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Columbus Blue Jackets: History of the 18th Overall Pick

By Lansing Murphy

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 23: A general view of the draft board is seen after the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 23: A general view of the draft board is seen after the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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2013: Mirco Mueller

Columbus Blue Jackets
TAMPA, FL – APRIL 21: Mirco Mueller #25 of the New Jersey Devils brings the puck up against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on April 21, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mirco Mueller /

The San Jose Sharks went to the blue line for the 18th pick in 2013 and chose Mirco Mueller from the Everett Silvertips. The Swiss born defenseman spent another year in the Western Hockey League before heading to the professional ranks.

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Since that time Mueller has bounced back and forth from the AHL and the NHL. He has played 82 games in the NHL including 28 this season with the New Jersey Devils. He also played three games in the playoffs in the Devils first round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Unfortunately Mueller suffered a fractured clavicle that forced him to miss three months of the season. After a long recovery, Mueller was the Devils 6/7 defenseman for the remainder of the year.

Mueller had a great appearance at the World Championship this year with Team Switzerland. He helped guide the surprise run to a silver medal for the Swiss with six points in 10 games.

He is a typical bottom pair defenseman that still has time to blossom into a mid pair defenseman in the NHL. I doubt the Jackets will be looking at a defenseman at 18 unless a top tier blueliner falls like a Noah Dobson or Evan Buchard.

Defenseman do take longer than forwards to fully develop and the fractured clavicle didn’t help his development but the World Championship performance should give Devils fans some hope that Mueller will live up to being drafted 18th overall.

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