The Blue Jackets lost the draft lottery. Again.
Following the NHL Draft Lottery, the Blue Jackets will select third overall in the NHL Draft, which begins on June 28 in Nashville. This is one slot lower than their pre-lottery odds, as they had the second-best chance to win the first pick.
This is the second time in franchise history that the Blue Jackets have the third overall pick, with the first being in 2016 when they selected center Pierre-Luc Dubois, who posted 66-93–159 in 239 regular season games and 8-11–19 in 26 playoff games across four years in Columbus.
The projected No. 3 pick in this year's draft is Swedish center Leo Carlsson, who many believe can be a No. 1 center. As an 18-year-old in the SHL, Sweden's top professional league, Carlsson posted 10-15--25 in 44 regular season games along with 1-8--9 in 13 playoff games for Örebo HK this season. He also recorded 3-3--6 in seven games at the 2023 World Juniors for Sweden.
Leo Carlsson Lucas Raymond
— Tre Kronor (@Trekronorse) May 4, 2023
@SVTSport pic.twitter.com/U0qVp3Syov
While the lottery result may be disappointing to some Blue Jackets fans, Carlsson is an encouraging and exciting prospect who, if selected, will impact the team in a big way going forward.
This pick will also be the first of two first-round picks for the Blue Jackets, as they own Los Angeles' first-round selection after acquiring it in the Vladislav Gavrikov trade in March.
