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The Pipeline Podcast: Draft Prep with Jeff Svoboda

·32 min·3 clips
Jeff Svoboda joins to reveal what he wants the Blue Jackets to do with their 14th and 20th picks in a draft without a clear top star.
The episode begins with host Dylan Tyrer introducing the show as the final pre-draft episode, joined by Blue Jackets Insider Jeff Svoboda. They set the stage by contrasting this year's draft with previous ones where the Blue Jackets had top-five picks like Adam Fantilli and Caden Lindstrom. Svoboda notes the 2025 draft lacks a consensus top prospect, with defenseman Matthew Schaefer potentially going first overall but limited by injury. He explains the Blue Jackets' picks at 14 and 20 mean they won't get NHL-ready players, leading to a strategy debate: best player available versus drafting for positional need. The conversation shifts to trade possibilities, with General Manager Don Waddell reportedly shopping the picks to improve the team now, given the Blue Jackets' strong prospect pool and cap space. They discuss the tight trade market, with few teams willing to sell veterans, making deals challenging. Specific prospect names emerge for pick 14, including defensemen Jackson Smith and Kashawn Aitchison, and forwards Linden Lakovich and Carter Bear, with size and physicality being themes. At pick 20, options broaden, with mentions of goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen and defenseman Sasha Boom. Svoboda shares his consensus top-32 rankings, highlighting tiers in the draft pool. The debate over drafting a goalie in the first round arises, with both hosts skeptical due to long development times and historical hit rates. They conclude by previewing live draft coverage and development camp, emphasizing how drafting builds team cores. The episode maintains an interview format focused on analysis and speculation.

As heard by us

A practical pre-draft look at whether Columbus should pick, package, or preserve flexibility.

The Pipeline Podcast reaches draft week with Columbus sitting at 14 and 20, and the useful question is not just who might be available there. It is how much those picks could let the Blue Jackets maneuver.

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Why you'd press play

You want Columbus' 14th and 20th picks framed before Friday's draft turns flexibility into decisions.

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