Pierre-Luc Dubois

The third overall pick in the 2016 draft acquitted himself well as the Blue Jackets' No. 1 center, scoring 27 goals and 61 points while playing all 82 games for the second straight season. Dubois plays a physical two-way game -- he's dished triple-digit hits in each of his two NHL campaigns -- but he's proving to be much more than just a forward who can chip in some complementary offense now and then. His off-the-charts hockey IQ and all-around skill set helps make his linemates better, and he's quickly become the player coach John Tortorella trusts the most. The Columbus offense is expected to take a major step backwards this season following the departure of Artemi Panarin, but if Dubois can continue his development, the club could once again surprise.

While it's still too early to make any definitive statements on the matter, so far, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen looks like a genius for grabbing Dubois as the third overall pick in 2016 rather than the expected selection, Jesse Puljujarvi. Dubois had an outstanding campaign as a teenager, finishing in the top 10 in rookie scoring with 20 goals and 48 points. He showed a physical edge to his game that should only grow as he matures and gets stronger, and his two-way play was a perfect fit for John Tortorella's system. Dubois averaged nearly two minutes of ice time with the man advantage last season, and his offensive role could increase in 2018-19, especially if Artemi Panarin ends up in another uniform at some point. While sophomore slumps are rarely predictable, Dubois is as well-positioned to avoid one as any player in his cohort.

The third overall pick in 2016 started off last season slowly in the QMJHL, but racked up nine goals and 22 points in 19 playoff games and seems ready to make the leap to the pros. The Blue Jackets have a need at center, and in the long term they're hoping Dubois can develop into a strong two-way player up the middle, but as a rookie he could find himself seeing limited minutes and bouncing between the center and left wing as the 19-year-old acclimates to the NHL.