The Columbus Blue Jackets have an abundance of talented defensemen, both at the NHL level and still developing in other leagues. How do they stack up against one another? Let’s find out.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a team defined by their defensive play style, the defensemen jump into the offensive attack and somehow find a way to not ruin their defensive coverage. Starting with Elite Prospect’s depth chart as a base, I’ve made an in-depth organizational depth chart to see which names you need to know and which ones may never work out.
1. Zach Werenski
Zachary Werenski has become undoubtedly one of the best players on the Columbus Blue Jackets in just two short years. Following an NCAA stint with a team infamous in Columbus, Werenski’s impactful jump to the AHL playoffs led the Lake Erie Monsters to a Calder Cup.
Now he hopes to eventually do the same in Columbus with the Stanley Cup, and it appears the team is on the right path with two straight playoff appearances. Werenski’s 16th goal on the season tied him with Seth Jones for the franchise goals by a defenseman record and it appears that the twenty year old has much more time to make his mark on the franchise.
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2. Ian Cole
Ian Cole was a trade deadline acquisition from the Ottawa Senators who became paired with David Savard and instantly formed a bond. The “lumber jackets” were a dominant second pairing as the Blue Jackets made a push for the playoffs and were definitely noticeable in the playoffs for good reasons.
His shut-down style of play stands out in a defensive corps maintained mainly by offensive, attacking defensemen. Cole is a former Stanley Cup champion and assuming he re-signs in Columbus, he’ll hope to add more.
3. Markus Nutivaara
Nobody expected for Markus Nutivaara to be an impact player in the NHL, especially not at this point in his career however he’s been a very pleasant surprise for Columbus Blue Jackets fans and management alike. His offensive style of play fits in very well with the game plan style that’s necessary for John Tortorella to use as a result of Werenski and Seth Jones.
Nutivaara may turn out to be one of the greatest draft steals in Columbus Blue Jackets history and after next season, he may very well be number two on this list.
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4. Vladislav Gavrikov
Vladislav Gavrikov is a textbook two-way defender. His skill at both the offensive zone and defensive zone is likely the most balanced of any player on this list. The former seventh round pick may make the jump to the NHL following the 2018-2019 season, however as of now he’ll remain under contract of SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL for at least one more year.
5. Ryan Murray
Ryan Murray is a question mark for the Blue Jackets’ future. He’s a pending restricted free agent as of July 1, 2018 however he’ll certainly be re-signed. The question then becomes whether or not he’ll be traded after being signed, either before this season or after this season to make room for a higher tier prospect who’s looking to make an impact at the NHL level. He’s a solid two-way defender who focuses more on the defensive side of the game at this point of his career, a much different style of play than from his junior days.
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6. Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson makes the list at the sixth spot as he’s currently the lowest tier NHL level defenseman in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization. While his long term contributions to the team have certainly helped move the franchise from perennial loser to annual playoff contenders, his stint has come to an end as there is very little chance he re-signs with the team before he enters unrestricted free agency. His play is no longer at the level that the Blue Jackets have come to expect and with an abundance of NHL level talent, he’s become the odd-man out.
7. Dean Kukan
Dean Kukan is a smooth-skating defenseman with a play style fairly similar to that of Markus Nutivaara, considering his most recent contract was a one-way deal according to Capfriendly.com it appears he’s the heir-apparent to take Jack Johnson’s roster spot in the upcoming season. There’s still plenty of time for the plans to change though, and Kukan will need to have a strong training camp to prove he’s the right option.
8. Taylor Chorney
Taylor Chorney is a typical case of a fringe NHL player. His skill is good enough to make it to the top level, however he’s not quite good enough to be a regular at that level. It’s likely that he’ll be leaving the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency, which is certainly a smart career move considering the amount of talent ahead of him. If he goes to a team that’s not likely to be a contender, he’ll certainly be able to get some ice time to be able to try to raise his stock around the NHL.
9. Gabriel Carlsson
The former first round draft pick Gabriel Carlsson is a highly touted prospect in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, however he’s seemingly dropped down the depth chart as a result of his defensive play style no longer fitting the Blue Jackets game plan. He played 14 games in Columbus after playing in the 2017 playoffs, however the team seemingly wasn’t happy with his performance as he ended back up in Cleveland. His size would certainly be a welcome addition to the Blue Jackets blue line, however it may take a few years.
10. Andre Benoit
Andre Benoit was a regular in the NHL for a few seasons before ending up in Cleveland with the Monsters and eventually being assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers also of the AHL. While it’s unlikely he’ll ever make it back to the NHL, he’s a great depth player to have in case of injuries during the playoffs. According to Capfriendly he’s a pending unrestricted free agent, however unless he gets an NHL offer I would expect him to consider re-signing with the Blue Jackets as depth.
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11. Cameron Gaunce
Cameron Gaunce is a familiar face to the fans in Cleveland as he spent parts of three years there when they were affiliated with the Avalanche, however now he’s back once again. He’s at the point in his career where he seems like a career AHL player, which is why he’s so low on this list. He has a bit of NHL experience, but there’s a good chance the Columbus Blue Jackets would rather give a top prospect a chance if there was an injury rather than a player who has little upside.
12. Doyle Somerby
Doyle Somerby is a player who could surprise a few people in the coming years, as he’s the biggest player on the list and he got off to a decent start to his professional career with 8 points in 38 games with the Cleveland Monsters. The former Boston University captain will have a rough path to the NHL, however it’s not impossible.
Next: Organizational Depth Chart: Goaltenders
The Columbus Blue Jackets defense is likely one of the strongest points on the team, which is a much different story than just a few years ago. The present and future both look very strong, which is great news for Jarmo Kekalainen and company.