If Arizona didn’t take Noah Hanifin, the Blue Jackets were interested in moving up to pick four, according to the recent Jackets TV video. The Leafs price was very high asking for pick eight along with all of the Blue Jackets second round picks, 34, 38 and 58.
GM Jarmo Kekalainen seriously considered making this move but felt the gap between Hanifin and Zach Werenski was “so close… that he decided to keep his picks and risk it.
This was a well calculated risk. Jarmo mentioned that there was a “77% chance we get the other guy (assumed to be Werenski), and get four guys.… That was his “only hesitation,… or else this would have been a done deal.
I fully agree with this assessment. I've written before that I don’t think the gap between Hanifin and Werenski is that large and most definitely was not worth giving up three second round picks.
Had this trade happened though the ramifications would have been huge. Columbus presumably would have taken Hanifin at four leaving Mitch Marner for the Hurricanes at five. Having dealt pick 34 would have meant Columbus would not have been able to move up to spot 29 and select Gabriel Carlsson. They also wouldn’t have selected Paul Bittner at 38 and Kevin Stenlund at 58.
The Leafs would have a got a whole pile of picks and with the way they traded picks at the draft who knows what would have happened there.
Other Notables
Had both of Hanifin and Werenski been gone it sounded like Jarmo would have been fine picking a forward at eight.
Carolina had no interest at all in moving down. So much so that Jarmo didn’t even bother calling them.
Jarmo was interested in moving up to pick six but the asking price from Ray Shero and the Devils was pick eight, along with 34 and 129.
Philly had a chance to move down to nine and were willing to give a third to Columbus to reveal who they were taking. Sounds like Ron Hextall thought the Jackets were taking “the Finn,… assumed to be Mikko Rantanen.
If you haven’t seen the video I would recommend checking it out. You can find it on the Blue Jackets Website here.