Columbus Blue Jackets 2016 Draft Review
It typically takes at least five years before you can realistically look back upon a draft and know how a team performed. For the purposes of an honest review, I like to go back six. By the time they turn 23-24, you can somewhat safely label players as an NHL player, prospect, or bust. So today we’ll take a look at the 2016 draft for the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team who was trying to transition from bottom feeder, to playoff contender.
After a dismal 2015-16 NHL season, the Blue Jackets entered the NHL draft holding the third overall selection in the first round, after winning the third lottery pick. While their top pick would cause the entire audience to gasp in surprise, it was without question a wise decision. They would also make four additional picks throughout the day, in a draft that helped shape their current roster in a couple of big ways. Let’s take a look at each pick.
1st round (#3 overall): Pierre-Luc Dubois
When head scout Ville Siren announced the selection of Dubois, many in the hockey world were surprised. After the first two selections went as planned (Auston Matthews, #1, TOR; Patrik Laine, #2, WPG); the clear number three player in the draft was expected to be winger Jesse Puljujarvi. But the Blue Jackets saw things differently and selected the player they believed to be their future #1 center. Six years on, that selection looks to have been the indisputable correct pick.
After spending three full seasons in Columbus where he scored 65 goals and 158 points in 234 games, the Blue Jackets and their fans thought they had uncovered a cornerstone type player. Dubois was a monster on the ice, and looked to have a big breakout party in the 2020 playoff bubble, where his hat trick seemed to propel him into franchise player status with the club.
But things weren’t meant to be, as Dubois asked to be traded at some point in the offseason, for reasons never publicly mentioned. He began the 2020-21 season with the Blue Jackets, but ultimately was dealt along with a third round pick (2022) to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Laine and Central Ohio born Jack Roslovic. Two seasons later, the trade looks like an easy win for the Jackets, as they landed one of the top goal scorers in the world (Laine), as well as a productive middle-six center (Roslovic), both of whom have mentioned their desire to stick around long-term. Meanwhile, rumors are swirling that Dubois will test unrestricted free agency as soon as he can, leaving Winnipeg at an interesting cross-roads just two years after acquiring the young power forward.
While things may not have panned out for the Blue Jackets and Dubois, GM Jarmo Kekalainen took a rising asset and flipped him for the player selected one spot ahead of him, and got another quality player in the deal. For these reasons, the third overall selection in 2016 is a huge win, six years later giving the club two quality NHL players. I can’t imagine the outcome being the same, had they taken Puljujarvi.
Round 1 Grade: A+
2nd Round (#34 overall): Andrew Peeke
South Florida born defenseman Andrew Peeke was touted as a project-type pick out of the USHL, ranked by most services as a potential third round pick. But the scouting staff for the Blue Jackets saw potential in the physical young blueliner – enough to make him the fourth player selected in the second round. Though it took several years of development, Peeke looks like a solid find for the club, and a quality addition to the team’s top-two defense pairings.
After being picked by the Blue Jackets, Peeke spent the next three years with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (NCAA), posting moderate offensive numbers (12 goals, 52 points in 119 games). But Peeke’s game is built more around his ability to defend and play a physical brand of hockey, and he captained the Irish in his junior season before turning pro in 2019.
While he struggled to find footing with the Blue Jackets, bouncing back and forth between the NHL and AHL for two years, Peeke flourished under new head coach Brad Larsen in 2021-22. Entering training camp as a fringe player, he made the most of his early opportunities and worked his way up from the third pairing, to seeing heavy minutes on the top pair due to injuries. By the end of the season, Peeke cemented himself as a physical top-four defenseman for the team, counted on in a shutdown role against the opposition’s top players.
For a franchise that has historically struggled with finding quality talent in the second round, drafting Peeke is an easy win. In fact, the only real negative I can find with this selection is that two star players were taken soon after (Jordan Kyrou, #35 to STL; Alex Debrincat, #39 to CHI). But, looking back now, it’s hard to call this pick anything but a win. Watch: Andrew Peeke’s First NHL Goal
Round 2 Grade: A-
3rd round (#65 overall): Vitaly Abramov
A high scoring winger playing in the QMJHL, Vitaly Abramov averaged 1.62 points per game in his CHL career, scoring 129 goals and 301 points in 185 games played. Surely, Abramov had first round skill, but his slight 5-10, sub-180 pound stature likely held him back (he was ranked mostly in the second round), until the Blue Jackets spent a third round pick on him.
The return paid off quickly, as Abramov would light up the QMJHL that fall, leading the league in scoring with 104 points. His stock rose steadily for the Blue Jackets, making him one of the top prospects in their system. He turned pro for the 2018-19 season and started his career well, scoring 12 goals and 22 points in 52 AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters. But plans change quickly, and in a push to add pieces at the 2019 trade deadline, Abramov was a key part of the deal that brought star center Matt Duchene to the Blue Jackets.
After being traded to Ottawa, Abramov spent the remainder of 2019 and the next two seasons, mostly in the AHL. He did wind up appearing in 5 NHL games, though struggled to find firm footing and this past year, decided to take his talents back to Russia. This pick was a clear win for the Blue Jackets, as Abramov became a key piece in a headliner trade. Without the development of mid-late round prospects like Abramov and Jonathan Davidsson, the Blue Jackets don’t likely get Duchene, or come away with a huge playoff upset.
Round 3 Grade: B+
6th round, #155 overall: Peter Thome
Taking goaltenders in the draft really seems to be a crap shoot – but it’s honestly something the Blue Jackets have done well over the years. In the case of Peter Thome, things didn’t quite work out, and the keeper never made his way to the NHL – or even the AHL to this point. In fact, he never signed a contract anywhere in the Blue Jackets’ system.
A second year eligible player at the time of this pick, Thome was a bit of an off the board pick, but clearly the Blue Jacket scouting staff thought he showed promise in spite of playing in a lower tier league. Thome would go on to a 5-year NCAA career, including four seasons in North Dakota, and one season with the University of St Thomas. After his collegiate career concluded this spring, he played in 3 games with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL). Recently turning 25 and with just 3 ECHL games under his belt, I think at this point it’s fair to call Thome a clear draft day miss.
Round 6 Grade: F
7th round (#185 overall): Calvin Thurkauf
With their final pick of the 2016 draft, the Blue Jackets took another second year eligible player, this time plucking Calvin Thurkauf from the Kelowna Rockets (WHL). Seventh round picks are always a long shot, but Thurkauf did manage to make it to the NHL, skating in 3 games with the Blue Jackets in the 2019-20 season.
The Swiss born winger was ranked #118 Internationally by the NHL’s central scouting service for the 2015 draft, but did not get much exposure playing in the Swiss Junior league. He made the jump to North America and had a productive 2015-16 season, scoring 18 goals and 45 assists in 61 games with the Rockets. Thurkauf spent one more season with Kelowna before turning pro, where he spent parts of three seasons with the Cleveland Monsters, scoring 52 points in 154 AHL games. Thurkauf has spent the last two seasons back in Switzerland, and looks to be completely off the NHL radar at this point.
Notably, only two other players selected in the 7th round of the 2016 NHL draft have even played an NHL game (#192, Jeremy Davies, NJ; #210, Joachim Blichfield, SJ); so when you look at things retrospectively, Thurkauf wasn’t a complete miss. He gave the club some good seasons in the AHL, and a glimmer of NHL potential. Read: Our list of top Blue Jackets prospects, #20-11
Round 7 Grade: C+
Overall draft grade: A
If you can come away with two NHL players out of any draft, you’re in good shape. The Blue Jackets landed a top-six center and a top-four defenseman in this draft, and saw another pick turned into a key trade chip for a high-end asset. While things did not work out long-term with Dubois, his selection at third overall was clearly the correct call; and the team was able to flip him for two quality NHL players.