After the Blue Jackets surprised everyone by selecting Pierre Luc-Dubois in the first round. They have a chance to make waves once again, this time in the second round. Still have plenty of players available in the second round that warranted first round grades. Here are a few players that I think the Blue Jackets should target in the second round.
Alex Debrincat
It isn’t often that you see a player who scored 100 points in back to back seasons, get passed over in the first round. With Debrincat, he has more than a few red flags next to his name. Being 5’7 isn’t something he will ever be able to change but he succeeded in spite of it. Playing with Connor McDavid and Dylan Strome at times also has people wary of his scoring totals. Did he really do it all on his own? Probably not, still, it is very tough to keep up with those two players and doing well on his own. He is worth the risk at this point and is going to be a steal for any team in the second round.
Kale Clague
Clague isn’t a world beater and isn’t ever going to be a top two defensemen in the league. That isn’t a problem for someone like him though. He has a skill set that will easily translate to the league. He was able to score at a good clip on a loaded Brandon Wheat Kings team and really stepped up his game in the playoffs. As the league begins to transition to smooth skating, fast defenders, Clague fits the bill to a tee. Would you rather the Jackets stay in the past or take a step towards the future.
Will Bitten
On a weak team filled with all kinds of drama this past year, Bitten was still able to be close to a point per game player. He has the complete game the Jackets front office covets and still has a deft scoring touch. Already has a pro game at a young age, nearly a shoe in to be an NHLer someday, you do worry about his ceiling. His upside may be limited due to his skill set, that shouldn’t scare teams as they would rather hit on players than miss on someone huge. Whether his creativity in the OHL translates to the next level will continue to be a question mark but the risk/reward on Bitten should earn him a call early on day two.
Samuel Girard
Small and flashy, Girard can flat out score. He may be in the supposedly high scoring QMJHL, that doesn’t change the fact that his output is downright fantastic. Rated as low as #27 and as high as #70, he could be all over a team’s draft board. He could scare a lot of teams off and if the Jackets decide to trade down, they could pile up some picks. Girard would be a sound investment for a team that is in need of some high end defensive talent. His ceiling alone should warrant a selection.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
