The Columbus Blue Jackets [http://thn.com/columbus] found out where they would land in the upcoming NHL Draft, and to no one's surprise, they didn't win the lottery. For the second straight year, they will pick #14, and for the second straight year, they might actually get lucky. Welcome to draft speculation season, where we will talk about all the potential draft targets for the CBJ. Could someone fall to them at #14, or will they reach for a player who is projected to be lower? Who know, but it's fun to speculate. So, here we go. Target: Simas Ignatavicius - Memphis, TN, USA by way of Lithuania Born: Oct 22, 2007 Height/Weight: 6'3" - 198 lbs. 2026 Team: Genève-Servette HC - Switzerland Position: Left Shot Forward 2025-26 Stats With Genève-Servette HC: 13 points in 52 games in the top Swiss league. THN Ranking: 31st - Ferrari NHL Central Scouting: Ranked 10th among international skaters. What Scouts Have Seen * Physicality and Board Play: Ignatavičius excels at using his massive frame along the wall. According to film evaluation from Elite Prospects, he possesses an advanced sense of leverage, dropping his back and hips into defenders to eliminate stick-lifts and protect the puck during cycle plays. * Net-Front Presence: He is a constant menace in front of the crease. He uses his strength to screen goaltenders, hunt greasy rebounds, and tip pucks in high-traffic areas. * Shooting Threat: He possesses a heavy, NHL-caliber release. His one-timer and hard wrist shots make him a potent threat from the weak-side flank on power plays. * Defensive Awareness & Motor: He plays an incredibly structured 200-foot game. Ignatavičius tracks back diligently, consistently stays above the puck, and uses a long, effective defensive stick to force turnovers. Scouts rave about his high work ethic and relentless forechecking. Weaknesses & Areas for Development * Dynamic Foot Speed: While he is an efficient skater in open ice, he lacks an elite separation burst or sudden acceleration. This became more apparent when transitioning from the Swiss SL to the faster pace of the NL. * Inconsistent Physical Edge: Despite his imposing size, scouts note that he does not always play with a "mean" or overly aggressive edge. He favors containment and calculated positioning over throwing crushing open-ice hits. * Playmaking Creation: When playing against men in top leagues, his offensive game simplifies significantly. He defaults to safe, risk-averse passing rather than trying to single-handedly engineer high-danger scoring sequences. What Scouts Are Saying SportsNet [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/scouts-analysis-latest-ranking-of-nhls-2026-draft-class/]- "Ignatavicius is a dual American/Lithuanian citizen who’s been developing at the U20 and pro levels in Switzerland. He’s an interesting prospect who contributed 7G-4A in his first eight games at Thurgau while seeing between 16-19 minutes of ice time. Ignatavicius is an excellent skater in open ice and equal parts shooter/distributor." "He’s especially creative on the power play, working off the weak side flank and up top in the offensive zone. When Ignatavicius isn’t producing offence, he makes sure he’s above the play and tracking the entire 200 feet." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14. Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwm-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] and never miss a story. Let us know what you think below. For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
