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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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2014: Left Wing, Alex Tuch

Columbus Blue Jackets
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: Alex Tuch #89 of the Vegas Golden Knights skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period in Game Four of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Capital One Arena on June 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

This pick makes the Minnesota Wild look really good and really bad all at the same time. In the 2014 Entry Draft, the Wild took the big, skilled winger, Alex Tuch, from the U.S. National Development Program. The upstate New York product went on to have two dominate years at Boston College following his draft year.

Tuch didn’t get a ton of time with the Wild after he left Boston College and spent most of the year in the AHL. He was scoreless in six games in the NHL and that was enough for the Wild to deal him to Vegas so the Golden Knights wouldn’t take Matt Dumba. Yes, superstar Matt Dumba was protected over Alex Tuch.

All Tuch did was go on to score 37 points in 78 games as well as 10 points in 20 playoff games. He was a physical presence offensively below the circles and in his own zone. He was a key part to the Golden Knights unbelievable run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Tuch’s style is similar to Josh Anderson and Boone Jenner. I don’t think the Jackets are ideally looking for another player like Tuch, but they will certainly be fine with it being the case.

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