Columbus Blue Jackets Transfer 2017 Draft Pick to Vancouver Canucks

As compensation for hiring head coach John Tortorella, the Columbus Blue Jackets have transferred their 2017 second round draft pick to the Vancouver Canucks.

Matthew Sekeres of TSN 1040 reported Wednesday afternoon that the Columbus Blue Jackets had decided to give their current year second round draft pick to the Vancouver Canucks.

Since hiring John Tortorella, the Blue Jackets have owed the Canucks either their 2016, 2017, or 2018 second rounder as part of a rule that the CBJ needed to compensate Vancouver due to Torts still being under contract with the Canucks organization. That rule was changed shortly after Tortorella was hired by Columbus.

It was a smart move by the Jackets to give away this year’s pick. The draft is one of the weakest in recent memory and the pick being given will be quite low. The Canucks will receive the 55th overall selection this year; a massive change from last season, when the Jackets held the 34th pick.

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No matter which pick the Canucks would’ve gotten, the Blue Jackets came out as winners in this deal. Tortorella’s 84-57-16 record in his almost two years with Columbus has brought life and hope to the historically bad franchise. His fiery personality continued to push the team to new heights that they had not seen before.

All the while, the Canucks have stunk it up. In the last two seasons, the Canucks have posted a horrible record of 61-81-22. And to add on to that, the ‘Nucks are still on the hook for a large chunk of Torts’ contract.