this. His consistency / involvement can be very questionable. His physicality for a guy his size isn’t anything special. I’ll post examples below.
“If you were just going on highlights, everyone would have this guy top-5. 6-foot-4 guys who are this fast and this skilled are impossible to find, but with his talent, he should’ve had 80 points last year and over 100 this year, even on a team as bad as Moose Jaw. I always leave the rink wondering if he wants to be a difference maker.” - NHL Scout April 2025 (EP Draft Guide)
He himself brought up the aspect of his intensity/involvement, questioned by some scouts: "I want to improve that for next year, but I'm not worried. I have grit in me. You look at Aleksi Protas or Mikko Rantanen and it took them a while to become disruptive players." - X (Anthony Martineau)
14 + for NecasWon’t be shocked when we trade 14 away, and take Ravensburg at 20 .
I would love Necas but the guy seems dead set to go to the highest bidder as a UFA. Sounds like we were in the "its possible it could happen" stages last year at the draft for him but he didn't want to commit.14 + for Necas
Sign Gavrikov
Take a swing on Ravensburg @20
Id be pretty happy with that off-season, depending on the +
the necas no-trade last year was more about:I would love Necas but the guy seems dead set to go to the highest bidder as a UFA. Sounds like we were in the "its possible it could happen" stages last year at the draft for him but he didn't want to commit.
If they go defense, I'd like Aitcheson
I mean no but boards also never will shake out the way we think. Think that will be especially true in this draft after like 5.
I’m iffy on Lakovic. There’s a reason a guy with his tools and size is so low. Particularly in his class like this. His consistency / involvement can be very questionable. His physicality for a guy his size isn’t anything special. I’ll post examples below.
“If you were just going on highlights, everyone would have this guy top-5. 6-foot-4 guys who are this fast and this skilled are impossible to find, but with his talent, he should’ve had 80 points last year and over 100 this year, even on a team as bad as Moose Jaw. I always leave the rink wondering if he wants to be a difference maker.” - NHL Scout April 2025 (EP Draft Guide)
To be fair some guys just need a little fire or kick in the ass to get the motivation they been lacking. Sometimes thats a teammate, sometimes it's a coach.
Having said that you usually want to add guys who you need to calm down not kickstart...
But if you have two picks and are planning to use both it makes it a little more tempting to grab someone who might be a little more risky.
the necas no-trade last year was more about:
on the latter, necas was coming off of a 53-point season. now he's coming off of an 83-point season. i'd have no problem paying him $9m and i'm sure he wouldn't have a problem getting paid that much.
- lindstrom being available when the jackets pick was on the clock
- necas pushing hard to get treated as a point per game player
Maybe he just didn't want to go to a bottom feeder.Did we find out that Necas was willing to sign here, and it was just the terms of the deal at issue? IIRC, he was picky about where he was going.
Who do you think might go before and after him in the top-14 or so?
True but almost all public scouting services have him ranked higher than #14. I don't expect him to be available at our pick.I mean no but boards also never will shake out the way we think. Think that will be especially true in this draft after like 5.
I would be shocked and very disappointed. Barely above .900 sv% goalie at junior level for two years in a row is quite unimpressive for a top-20 selection. There haven't been lots of 1st round goalies in recent years but all of them have had better draft years statistically (Knight, Askarov, Wallstedt, Cossa).Won’t be shocked when we trade 14 away, and take Ravensburg at 20 .
I'm not as crazy about Lakovic's playmaking potential as Simon seems to be based on his analysis. I can imagine him playing on a productive scoring line but I think he would need more playmaking support than what is expected from two "finisher" types.With his skillset, you put him with a couple finishing linemates, and all Lakovic has to do is his normal weave into the zone with his head up and set someone up, and he should be a 40 or 50 assist guy in the NHL. Maybe he doesn't have the drive to be a difference maker but even with what he currently does he's going to score. There is obviously a team effect at least partly responsible for limiting his totals.
Did we find out that Necas was willing to sign here, and it was just the terms of the deal at issue? IIRC, he was picky about where he was going.
For me, dreaming about Necas is pointless. Same with Marner. Or thinking that Jenner or Severson could be traded this offseason. Complete waste of time.
I was speaking for myself. Usually when I choose to fantasize about acquiring a high-profile player, I think of those who have not given any reason to assume they don't want to come here. We didn't know anything about Monahan's or Johnny's intentions before their arrival but we've heard some negative stuff from Marner and Necas.Also I disagree about it being a waste of time, the off-season is the one time you get to fantasize about moves being made, if not now... When!?
We haven’t heard anything remotely negative with Necas .. maybe he just wasn’t ready to commit to a contract , and was coming off a 53 point season , this season he put up 83 .. his contract numbers probably look quite a bit different now .I was speaking for myself. Usually when I choose to fantasize about acquiring a high-profile player, I think of those who have not given any reason to assume they don't want to come here. We didn't know anything about Monahan's or Johnny's intentions before their arrival but we've heard some negative stuff from Marner and Necas.
On its face I agree but there’s no harm in checking in again. We’re in a different place as a franchise this year compared to last, and also there’s that potential revenge factor against Carolina.For me, dreaming about Necas is pointless. Same with Marner. Or thinking that Jenner or Severson could be traded this offseason. Complete waste of time.
Item No. 2: Picks available
The Blue Jackets have had seven first-round draft picks in the last four NHL drafts, four of them in the top 6 and six of them in the top 12 of the draft. The building continues, with Waddell looking to make significant roster upgrades. But the rebuilding is done.
Waddell heads to this year’s draft armed with two first-round draft picks: He has the Blue Jackets’ pick at No. 14 overall but also has the Minnesota Wild’s first-round pick at No. 20. That was acquired early last season when defenseman David Jiricek was traded to the Wild.
Nobody expects Waddell to select a player with both of those picks. He’s already dangling one (or both) of them in front of other GMs in an attempt to get immediate roster help.
The Athletic asked Waddell this week to put a percentage chance on the likelihood he selects a player with each of his first-round picks.
“I think it’s 50-50 (that we take) both,” he said. “I could move both of them. If we’re helping our team immediately, I’m not opposed to that, for sure. Probably, though, I would think we’d keep one of them. But I can’t say 100 percent.
“Like I always say, you never know what’s going to be presented to you or what you can chase down. You have to keep your options open, that’s for sure.”
Necas really wants to go to UFA. I would be shocked if he extended anywhere before that.On its face I agree but there’s no harm in checking in again. We’re in a different place as a franchise this year compared to last, and also there’s that potential revenge factor against Carolina.
I’m more bothered with the player being on two amazing teams/franchises and not being happy in both situations. Seems like a high maintenance player.