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Full list of NHL Organizational Rankings
Columbus Blue Jackets Top 10 Prospects
1. Ryan Murray, Defense
2. David Savard, Defense
3. T.J. Tynan, Center
4. Boone Jenner, Center
5. Michael Chaput, Center
6. Mike Reilly, Defense
7. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Left Wing
8. Tomas Kubalik, Right Wing
9. Dalton Prout, Defense
10. Cody Goloubef, Defense
Organizational Ranking: 17th
System Overview: The Jackets' strength in their system is defense, between second overall pick Ryan Murray, a very good puck-mover in David Savard, a fine middle-tier guy like Mike Reilly, and good low-end depth. They have a few average or slightly better forward prospects; T.J. Tynan sticks out from the bunch, but with Ryan Johansen graduated, they lack a top talent in that area. There's certainly ability in this system: players like Tynan, Michael Chaput, Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, and Seth Ambroz all have skill but also have question marks about their projections.
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1. Ryan Murray, Defense
2010-11 Ranking: N/A
Date of birth: 09/27/1993
Age: 18
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 195
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 46 GP, 9 G, 31 P (Everertt-WHL)
Acquired: First round, second overall in 2012 by Columbus
The Good: Murray has well above-average hockey sense, if not bordering on elite. He's an incredible two-way thinker who can shut down players with the best of them in his own end. Murray's sense translates to his vision as he always makes smart passes and can show significant skill in that area. He's a plus skater who moves very well in all four directions. He also features a good if not plus shot from the point. Murray has solid skill with the puck as well.
The Bad: He's marginally undersized for his position but he really has no weakness.
Projection: He has all the makings of a tough minutes top-pairing defender who can be good on a second PP unit.
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2. David Savard, Defense
2010-11 Ranking: 2nd
Date of birth: 10/22/1990
Age: 21
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 217
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 44 GP, 4 G, 22 P (Springfield-AHL)
Acquired: Fourth round, 94th overall in 2009 by Columbus
The Good: Savard is a tremendous puck-moving defenseman who consistently shows high-end ability in that area of the game and projects as a legit top-pairing power play defenseman. He's got such good instincts moving the puck in transition, controlling the point, and making good reads on defense. He logged a ton of minutes in the AHL and is right on the cusp of becoming an NHL regular.
The Bad: Despite his good frame, Savard's strength level is a little behind where a player of his size and age should be. His skating is notably below average and he can get burned by faster players. Scouts felt in his NHL stints he wasn't up to the pace of that level of play.
Projection: He could be a very good #3 defenseman who is a top power play unit option.
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3. T.J. Tynan, Center
2010-11 Ranking: 10th
Date of birth: 02/25/1992
Age: 20
Height: 5'8''
Weight: 167
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 39 GP, 13 G, 41 P (Notre Dame-CCHA)
Acquired: Third round, 67th overall in 2011 by Columbus
The Good: Tynan has drawn praise from scouts this year who have said he has "a pretty darn similar upside to Cam Atkinson"; their skill sets are different though, as Tynan is a high-end passer with good skating and puck skills. Those skills aren't as good as Atkinson's, although the skating abilities are close and Tynan's acceleration is better. Tynan can wow people with his playmaking skills and hockey sense. He also has a pretty good compete level as well.
The Bad: Size, size, size is the main and really only problem I can find with Tynan's skill set.
Projection: He could be a fine second-line center, maybe even an above-average one.
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4. Boone Jenner, Center
2010-11 Ranking: 7th
Date of birth: 06/15/1993
Age: 19
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 204
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 43 GP, 22 G, 49 P (Oshawa-OHL)
Acquired: Second round, 37th overall in 2011 by Columbus
The Good: Jenner indisputably is a high-end physical player whose frame is developed well beyond where a teenager's body usually is and it's no surprise at the junior level he could dominate the physical game. He's got tremendous intangibles and it's visible every shift, through the way he flies into opponents, his great defensive effort, and how many penalties he draws. He's a great defensive forward who is good on the draw and is smart in his own end. Jenner can be a solid passer as well.
The Bad: Jenner doesn't really possess the raw puck skills to create offense on his own. His skating is still an issue, although it seems to be a leg power issue as opposed to a stride problem. He improved that area of his game after taking power skating lessons last summer, and with more improvement, it may even touch average.
Projection: A great third-line center with significant defensive value. If his development continues to track upward, he may project as a fringe scoring line player.
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5. Michael Chaput, Center
2010-11 Ranking: 6th
Date of birth: 04/09/1992
Age: 20
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 192
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 57 GP, 21 G, 63 P (Shawinigan-QMJHL)
Acquired: Trade from Philadelphia; drafted third round, 89th overall in 2010
The Good: Chaput is a hard working player who is diligent and smart in his own end, but also shows above-average puck skills and the ability to create offense. He pressures well on the forecheck, and his body has started to round out into form well towards the end of his junior career. He's also quite proficient at faceoffs.
The Bad: Chaput's skating is roughly average but he could use an extra burst on his first few steps. He has no blatant weakness other than his lack of standout tools.
Projection: He could be an above-average third-line center and maybe a fringe number two if his development goes well.
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6. Mike Reilly, Defense
2010-11 Ranking: Unranked
Date of birth: 07/13/1993
Age: 18
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 165
Shoots: Left
Statistics: 51 GP, 24 G, 83 P (Penticton-BCHL)
Acquired: Fourth round, 98th overall in 2011 by Columbus
The Good: Reilly is a talented defensemen with above-average to potentially high-end raw possession skills. He's very smart with the puck, showing moments of flash with his puck-moving ability and puck skills and he never seems to make a mistake. He's the kind of player who scouts say is "always making plays" and he does a ton of good things with the puck. Reilly is a good skater as well who accelerates well and has good four-way mobility.
The Bad: Reilly's main hurdle is the physical game. He just went through a growth spurt, going from 5'10" to 6'0" this year without putting on much weight, so his frame is very thin and undeveloped. Being able to show his great offensive skills at a better competition level will be Reilly's next test.
Projection: He's a ways away, but he has the tools of a top-four defenseman.
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7. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Left Wing
2010-11 Ranking: N/A
Date of birth: 12/27/1990
Age: 21
Height: 5'9''
Weight: 175
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 76 GP, 24 G, 64 P (Connecticut-AHL)
Acquired: Free agent
The Good: Marchessault is a skilled little guy who scouts describe as a "fun player to watch" due to his ability to make plays and the high level of energy he plays with. After being undrafted, he burst onto the scene and turned heads as a rookie in the AHL, ending his first season tied for 10th in league scoring. He has above-average puck skills, solid speed, and his work ethic shows up in both ends. He pressures well and is also the kind of player who hustles back on defense and can be an effective penalty killer despite his size because of his intangibles. He's got good awareness off the puck.
The Bad: Marchessault's size is his major issue. Despite his skill set, he may not be dynamic enough at his size to be an NHLer. He's skilled, but not extremely skilled and doesn't have top-end speed.
Projection: He could be a top-nine player and potentially a fringe second liner, but he also may never become an NHL regular.
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8. Tomas Kubalik, Right Wing
2010-11 Ranking: 5th
Date of birth: 05/01/1990
Age: 22
Height: 6'3''
Weight: 215
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 50 GP, 11 G, 23 P (Springfield-AHL)
Acquired: Fifth round, 135th overall in 2008 by Columbus
The Good: Kubalik is a high-end physical player thanks to his big, developed frame, his willingness to consistent engage, and how effective a net-front presence he can be. He also does well along the boards and can be a decent even-strength possession player due to his ability in the cycle game. He has decent hands for a big forward.
The Bad: Kubalik lacks any significant offensive upside as he's not an overly creative player who will make a ton of plays with the puck. He also is a notably poor skater with really heavy feet.
Projection: Bottom-six winger.
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9. Dalton Prout, Defense
2010-11 Ranking: Unranked
Date of birth: 03/13/1990
Age: 22
Height: 6'2''
Weight: 222
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 62 GP, 4 G, 13 P (Springfield-AHL)
Acquired: Sixth round, 154th overall in 2010 by Columbus
The Good: Prout is a plus physical player whose body is NHL ready and his strength shows when it comes to his defensive play. He's a guy who loves to hit and wins a ton of one-on-one battles. He showed pretty effective defensive end play this year in the AHL. Prout's hockey sense is decent, looking more impressive off the puck in terms of his defensive reads.
The Bad: Prout's offensive tools are replacement level and he won't be mistaken for a puck-moving defender any time soon.
Projection: He could be a third-pairing defender.
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10. Cody Goloubef, Defense
2010-11 Ranking: 9th
Date of birth: 11/30/1989
Age: 22
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 195
Shoots: Right
Statistics: 50 GP, 5 G, 17 P (Springfield-AHL)
Acquired: Second round, 37th overall in 2008 by Columbus
The Good: Goloubef is a smart defender in both ends of the rink who scouts call a "cerebral" player based on how calmly he approaches the game. He's uses his stick well on defense and positions his body to close gaps. He also moves the puck at a solid level. He's a decent skater who moves well in all directions. Goloubef was relied on as an all-situations player in the AHL this year.
The Bad: Goloubef's production has never been a selling point, but as a puck-mover his offensive totals are still concerning. He barely if ever uses the body to take his checks. On a minor note, he also suffered a finger injury this year.
Projection: He could be a #6 or #7 defender.
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The Next Five
11. Seth Ambroz, Right Wing: He's a big body with good hands and finishing touch, but a really bad skater whose development has been underwhelming the last year or so.
12. Jake Hansen, Right Wing: Hansen has average size and solid skill level. He will be a guy to watch in his first pro season.
13. Gianluca Curcuruto, Defense: He's a smart player whose stock plummeted this season, but has the upside to rebound.
14. Theo Ruth, Defense: A defensive defender who is very physical but has no offensive upside.
15. Oscar Dansk, Goaltender: He's got very good athletic ability and really shone at times during this draft season.
The Sleeper: Drew Olson, Defense
Entering his senior year at Minnesota Duluth, Olson is a top-end skater who can really impact the transition game.
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Columbus Blue Jackets Organizational Top 10
Players 22 or under as of 09/15/2012 or still considered a prospect as defined here.
1. Ryan Johansen, Center
2. Ryan Murray, Defense
3. David Savard, Defense
4. John Moore, Defense
5. T.J. Tynan, Center
6. Matt Calvert, Left Wing
7. Boone Jenner, Center
8. Michael Chaput, Center
9. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Left Wing
10. Tomas Kubalik, Left Wing
Johansen was very sheltered this year, but that's not completely surprising for junior-aged players, even for a top talent. I expected a smoother transition to the NHL, but I'm not concerned as of now, as he all the tools in the world to succeed. Moore was the NHLer over David Savard this year, but aside from his plus skating, he doesn't have another tool that can drive significant upside, while Savard's puck-moving skills will be enough to pass him on the depth chart soon enough. Calvert is a versatile player who got injured in camp, which may have slowed him down; he didn't light up the AHL, but he's got enough skill level to be an average pro when you combine his skating and work ethic.
Corey Pronman is an author of Hockey Prospectus.
You can contact Corey by clicking here or click here to see Corey's other articles.
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