Blue Jackets Select Jordan Dumais #96 Overall
By Curtis Deem
Jordan Dumais, 5-9, 165 pounds
Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
3rd round (#96 overall), 2022 NHL draft
Playstyle comparisons: Johnny Gaudreau, Brayden Point
NHL upside: Top-nine scoring winger
Professional ETA: 2024
Skill is the name of the game with the third round pick made by the Blue Jackets, plucking productive winger Jordan Dumais from Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Dumais was one of the most prolific scorers available in the entire draft, and though his game is not without question marks, the Blue Jackets added another strong NHL prospect to their talent pool.
Dumais had a productive 16-year old season in the QMJHL, scoring 10 times and adding 19 assists for 29 points in 40 games played. But as a draft eligible player this past season, he exploded onto the scene with 39 goals and 109 points in just 68 games. Only one player selected from the CHL at the 2022 Draft had more points this season than Dumais, and that was an overage forward who played on a line with #4 overall pick Shane Wright.
A gifted offensive player, Dumais has terrific vision and a knack the puck finding him whether he’s paying offense or defense. He can turn plays around quickly and create transition chances, and has elite level passing skills. While he isn’t the best shooter, he has a quick release and can also score in a variety of ways, showcasing silky hands and the ability to deke and wait out the goaltender. The reason Dumais was available in the third round is his size. He’s very slight and will need to bulk up and add strength before he’s ready to play professional hockey. But, you would be hard pressed to find any player more skilled than Dumais in the entire draft.
Without a doubt, this player is a project type pick in the third round. He’s headed back to Halifax this fall and will most likely wind up developing there for the next two seasons. I have little doubt that he will dominate in the Quebec League and become a much talked-about prospect over the next two years. I’ll be watching for him to earn chances with Team Canada at the international level, which might give us a better gauge on his development.
I would expect him to be ready to play professionally sometime in 2024, most likely with some seasoning in the AHL. But, Dumais is a highly driven player that could surprise us all and make the jump to the NHL before we know it.
Can Jordan Dumais be the next Brayden Point?
Swinging for the fences in the third round, the Blue Jackets seem like they have landed a quality, skilled guy who wants to prove a lot of people wrong. That’s a dangerous combination. Watching players like Brayden Point, I always ask myself how they fell to the third round of the draft, and wonder why we can’t get players like that. In Jordan Dumais, we might have the answer.