The Columbus Blue Jackets wrapped up their draft along with everyone else and most feel as though they're in a very good position. Of course, that's not necessarily due to the draft as a whole, but more so due to the fact that they grabbed Ryan Murray with the No. 2 overall pick.
Murray is an excellent defenseman and will likely be playing at the top level sooner rather than later. But Murray almost didn't go to the Blue Jackets. According to the Columbus Dispatch, with a H/T to the SB Nation mothership, the Blue Jackets were almost involved in a terrible trade with the New York Islanders.
It's terrible due to how ludicrous the whole thing was. The Islanders were going to send their entire draft to Columbus for the right to draft Murray at No. 2. It's absolutely insane that New York felt that Murray was worth picks No. 4, 34, 65, 103, 125, 155 and 185, but do you know what's even more insane?
The fact that the Blue Jackets felt that Murray was worth more. Many had Nail Yakupov as the top pick in the draft. Rather - everybody had Yakupov as the top pick in the draft. Except for, apparently, the Blue Jackets, who reportedly would have taken Murray over Yakupov, and apparently over seven other draft picks.
It really is crazy to think that Columbus wouldn't be willing to drop two spots to get all those other picks, but at the very least, they walked away with their guy. Or did they? As The Columbus Dispatch reports that the Blue Jackets fired four scouts immediately following the draft. Brian Bates, Andrew Shaw, Artem Telepin and John Williams were let go.
Needless to say, nobody really has any idea what the Blue Jackets are doing.
For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can check out more hockey news from around the league at SB Nation's NHL page.