69th overall: Will Skahan, D/Boston College
Unfortunately, a rebuilding team like the Blue Jackets have it tough this year, as they won’t get another draft pick until the third round. That being said, I spent the rest of this mock draft waiting for the best available players to fall to me, and Will Skahan was a surprise to have freefall into the third round.
Much like Demidov, it wasn’t a tough decision to snag the blueliner heading to Boston College for 2024-25. Skahan’s size is ultimately what could see him go in the middle of the second round, if I’m being honest, but his lack of production when his team has the puck could result in the freefall I saw in this exercise.
But stay-at-home defensemen are still ultra-valuable in all levels of hockey, so snagging someone like Skahan should pay off for the Blue Jackets in the long run. They will need to be patient with him, as he has NHL-caliber ability, but he should also take all four seasons at the NCAA level to maximize his development.
This shouldn’t be detrimental to the Blue Jackets or their fanbase, as there’s a good chance they will be in for a rather long rebuilding project. One led by Adam Fantilli, with perhaps Ivan Demidov joining, and one that allows players like Skahan to take full advantage of their collegiate eligibility.