LAS VEGAS — If it was the last of its kind, the NHL sent its draft format out in style.
Held inside Sphere Las Vegas, a state-of-the-art orb near the Vegas Strip, a typically formulaic event was transformed into a mesmerizing spectacle of video displays that all who attended will remember, especially prospects and their families.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets select Cayden Lindstrom fourth overall at 2024 NHL draft
Celebrities got involved, including Celine Dion and Michael Buffer. Trades were announced with a loud goal horn and giant puck logo on the curved screen behind the stage. A gargantuan video display with HD clarity replaced the old "big board" listing picks.
The whole thing was a two-day extravaganza rather than a registry of names and signing rights, and from that perspective, it will be tough to top. Was it enough to convince the NHL brass to keep its current format with draft tables and large groups of executives congregating on a draft floor?
Probably not, since the league is looking to decentralize its draft, allowing teams to work remotely from "war rooms" like the NFL does. There's a solid chance this was the last draft of its kind, where prospects taken on Day 2 still pulled on their team's jersey, put on a ball cap and posed for photos. That will be missed if the draft shifts away from its "old school" roots, but this last one sent it out with aplomb.
Blue Jackets president of hockey operations/general manager Don Waddell sized it up well when asked about the possible shift.
"From a club standpoint, (working remotely) is excellent," he said. "You can talk freely, like we did during COVID. There's no open mic you have to worry about and there's a lot more room to spread out. The negatives are there's always a lot more trades made in person, but probably the most important thing is the kids being drafted (Day 2)."
Those visuals will be missed.
"The first-round kids, they'll probably get taken to wherever they're going to do it on-site in New York, but we draft a kid in the sixth round and he's here with his parents and everything else, and they're so excited," Waddell said. "They're only going to get drafted once. That's probably the most disappointing thing (with changing it)."
The NHL hasn't officially said the format will change, so technically there's a chance it will stay the same. Either way, this year's draft was a memorable and entertaining time in Vegas.
Here are three Blue Jackets takeaways from the 2024 draft:
If there was anybody inside Sphere who knew the value of an impact center to an NHL lineup, it was the big guy sitting at the Blue Jackets' table who answers to "Nasher."
One of the biggest storylines during Rick Nash's storied playing career in Columbus was the Jackets' lack of a true top center to anchor his line. Imagine a power forward like Nash with an equally powerful center drawing defenders away from him and creating more scoring opportunities around the net.
That issue is subsiding during Nash's tenure in player development with the Blue Jackets. After selecting Lindstrom fourth overall ― a 6-3, 213-pound center with skill and physicality ― the Blue Jackets are overflowing with young centers.
Adam Fantilli was selected third overall last year and is projected to be the top pivot for years to come. Cole Sillinger was taken 12 th overall in 2021 and is close to becoming a force. Dmitry Voronkov (2019 fourth round) is another hulking presence down the middle and that's without mentioning prospect Luca Del Bel Belluz (2022 second round) and veterans Boone Jenner and Sean Kuraly .
Adding Lindstrom to the mix is an embarrassment of riches the Blue Jackets have never had at the most important forward position in the lineup.
"You look at the finals or the semi-finals, and those teams are deep down the middle," Nash said. "One way of getting them is probably overpaying at 28 years old, and the other way is you have to grow them in-house. You can tell when you look down the draft grid and we're seeing what teams are trying to do. It's no secret, so our scouts have done a great job of identifying guys they think can be NHL centermen."
A year ago, the Blue Jackets told Fantilli on draft night that he already had an NHL roster spot waiting.
Fantilli had debated returning to Michigan for his sophomore year but signed an entry-level contract early into development camp. Lindstrom is a different case, especially after missing much of this past season with injuries.
He's certainly big enough to compete in the NHL, but returning to juniors with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers is the most likely scenario in the fall. There's no need to hit fast-forward this time.
"He's going to play a hard NHL game, I believe, so you don't need to rush it, especially with the prospect pool that we have," Nash said. "We want these guys growing together and we want to make sure we put them in good situations to succeed. So, we're excited about Cayden. We know his upside. We know his ceiling. Now it's up to us as an organization to develop him the right way, be patient and make sure that we get the best out of him."
After selecting Lindstrom to bolster an already impressive prospect pool, the Blue Jackets got defensive with their five picks on Day 2.
They took four big defensemen plus standout goalie Evan Gardner . Several young defenseman prospects are already knocking at the door to Nationwide Arena, but the Blue Jackets believe the old hockey axiom that you can never have too many defensemen, especially the big, mobile variety.
"Somebody just texted me and said we drafted a basketball team, with nobody under 6-2," Waddell said. "We always talk about size. I didn't realize it was that much until I found out. Size is important, but skating is the key. Whether you're 5-8 or you're 6-7, if you can't skate, you're not going to play in the league. All of these guys came away as either 'good skating' or 'exceptionally good skating.'"
As for Gardner, he's on the small size for a goalie at 6-1, but his stats for the WHL's Saskatoon Blades are impressive for any size. Waddell packaged two picks (third and fifth rounds) to move back into the second round at No. 60 for Gardner.
"We had him second on our goalie list, and goalies were starting to go," Waddell said. "We wanted him, so I said, 'Let's see if we can move up,' and we were able to. You don't talk about this much with goalies, but (goaltending coach Niklas Backstrom) used it – he's got good hockey sense ... so we were very comfortable with trying to make a play to get him."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets takeaways from the 2024 draft in Vegas
