After seeing the Blackhawks draft Connor Bedard and the Ducks cause a surprise by drafting Leo Carlsson second overall, the Blue Jackets stepped up to complete the podium.
And Columbus wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to draft a guy like Adam Fantilli.
WELCOME TO COLUMBUS, ADAM FANTILLI! @mhl | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/EVwrR9uGMS
– Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) June 28, 2023
For the Habs, it made no difference at this point. After all, three center players for three center players was pretty much the same thing, let’s face it.
That’s not what it was all about.
We all knew that Columbus wanted a center. So it’s no surprise, at this point, that the best center available was taken by the Ohio outfit.
The opposite would have been surprising.
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That’s where it changed for the CH. After all, if Will Smith, Matvei Michkov or any other guy was selected, that’s when the Habs would react by making a trade or keeping the prized pick.
So the Sharks took Will Smith.
Will Smith is the Sharks’ 4th overall pick in the NHL draft! pic.twitter.com/IJ5lzoI96z
– RDS (@RDSca) June 28, 2023
Details to come…