[Drafted] 3rd overall - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Columbus Blue Jackets

[Dobber]

WOW!


Too risky for a move like this. The Big 3 were head and shoulders above the others. Terrible pick. Great offense - elite. But not in Pulujarvi's class at all.

http://www.dobberprospects.com/pierre-luc-dubois/

Dubois could make the team right away - this is a team with room for a guy like him.

[hockeymanG23]

Must've been sold on the idea of him playing C after his transition for the past half season

[plug]

I was surprised, but Jarmo has made some darn good surprise picks before.

[rataylor22]

Just terrible asset management to not find a way to move down for this.

[plug]

Just terrible asset management to not find a way to move down for this.

Not an argument that could be made.

[Eskimo Brother]

Did anyone catch that they gave away 10 seconds early that they weren't taking Puljujarvi when they let their head AMATEUR scout make the pick, with Pulj playing in a pro league?
Just an interesting bit.
I also wonder if they didn't think they could flip with Edmonton since Edm may flip a C for a D, and thus would be looking for another C to fill in, instead of another scoring winger.

[STLblues]

This won't be the worst draft pick in the history of a John Davidson front office I can guarantee that!

[Godin]

Just terrible asset management to not find a way to move down for this.

Absolutely. There was a significant gap between 3rd and 4th and I can't believe they didn't take advantage of it. This just might have a huge negative effect in management when the dust settles in a couple of years.

[The Comish]

It must have been all those last minute comparisons to Jamie Benn.

[chuckcouples]

It sounds like Columbus had Dubois as a better fit for their team than Puljujarvi. Columbus wanted to make sure they got Dubois so they could only trade down as far as #4. Edmonton knew that Columbus wanted Dubois while the Oilers wanted Puljujarvi. There was no deal to be made since both teams wanted different players and both teams knew that.

Columbus can just pretend that they did not win the 3rd pick in the lottery and there team would look exactly the same as it did even though they did with the 3rd pick.

[butch]

good move by Chia reading between the lines

[Axeman33]

I think it's way too early to determine if this was a bad pick or not. He may not be as highly rated as Puljujarvi, but who's to say he wasn't the better fit for this team long term.

Time will tell.

[Godin]

No doubt time will tell but at this moment, according to the best hockey scouts anyway, Puljujarvi is ranked 3rd best prospect by the margin. Regardless of whether you couldn't trade down, I think they had to take him especially that high up in th picks. You can take a player to fill a position later in the draft but not where they were. That's just a step backwards. You have to play the odds and this is a gamble they shouldn't have taken.

[Axeman33]

No doubt time will tell but at this moment, according to the best hockey scouts anyway, Puljujarvi is ranked 3rd best prospect by the margin. Regardless of whether you couldn't trade down, I think they had to take him especially that high up in th picks. You can take a player to fill a position later in the draft but not where they were. That's just a step backwards. You have to play the odds and this is a gamble they shouldn't have taken.

I guess that's why he's there and we are here slinging our arms over our armchairs. Someone has to make the tough calls.

If Dubois turns out to be the #1 center the Blue Jackets desire, then was it really that dumb of a pick? Was the drop off between Puljujarvi to Dubois that great where as one could well turn out to be a franchise center and one could turn out to be a franchise winger. What's more valuable in the NHL today? Ask any NHL GM how hard it is to trade for a true #1 center. It's like trading for a #1 Dman; tough. Puljujarvi was ranked the third best prospect and I am sure a lot of teams had Dubois at number four.

As an Oilers fan, I am ecstatic that Puljujarvi fell to us, but I am also a Blue Jackets fan (I know, strange eh) and I don't think this pick was nearly as bad as many are making it out to be, assuming Dubois turns into what Kekalainen thinks he has.

Thats why I say, time will tell. IF Dubois cant make it as a center, and has to switch to the wing, then I will agree with you but this is way too early to say it was a bad pick.

[Godin]

I guess that's why he's there and we are here slinging our arms over our armchairs. Someone has to make the tough calls.

If Dubois turns out to be the #1 center the Blue Jackets desire, then was it really that dumb of a pick? Was the drop off between Puljujarvi to Dubois that great where as one could well turn out to be a franchise center and one could turn out to be a franchise winger. What's more valuable in the NHL today? Ask any NHL GM how hard it is to trade for a true #1 center. It's like trading for a #1 Dman; tough. Puljujarvi was ranked the third best prospect and I am sure a lot of teams had Dubois at number four.

As an Oilers fan, I am ecstatic that Puljujarvi fell to us, but I am also a Blue Jackets fan (I know, strange eh) and I don't think this pick was nearly as bad as many are making it out to be, assuming Dubois turns into what Kekalainen thinks he has.

Thats why I say, time will tell. IF Dubois cant make it as a center, and has to switch to the wing, then I will agree with you but this is way too early to say it was a bad pick.

You could basically say that about most picks. There are a lot of 'if's' in the draft, but the top 3 were less riskier 'if's' this year then anyone after them, I think.