Columbus Blue Jackets Draft Profile: Jonathan Davidsson
The Columbus Blue Jackets ended up with the 170th overall pick following the Saad-Panarin trade. With that, they selected their second 20-year-old skater in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
The 170th overall pick in the draft was the second additional pick that Jarmo and Co. were able to add just before the draft. The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Jonathan Davidsson with the pick that was acquired from Chicago just two days prior.
Davidsson is a Swedish winger that adds to the arsenal of overage players the Jackets picked up this draft. The 20-year-old has spent his entire hockey career with an historic powerhouse in Sweden. Djurgårdens IF Hockey Club is the most successful team in Swedish history. So the transition to the Jackets might not come with the same prestige, but will at least come with warmer weather.
The winger is textbook average size for a winger. He stands at 5’11” and 190 pounds with a right shot. In 44 games in the SHL, he posted only 12 points. He did however have seven points in 10 games in the U-20 World Championships. He will spend the next season in the SHL, playing a full season with Djurgårdens.
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What Was Jarmo Thinking?
This was the third overage pick in the 2017 draft. The Jackets are certainly in win-now mode with the moves they are making, but Davidsson is not going to be apart of that winning.
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We have no reason to not trust Jarmo on this. His past success in the draft has bought him a pass for sure, but you have to wonder if the old scout in him came out in this pick and relied on the advice of a scout that pushed Davidsson really hard.
Sure these scouts are the guys that watch over 200 games a year, but after watching 20 minutes of tape, I have a hard time seeing how he comes over to the NHL and makes an impact.
Beyond that, there were other players that were available that have an ability to make a difference in the NHL. And this pick was a part of a blockbuster trade that sent Saad and Forsberg to Chicago.
For what can be equated to as the cost Anton Forseberg, the Jackets got a player that will not sniff the NHL for at least three seasons. I’m not a fan of this pick.