Jackets Select Voracek With First Pick
By Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired
Photos by Tom Theodore & Dave Weissman

Scott Howson made his first official act as general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets by picking Jakub Voracek of the Halifax Mooseheads with the seventh pick in the 2007 National Hockey League Draft at Nationwide Arena.

“It’s a unbelievable feeling,” Voracek said. “It’s a treat being picked in front of all of the (Columbus) fans. It was my dream to be drafted by an NHL team. I think (Columbus) is a really nice city and a nice rink”

Voracek is a skilled right-winger who scored 23 goals and had 63 assists (86 points) for Halifax, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. He has been compared to fellow Czech Republic native Jaromir Jagr and is a solid two-way player, a fast skater and has great passing ability.

TSN out of Canada says that Voracek is more of a playmaker, rather than a natural goal scorer. He’s a smart player and can play all three forward positions. He can also run the point on the power play.

The Jackets had a chance to move up and down in the draft to select Voracek, but stayed put and the gamble paid off.

“There were seven players on our list that we were comfortable with,” Howson said. “We thought about moving up, but we decided to roll the dice and keep the extra pick that it would have cost to move up.”

Howson said that this is the first step in building the Jackets into the championship franchise that he discussed when he was hired a week ago. Voracek, who will turn 18 in August, will play for Halifax this season according to the general manager.

“I’d like to be ready (to play in the NHL) within the next year,” Voracek said. “I’ve worked really hard and we’ll see what happens in September. I hope I’ll be ready; if not, I’ll be back in Halifax.”

When Voracek eventually joins the Blue Jackets, he will have two fellow Czechs David Vyborny and Rostislov Klesla. Another former Mooseheads player, Pascal Leclaire, also plays for Columbus.

He was awarded the 2007 Michel-Bergeron award as the QMHJL’s Top Offensive Rookie and set a new Halifax franchise assist mark, surpassing Dallas’ Ladislav Nagy.

Howson said that he has seen Voracek play several times and is impressed by his skills.

“I saw him play in a junior tournament, as a 17-year-old playing against 19- and 20-year-olds,” Howson. “He held his own in that tournament. I also had the opportunity to see him play in a (GMJHL) playoff game and he had the puck all the time and he really showed he could do. He has great vision.”

Columbus has the following picks remaining in the draft, which will conclude Saturday at Nationwide Arena: second round (37th and 53rd), third round (68th), fifth round (128th, 129th, 149th), sixth round (158th) and a conditional pick in the seventh round from Anaheim (211th).