Story by
Columbus Blue Jackets: Nothing drew Don Waddell away from Cayden Lindstrom | Arace
- Story by
- Columbus Blue Jackets: Nothing drew Don Waddell away from Cayden Lindstrom | Arace
The world, or at least Sphere, was laid open to the Blue Jackets when their representatives stepped onto the stage to make the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft in Las Vegas on Friday. Let's start from the top.
The No. 1 pick was decided May 7, the night the San Jose Sharks won the draft lottery . The Sharks' ultimate selection of Boston University center Macklin Celebrini was a mere formality. The No. 2 pick, Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov to the Chicago Blackhawks , was similarly unsurprising.
Advertisement
What Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek did next at No. 3 – he picked Oshawa Generals right winger Beckett Sennecke – sent ripples through the Sphere. Even the kid and his parents were shocked. There were rumors in the hours leading up to the draft that Verbeek coveted Sennecke, but it still took some rapid digesting.
Sennecke was a top-10 player on most team's draft lists, but No. 3? That seemed like a stretch, especially given the context: A big, nasty center, Cayden Lindstrom, was there for the taking; so was a sensational right winger, Ivan Demidov, who had been touted by some scouts as the most highly skilled forward available in this class, Celebrini included.
The Blue Jackets bring forward Cayden Lindstrom on stage after taking him with the 4th overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft.
Immediately, there was a flashback to last year's draft in Nashville . In a surprise move, Verbeek passed on Adam Fantilli and selected center Leo Carlsson with the No. 2 pick. Then, Jarmo Kekalainen, the Jackets' GM at the time, took Fantilli at No. 3, but only after a spate of draft-floor speculation that Kekalainen was ready to jump on another center, Will Smith, who went No. 4 to the Sharks.
Advertisement
On Friday, Don Waddell, in his eighth week as the Jackets' new president/general manager, had similar flexibility. His prospect pipeline was already stocked (by Kekalainen). He had Demidov sitting there. He had Lindstrom sitting there. He had his pick of defensemen – Carter Yakemchuk, Zayne Parekh, Anton Silayev, Sam Dickinson – at the top of a draft that teemed with promising blueliners.
There was also the specter of shaking up the Sphere the way Kekalainen used to shake things up – the Brandon Saad deal in 2015, the Artemi Panarin deal in 2017, the Seth Jones trade that brought the No. 12 overall pick ( Cole Sillinger ) in 2021.
Waddell could have sent a cannonball through the Jumbotron walls of the technological wonder that is Sphere. He could have made a deal that included the No. 4 pick, any number of prospects and a veteran on his roster. Indeed, in the leadup to this draft, there were reports that the Philadelphia Flyers were desperately seeking to move up from 12th and were making pitches to Columbus. Presumably, the Flyers coveted Demidov. What's more, there were some big names floating around as trade bait, including young forward Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes , the team for whom Waddell worked up until eight weeks ago.
At 6-3, 210 pounds, scouts say Blue Jackets draft pick, the No. 4 selection overall, Cayden Lidstrom is a bear to handle when he's playing forward in front of the net.
Waddell had the chance to send a seism down The Strip with major additions and/or subtractions. He could have opted for boldness in describing his vision for the future. I'm not saying this would've been the right or the wrong thing to do, just that the chance was there. For context, it should be noted that the early stages of the first round were relatively quiet on the trade front, just like last year. Amid this atmosphere, Waddell opted for conservatism.
Advertisement
Waddell let his assistant GM and putative protégé, Rick Nash , do the honors at the microphone: With the No. 4 pick, the Jackets were proud to select Lindstrom of the WHL Medicine Hat Tigers. You could hear a collective groan from the Columbus TikTok draftniks who had their fingers crossed for Demidov. Given Lindstrom's history, you could imagine what the team's older fans were conjuring – Ryan Murray, the No. 2 pick in 2012 , and Nathan Horton , and David Clarkson – three former Jackets whose careers were either limited or derailed by back injuries.
This is not Waddell's baggage. He has been tasked with fixing a franchise that has the worst winning percentage (.432) in the NHL in the 21stcentury. Ownership is laying money that he knows what he's doing, and it's not a bad bet. On Friday night, he decided the best course of action was to go with his scouts and select Lindstrom, who was limited to 32 games last season due to both back and hand injuries and who has been cleared by team doctors (and medical types at the draft combine) to play next season, be it in Columbus or in a place where he'll get more seasoning.
Lindstrom is a shade above 6 feet 3 and weighs 210 pounds. The scouting report on him is that he can fly as well as switch gears, sees the ice well, plays through contact and is a bear to handle in front of the net. He projects to be an estimable power forward, be it as a center or a winger. A few years down the road, Jackets fans may be looking at Fantilli-Lindstrom-Sillinger up the middle, flanked by skilled young wingers Kent Johnson , Kirill Marchenko and Yegor Chinakhov , and backed by the likes of Denton Mateychuk and Jiricek. That's without even mentioning Johnny Gaudreau or Zach Werenski or anyone else.
There's much to build on Columbus if it is handled properly. Waddell's actions acknowledged as much Friday night.
Advertisement
Let us now see what Waddell's ninth week on the job is like.
It's likely his roster will be further refined , and a coach to be named (Todd McLellan seems to be the front-runner ), in the leadup to the July 1 opening of free-agent season.
Get more on the Blue Jackets by listening to our podcasts
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: NHL draft: Columbus Blue Jackets add power forward Cayden Lindstrom
