![]() ![]() The best that MacLean could offer in his tenure through trade was 35-year-old and Hall of Fame player Sergei Federov (from ‘Sergei Fedorov traded to Blue Jackets,’ OC Register, ). Related: Carolina Hurricanes’ 5 Best Trades in Franchise History Where MacLean lacked in drafting and developing prospects, he tried to make up for in trading and acquiring assets to play with the core that he had, specifically finding someone that can center a line with star winger Nash. Not delivering with those chances that high in the draft will cost you, and the Blue Jackets were constantly chasing their tails in the draft. However, when a team picks at least in the top eight overall in each of its first seven seasons and only gets Nash and Brassard, it won’t go well. Mozyakin preferred Russia over the NHL and is the all-time leading scorer for the Kontinental Hockey League with 469 goals and 1,000 points in 19 seasons, marking perhaps the greatest Blue Jacket to never play for the Blue Jackets.ĭrafting is a critical part of any general manager’s job and even if your team suffers to get the results on the ice, the draft system is there to pick your team up again and give fan bases hope for the future. Related: Blue Jackets Roster Impact From the Gaborik TradesĪnother interesting pick for MacLean in the 2002 draft was Sergei Mozyakin in the ninth round. ( Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)īrule played three seasons for the Blue Jackets and never scored more than 19 points or 9 goals for Columbus, while Kopitar had 61 or more points in each of his first three seasons with the Kings, including a 32-goal campaign in the 2007-08 season.Īlthough the drafting history is tough to look at, it wasn’t a complete disaster for MacLean as he drafted players like Brassard, Marc Methot, Adam McQuaid, Kris Russell, Jared Boll, Steve Mason, Derek Dorsett, and Dan Fritsche, who became the first Ohio-born player to play for the Blue Jackets. Specifically with Brule, the majority of MacLean’s scouting staff wanted to go with the Slovenian star and Kings’ great Anze Kopitar, but MacLean chose to overrule the scouts and go with the Canadian out of the Western Hockey League.Īnze Kopitar could’ve been a Blue Jacket if MacLean hadn’t selected Brule in the 2005 NHL Draft. There have been plenty of swings and misses at the top of the draft for MacLean, none more notable than Alexandre Picard, Gilbert Brule, Nikolai Zherdev, and even Pascal Leclaire. However, it doesn’t excuse him of picking seven times in as many drafts in the top eight overall and only getting two real players in Nash and Derick Brassard. ![]() Make no mistake, Nash is the greatest Blue Jacket to date and MacLean made an easy choice in selecting the best player available. ![]() MacLean’s most notable triumph in the draft came in the form of a dominant junior player with the London Knights and first-overall pick of the 2002 NHL Draft in Rick Nash. (Photo by Dave Gainer/The Hockey Writers) You acquire top prospects to build your team around and eventually become competitive down the line, but MacLean largely came up short in his time with the Blue Jackets.ĭoug MacLean’s best pick in his tenure came in the 2002 NHL Draft by selecting Rick Nash. Related: Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson Trade RevisitedĪs an expansion franchise, you look to gather many high picks in the draft in your first three or four years in the league. When looking back on MacLean’s nine years with the organization and six years as acting general manager and president, drafting - especially drafting high - was the aspect as a general manager that he just couldn’t seem to get a good grip on. With MacLean getting his first crack at shaping a team from scratch, Columbus was hoping that he could have the same impact that he did with the Panthers in taking them to the Stanley Cup Final in short order. On this day in 2004, Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean announced that he was relinquishing head coaching duties for the club and named Gerard Gallant as the interim head coach #Hocke圓65 #CBJ /o9tpTDkTj5- Mike Commito January 1, 2020 ![]()
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