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BLUE JACKETS DRAFT NOTEBOOK

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Updated Jun 28, 2009 1:30 PM ET
     
 
Blue Jackets draft pick Kevin Lynch might have two hurdles to clear before he's really embraced by some Central Ohio fans. Lynch grew up in Grosse Pointe, Mich., an avid fan of the Detroit Red Wings who attended "tons of games" in Joe Louis Arena. If that's strike one, get ready for strike two. Lynch is also a rabid fan of Michigan, where he'll be a freshman this fall. How long might it take to endear himself to Blue Jackets' fans? "Once they get to see him play," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson predicted, "it will happen pretty quickly." Lynch, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound center, was the second-round choice of the Blue Jackets yesterday in the NHL draft in the Bell Centre. He was willing to denounce his support for the Red Wings the moment he pulled the Blue Jackets sweater over his head after he was selected. "I grew up watching the Blue Jackets and Red Wings play," Lynch said, "so this is definitely weird. "But I'm a Blue Jackets fan now. I mean, when a team thinks enough about you to draft you ..." But Lynch is not wavering on his support of Michigan. Asked if he would consider transferring to Ohio State, Lynch chuckled. "I don't know about that," he said. Howson wanted Lynch badly -- enough to trade the Blue Jackets' third-round pick (No. 62) and a fourth-round pick (No. 92) to the New York Islanders to move up to No. 56). He was ranked the 100th-best North American prospect by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, but the Blue Jackets had him among their top 40. "Kevin is a player we would have considered at No. 37 if we hadn't traded the pick (on Friday)," Howson said. "He would have been in the mix with two or three other guys at that spot. "We didn't think he was going to drop the five or six spots to us (at No. 62), so we said, 'Let's go.' Lynch described himself as a "gritty, two-way forward." "I've had to work for everything I've gotten," he said. "I've always exceeded people's expectations. "Now I've got a new challenge." Lynch spent the past two seasons in the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. This season, he had 18 goals and 19 assists in 54 games. "He faced a lot of really good competition this season," Blue Jackets director of Hockey operations Don Boyd said. "And he just kept getting better." Howson wanted to fortify the Blue Jackets' organizational depth at center and defense at the draft. He drafted four defensemen, a center and a right winger. "This is precisely the kind of center we wanted to add to our mix," Howson said. \ Offers ahead? The deadline for clubs to extend qualifying offers to restricted free agents is Monday. The Blue Jackets' restricted free agents are forwards Alexandre Picard, Michael Blunden, Petr Pohl and John Vigilante, defensemen Marc Methot, Aaron Rome, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Jonathan Sigalet, Jon Landry, Kyle Wharton and Trevor Hendrikx, and goaltender Dan LaCosta. Center Jiri Novotny, also a restricted free agent, has been told by the club that he won't be given a qualifying offer, making him a free agent July 1. \ Slap shots Five of the six players drafted by the Blue Jackets are expected to attend development camp beginning Monday. Blomqvist, who lives in Sweden, is the exception. ... Center Matt Duchene, drafted by Colorado with the No. 3 pick on Friday, is the nephew of former Blue Jackets assistant coach Newell Brown. ... Dave Rook is now free to join the Blue Jackets as goaltending coach. He had remained a Blues employee through the draft. aportzline@dispatch.com
Tagged: Red Wings

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