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Cayden Lindstrom, Columbus Blue Jackets (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Blue Jackets’ Lindstrom Makes Right Call Heading to NCAA

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By William Espy | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 12:50 PM ET

Cayden Lindstrom is officially heading to Michigan State University. After a postseason return to the Canadian Hockey League for Medicine Hat Tigers, the Columbus Blue Jackets prospect opted to leave the Canadian Junior hockey system and make his collegiate commitment official. The announcement confirmed a long-time rumor that he’d be one of the many big names moving to the NCAA for the 2025-26 season.

The Blue Jackets drafted Lindstrom with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and haven’t been able to see him much since as he spent the entirety of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) regular season and the beginning of the playoffs recovering from back surgery. As a result, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the 19-year-old forward; however, his performance in the WHL playoffs showed some promise. He recorded four points in four games against the Spokane Chiefs but was held without a point in the Memorial Cup.

Right Call for Lindstrom’s Health

There are a few reasons why it seems obvious that Lindstrom has made the best decision for his career by opting to go the college route rather than standing pat in the WHL. While the CHL has traditionally had an abundance of higher-end talent, including the current projected first-overall pick in 2026, Gavin McKenna, many are considering making the jump to the NCAA. Add in the fact that collegiate players are slightly older, which makes it a tougher league for young players, and it seems like the perfect place for a player like Lindstrom to develop moving forward.

Coming off a major back injury, it’ll be important for Lindstrom to ease his way back into playing on a regular basis. This is another important benefit for him moving to the NCAA, as he’ll play half of the regular season games as he would in the WHL. He’ll have more time to rest over the course of the season, which will limit the chance of him reaggravating the injury, which could be detrimental to his long-term potential.

When speaking to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Lindstrom stated, “The travel is so much easier (in college). The facilities (in East Lansing) are great. It’ll help me recover my body and put me in a position to have a really long career.” (from, ‘Blue Jackets prospect Cayden Lindstrom looks forward to ‘long career,’ with his next stop at Michigan State,’ The Athletic, June 5, 2025.)

Closer to Columbus, AHL Possibilities

While Lindstrom plays just a single state away, Blue Jackets management will be able to keep an eye on him much easier than if he returned to the Medicine Hat Tigers. This will allow them to check in with him more regularly and watch him more in a season that will be key for his development.

The one major question that still needs to be addressed is whether or not his move to the NCAA will affect his ability to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) or not. Under the prior agreement, players in the CHL were ineligible to play in the AHL until they turned 20 years old or met specific eligibility criteria. The NCAA, on the other hand, didn’t have an agreement of that nature, and as a result, players were eligible for the AHL as 18-year-olds. If Lindstrom becomes eligible for the AHL and stays healthy, that could lead to an interesting decision for management following the NCAA season.

Overall, the NCAA’s stature in hockey is growing quickly, and the league is going to get more and more competitive. Allowing Lindstrom to play fewer games as he bounces back from a major injury while playing in a more difficult league seems like the perfect mixture for a prospect’s development. While there are some specifics that will need to be worked out, it seems clear that he made the right decision all things considered.