Dealing in the Years

Columbus 2003 Draft Recap

by Jeff Parzych

Heading into this past weekends' 2003 NHL Entry Draft, hope abounded for all teams participating. Now that the draft has concluded that optimism has increased ten-fold. Every club views their selections with rose colored glasses, each confident that the thousands of hours spent scouting the eligible players will yield a bumper crop. Reality may set in a few years down the road, but for now it is smiles all around.

For the Columbus Blue Jackets, those optimistic feelings may actually be warranted. The Jackets had what appears to be a very successful draft. It started when the player they had pegged has the number one prospect in the entire draft fell to them at number four overall and only got better from there.

All and all Columbus was able to add ten fresh faces to their organizational depth chart. In the upcoming paragraphs we will take a look at every selection made by the Jackets in 2003. We will give a brief synopsis of that player, tell you where he stood heading into the draft, and also discuss the probability of that player ever wearing a Crunch sweater.

Columbus 2003 Entry Draft Selections:

Round One, 4 Overall---Nikolai Zherdev

Position: Right Wing

Height/Weight: 6’0”, 176

DOB: November 5, 1984

Last Season’s Stat Line: 44 games, 24 points (12g,12a), 34 pims with Central Army (Russian Elite League)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Central Scouting-- Number 1, European Skaters. The Hockey News--Number 4 Overall. Red Line Report--Number 3 Overall.

For the second straight year the Jackets left the draft with the player who they believed was the best player available. Zherdev is looked upon by many as the most complete offensive player in the draft. Just electric with world class speed. Red Line Report described this young Ukranian winger as having the most magical hands in the draft and compared him to Alexei Kovalev. Barring any tragedy, given time, the combo of Nash and Zherdev should prove to be quite potent for years to come.

Crunch Sighting?

It has been reported that Columbus will do everything they can to sign him, but will not be the least bit disappointed is he returns to play another season in the Russian Elite League where he will coached by Russian legend Viktor Tikhonov. Even if he does sign, age restrictions prohibit him from playing in the AHL until November of 2004. By that time he will most likely be skating in Columbus, joining Rusty Klesla and Rick Nash, as former Columbus first round selections who bypassed the American Hockey League.

Round Two, 46 Overall---Dan Fritsche

Position: Center

Height/Weight: 6’ 1”, 193

DOB: July 13, 1985

Last Season’s Stat Line: 61 Games, 71 Points (32g,39a), 79 pims with Sarnia (OHL)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Central Scouting--10, North American Skaters. The Hockey News--27 Overall. Red Line Report--19 Overall.

Fritsche falls in the category as “high risk, high reward”. What you might expect when you tab a player who was ranked as high as 19th overall by Red Line Report with the 46th overall selection. The question on this young center is not whether he has talent or not. Most agree that he does. The knock on Fritsche has been injuries on his shoulders that have forced this Ohio native to have three screws inserted in both shoulders. If he can stay healthy, he has an upside as a very solid performer who has great hockey sense.

Crunch Sighting:

Like Zherdev and most 2003-draft candidates, age restrictions will prohibit Fritsche from competing in the AHL until the 2005 season. At that point, depending on his progress in junior, Fritsche may spend a season or two adjusting to the professional game in Syracuse.

Round Three, 71 Overall---Dmitri Kosmachev

Position: Defense

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 205

DOB: June 7, 1985

Last Season’s Stat Line: 27 games, 0 points, 2 pims with Central Army (Russian Elite League)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Central Scouting--Number 11, European Skaters. The Hockey News--33 Overall. Red Line Report--42 Overall

Columbus may have selected the steal of the third round when they tabbed Kosmachev with the 71st selection overall. Teammate of Columbus’s first round selection Nik Zherdev with CSKA Moscow. Both the Red Line Report and The Hockey News describe this young blueliner as Russia’s top defensive prospect. He really has shown improvement over the last year and many feel it is just a sign of things to come. Projected to be solid number 3 or 4 defenseman.

Crunch Sighting:

Just like the Jackets two earlier selections, Kosmachev is at least two years removed from any opportunity to show his wares in Syracuse. However, when he does meet the age requirements, a stint with the Crunch may be very beneficial to this young defenseman.

Round Four, 103 Overall--Kevin Jarman

Position: Left Wing

Height/Weight: 6’0, 184

DOB: March 12, 1985

Last Season’s Stat Line: 46 games, 79 points (43g,36a), 51 pims with Stouffville (Ontario Junior A)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Central Scouting--99, North American Skaters. The Hockey News--Not Rated. Red Line Report--Not Rated

May be considered a reach by the Jackets considering his pre-draft rankings. Epitome of a prospect for Columbus. Jarman will be a freshman next season at UMass where he will team with Greg Mauldin, the Jackets 10th selection, 199 overall in the 2002 draft. He has good frame and will likely fill out over the next few seasons in Massachusetts.

Crunch Sighting:

Jarman is the type of prospect who has a very good chance of honing his skills at the AHL level. He is likely to spend at least two seasons at UMass before entertaining any thoughts of turning pro.

Round Four, 104 Overall--Philippe Dupuis

Position: Center

Height/Weight: 6’0”, 192

DOB: April 24, 1985

Last Season’s Stat Line: 68 games, 56 points (22g,34a), 89 penalty minutes with Hull (QMJHL)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Central Scouting--56, North American Skaters. The Hockey News--Not Rated.

Red Line Report--96 Overall

Dupuis is known as a solid overall player who does not excel at any one thing. Has proven he can score at the junior level and has shown improvement over his two seasons with Hull. Early projections have Dupuis filling a first or second line role down the line.

Crunch Sighting:

Like Jarman, Dupuis is a prime candidate to play in the AHL at some point. He will spend at least two more seasons in juniors and even possibly a third before giving hockey a shot for a living.

Round Five, 138 Overall--Arsi Piispanen

Position: Right Wing

Height/Weight: 6’ 3”, 163

DOB: July 23, 1985

Last Season’s Stat Line: 32 games, 17 points (8g,9a), 8 pims with Jokerit (Finland Junior League)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Central Scouting--25, European Skaters. The Hockey News--Not Rated. Red Line Report--128 Overall

The one number that just jumps out at you on Piispanen is 163 pounds. Talk about needing to grow into his frame. He literally needs to live in the weight room for the next two seasons if he entertains any thought of playing in North America at some point. He does have a decent upside if he is successful at putting on weight.

Crunch Sighting:

Like many of Columbus’s foreign selections over the last few years, the chances of Piispanen donning a Crunch sweater are significantly less than his North American counterparts. He seems to be a real reach by the Jackets. Interested to see if he ever leaves Finland.

Round Six, 168 Overall--Marc Methot

Position: Defense

Height/Weight: 6’2, 196

DOB: June 21, 1985

Last Season’s Stat Line: 68 games, 15 points (2g,13a), 46 pims with London (OHL)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Not Rated by any of the major scouting services.

Another selection that may be considered a reach by the Jackets. Methot just finished his first season with London of the OHL Shows some promise. Will need to show marked improvement over his next few seasons in junior to warrant a contract.

Crunch Sighting:

Methot seems to be in the same class as former Jacket selections Scott Heffernan and Cole Jarrett. Will he be like the latter and end up not ever being offered a contract of like the former and work his way up the professional ladder. Time will tell.

Round Seven, 200 Overall---Alexander Gusjkov

Position: Defense

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 202

DOB: November 26, 1976

Last Season’s Stat Line: 48 games, 27 points (10g,17a), 32 pims with Yaroslavl (Russian Hockey League)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Not Rated

No that is not a misprint. Gusjkov is 27 years old. He also is a smooth skater who is talented enough to possibly play on the power play. If he impresses in camp, Gusjkov may plug one of the many holes on the Jacket blueline.

Crunch Sighting:

There is good news and bad news on Gusjkov. The good news is that Gusjkov is close to signing a contract to join the Columbus organization this season. The bad news is that contract is expected to have a clause that will allow Gusjkov to return to Russia if he doesn’t make the Jackets. Surprise, surprise.

Round Eight, 233 Overall--Mathieu Gravel

Position: Left Wing

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 195

DOB: October 19, 1984

Last Season’s Stat Line: 72 games, 50 points (24g,26a), 60 pims with Shawinigan (QMJHL)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Central Scouting--110, North American Skaters, The Hockey News--Not Rated. Red Line Report--212 Overall.

It has been reported Columbus was very intriqued by this young wingers size. Add to that his willingness to play a physical game and they could have the makings of a solid sleeper.

Crunch Sighting:

Gravel very well may be the first player from this entry draft to skate with the Crunch. He will be eligible to play in the AHL shortly after the 2004 season begins. Reported by the Columbus Dispatch that Columbus feels he may be ready to compete at the NHL level by 2005-06. It only makes sense that he is introduced to the pro game some time before that.

Round Nine, 283 Overall---Trevor Hendrikx

Position: Defense

Height/Weight: 6’1”, 200

DOB: March 29, 1985

Last Season’s Stat Line: 56 games, 9 points (1g,8a), 128 pims with Peterborough (OHL)

Pre-Draft Rankings: Not Rated

Columbus must have seen something in this young forward. They traded a ninth round selection in the 2004 Entry Draft to the Los Angeles Kings for the opportunity to select Hendrikx. Telling stat for Hendrikx is the 128 penalty minutes. Despite his size, if he is to play as a professional it may be as an enforcer.

Crunch Sighting:

May just be the heir apparent for Trevor Ettinger as an enforcer in Syracuse. Better yet, maybe a second line pugilist who watches the back of the top hired gun. Either way, if he ever does play in Syracuse chances are fans are going to love him.