Columbus Blue Jackets Draft Review

Columbus Blue Jackets GM Andrew Payeur sat down with reporters over Zoom to answer questions surrounding the teams 2020 draft. Although the team did not have a 1st round pick in this year's draft Payeur said he was very happy with the teams draft overall and said that he was thilled to see Brisson, who the team had a first round grade on, slip to them at 44 overall. Overall, the teams draft strategy appeared to have been to draft primarily out of US development leagues and to target defenceman with offensive upside. Asked for comment Payeur repsonded "that's the way the cookie crumbled for us, we took the best players available at our picks and they just so happened to all have connections to the USHL and/or NCAA". Payeur also mentioned that "once you get outside of the first round and a half, you're always trying to find a balance between drafting for skill, and finding the safer prospects whose games you can see translating to the pro game". Payeur also offered a theory for why his team ended up with so many American defensive prospects: "I don't have any way to prove this but sometimes I feel like other GMs around the league seem to overdraft forwards because they're sexier and more fun, and I think sometimes subconsciously you fall in the love with the foreign or even the french Canadian names on your draft list, the Russian "kov"or Finnish "einen" for example, those guys always seem to go a bit higher than we expect. Nothing fun about drafting a guy named "Smith" or Johnson". We here in Columbus try to draft NHL players, I'd rather have too many defenceman pan out, then swing and miss because I reached and tried to fill a hole at left wing with a kid who's three years away from the NHL".

#44 - Brendan Brisson - C

Being the son of NHL super agent Pat Brisson has its benefits. Brendan is coming off a stellar draft year where he shot up draft boards across the league. He was named Rookie of The Year-end and selected as a First Team All-Star in the USHL this past year playing for one of the best USHL teams ever assembled, . Brisson's quick thinking and lethal shot did major damage on the power-play and at even-strength. Brisson was also a weapon at the World Junior A Championships tying the tournament record for points with 12. Brisson will attend Michigan for the 2020-21 season where the team hopes to see him get stronger and improve his two-way game. 

#65 - Brock Faber - D

In the third round, Blue Jackets opted for a high floor/limited ceiling type of pick in Brock Faber. Faber is one of the best skaters in the draft and already has a very developped defensive game, using quick thinking and sound positioning to suffocate opposing forwards. Faber is limited on the offensive end of the ice but it is a part of his game that should conitnue to develop for him. He likes to get involved on offense and can use his speed and a good first pass to get the puck out of his own zone. Faber was one of the youngest players in the draft and like Birsson will play in the NCAA in 2020-21 with the University of Minnesota.

#105 - Mason Lohrei - D

In the fourth round Payeur once again dipped into th USHL, selecting hulking 6'4" and 194lbs defenceman Mason Lohrei of the Green Bay Gambles. Despite his size, there are some good offensive insticts in Lohrei's game as he loves to rush the puck up ice and has the skill and patience to get around defenders. This pick could be considered a bit of a reach as the concerning draw back of Lohrei's game is his skating which allows him to get around defenders in the USHL but will not be good enough to do so when he progresses to the pro game. Lohrei returns to the USHL next season before progressing to the NCAA at THE Ohio State University. 

#127 - Ian Moore - D

With their first pick in the fifth round, Payeur drafted another big defenceman in Ian Moore. Unlike Lohrei, Moore is already a great skater and has a decent offensive IQ that allows him to play the transition game or quarterback a powerplay and a slap shot that should put some pucks in the back of the net. Like many young defenceman, Moore needs to work on his defensive game and needs time to fill out his large frame and get stronger. Moore is drafted straight from High School and will play for the Chicaho Steel of the USHL in 2020-21 before moving on to the NCAA where he will play for Harvard University. 

#152 - Alex Laferierre - RW

With their final pick in the draft, the USHL addicted Blue Jackets selected Alex Laferierre. Not to be confused with Alexis Lafreniere, Laferierre is a skilled winger that loves to score goals. Laferierre likes to throw his weight around and play a gritty game despite his modest 6'0" frame and is not afraid to go to the dirty arears of the ice to score goals. His shot and offensive IQ are already quite good but Alex needs to work on his skating if he hopes to succeed at the next level. Laferierre will join fellow prospect Ian Moore at Harvard University however the expectation is that he may spend one more season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL.