Columbus Blue Jackets draft defenseman Charlie Elick with No. 36 pick
The Columbus Blue Jackets got bigger and faster on the blue line at the 2024 NHL entry draft by selecting Charlie Elick of the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings with the No. 36 pick.
Elick is a monster athlete with pro-level skating in a 6’3, 200 lb frame. His combination of size and speed makes him a devastating open-ice hitter, and his highlight reel from the ‘W’ is full of bone-jarring checks even fully-grown NHLers would be smart to avoid.
🎥CHARLIE ELICK – HIGHLIGHT REEL🎥
From June 28-29, The Sphere will be powered by Elick-tricity.@bdnwheatkings | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/Rj5YNz0nSK
Though a physical specimen of Elick’s caliber would have gone higher in years without so many potential top pair defensemen on offer, he is at times caught out of position in pursuit of big hits. His physicality and ability to battle for position in front of the net make him well worth that risk for Columbus.
Scouts also got a glimpse of Elick’s defensive chops at the 2024 IIHF U-18 World Championship in Finland, where the Calgary native played a top-four role as Canada took the gold. Elick had three assists in seven games.
Though he’s unlikely to ever lead a power-play unit, the 18-year-old collected four goals and 27 points in 65 regular-season games, a respectable sampling given his shutdown potential. When he returns to Brandon next season, learning to assert himself on offense will be at the top of his to-do list.
Elick doesn’t have the gamebreaking qualities of some of his peers, but his skating and size make him a safe bet to log big minutes in the show. Colton Parayko has logged taken on tough matchups for the better part of a decade using those attributes, and if Elick turns out anything like him, he’ll have a long and fruitful career as a top-four D-man.
Given where they drafted him, that would be excellent value for the Blue Jackets.