Names To Know: At 6-Foot-5 225 Pounds, Lian Bichsel Has The Size To Be A Force On The Blue Line

Welcome to the 18th installment of 'Names To Know', a look-ahead at prospects who the Columbus Blue Jackets could select in the upcoming NHL Draft.

With two of the first dozen selections — picks #6 and #12 overall — the Blue Jackets have quite a few different options. There are plenty of names to be considered ahead of the July 7 date in this wide-open draft.

If the Blue Jackets are looking for a big-bodied, defense-first stopper, Lian Bichsel might be their guy. At 6-foot-5 225 pounds, size-wise, he certainly fits the bill. 

The first round of the upcoming NHL Draft looks to be loaded with blue liners who are known more for their offensive skillset than for what they bring on the defensive side of the ice. Possessing offensive skills as a defenseman is a good thing, but with the current makeup of Columbus' roster, the organization may be on the lookout for an enforcer on the back end. 

While Bichsel may not be projected where the Blue Jackets are currently picking (he is projected to go in the middle to bottom of the first round), teams have started to take notice of him, and he has moved up on a lot of prospects lists as well as mock drafts. Additionally, there is always the possibility of moving down if they identify him as their man and believe they can pick him up a little later in the draft.

The question is, how high of a priority have they made it to find a player with that kind of skillset? One that could eventually fill the void past players, such as David Savard, have left in this team. And will the Jackets be looking to fill position needs or draft the best available, according to their board? 

Whatever those answers may be, let's look at what Bichsel brings to the table and how that might fit what Columbus is looking for.

First, while the Swiss D-man's biggest selling points are his physicality and defensive traits, that doesn't mean he is a liability on offense. In fact, he had three goals and seven total points in the 11 games he spent in Sweden's J-20 league.

Getting some eyes on towering, Swiss-born defender Lian Bichsel today and good lord pic.twitter.com/PnzFPyVCbh

— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) December 12, 2021

This is Bichsel's mock draft profile from Austin Stanovich of The Hockey Writers. While Stanovich has him slated to the Kings, the Blue Jackets have very similar needs on the blue line, and this is a good snapshot of the 18-year-old's skill set.

The Kings are in need of a big, left-shot defenseman in their pipeline, and they get that player in Lian Bichsel. The 6-foot-5, Swiss defensemen put together an impressive season in Sweden and checks a lot of boxes for the Kings. A physically imposing player with decent mobility for his size, a good first pass, and a booming shot from the point. I was picking between Bichsel and Owen Pickering for this spot, but Bichsel’s added physicality gave him the edge. He has genuine top-four potential and would fit perfectly on the Kings’ blue line.

Having just turned 18 in May, Bichsel has already had more high-level experience than a lot of players his age. He spent this past season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He appeared in 29 of 31 games for his team, ranking third in games played for those who were 18 years old and younger. 

He made the most of that experience by doling out hits and blocking shots whenever he could. But perhaps most impressive is the 59.62 Corsi For % that he posted, meaning his team controlled the puck 59.62 percent of the time he was out the ice. This is an impressive stat for any defenseman, especially one that hadn't even turned 18 yet.

! BACK ON LEVEL TERMS!@leksands_if are level against @frolunda_hc thanks to a beauty from Lian Bichsel! #ChampionsGoBeyond pic.twitter.com/66G5sIh3Sb

— Champions Hockey League (@championshockey) December 7, 2021

His play in the SHL and on the international stage has caught the attention of talent evaluators, moving up on quite a few boards such as The NHL Central Scouting EU Skater rankings where he moved from #16 to #9. He has also made his way up to #15 on The Athletic's Corey Pronman's prospect list. Here is what he had to say about the left-hand defender.

Background: Bichsel played very well in Sweden’s junior ranks and got extended time with Leksands SHL team. He made Switzerland’s world juniors team in a notable role and was a top player for their U18 team. He was also named one of Switzerland’s best players at the U18 worlds the prior season. A concussion ended his season in the spring.

Analysis: Bichsel’s physical tools are quite evident. He’s a 6-foot-5 defenseman who skates well for his size, is physical and has some offensive touch. He can carry and create through the neutral zone due to his feet and skills and shows some creativity from the offensive blue line. He has good hands but there isn’t much playmaking or poise in his puck play. Defensively he’s quite good due to his reach, feet and physicality. He closes gaps like a pro and can be trusted to play hard minutes as he advances levels. Bichsel projects as a top-four defenseman with the potential to play higher in a lineup if the offense translates.