Columbus Blue Jackets 2025-26 Prospect Pyramid

Smith is heading to Penn State University this fall, which is a great fit development-wise alongside projected first-overall 2026 pickGavin McKenna. He has a chance to push up the defensive depth chart quickly with his two-way talent and be a top-pairing defenseman.

Marrelli is signed through 2027–28 and is expected to head to the Cleveland Monsters this season. He had a breakout season with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Oshawa Generals, posting 19 goals and 55 assists (74 points) in 67 games, then adding a historic 36 points in 21 playoff games. He’s a mobile, right-shot defenseman with good size and a knack for jumping into the play without giving up odd-man rushes. I have him as the best defensive prospect right now in Columbus’ system and could also become a top-pairing defenseman.

Pyotr Andreyanov was a surprise first-round pick at 20th overall, as most had him projected in the second or third round, but NHL Central Scouting had him ranked No. 1 among international goalies. He didn’t get any Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) time last season but was lights out in the MHL with a 23-6-6 record, 1.75 goals-against average (GAA), .942 save percentage (SV%), and three shutouts in 37 games. Recently, he had a good showing at the Blue Jackets Development Camp.

“He’s one of those guys who jumps off the screen right away on video. In Russia, especially in the numbers he was putting up in the league over there, dominating the way he did. You can only get so much by watching video. And so Jimmy (Viers) and I went down to that Gold Star camp. And the first day you see him on the ice, that guy’s different,” said goalie coach Brad Thiessen. “He’s got a presence about him on the ice that he looks like an NHL goalie when you see him right away. Then the game started happening, and then practicing the drills started happening. Everything is slow for him. It’s the way he reads the game and the way he thinks the game. He’s one step ahead of everybody all the time. That was something we were drawn to right away. It’s just as an 18-year-old kid, someone who can see the game the way he does. At that level, combined with his athletic ability. That was someone where we watched it for two days there.”

Even though he won’t be here for a while (five years), I like the long-term play from the staff.

Tier Three: Luca Del Bel Belluz, Luca Pinelli, Jack Williams, Owen Griffin, Oiva Keskinen, Malte Vass, Jérémy Loranger, Jordan Dumais, & Sergei Ivanov

Luca Del Bel Belluz played 15 NHL games during the injury bug in early 2025 and earned trust in big moments from head coach Dean Evason. He’s a smart, two-way center with middle-six upside and could make the roster as a depth contributor this season.

Luca Pinelli had 71 points in 52 OHL games and joined the Monsters for the Calder Cup Playoffs, adding four points in six games. He also represented Canada at the 2025 World Junior Championships. He’s a fourth-round steal who’s been outperforming his draft slot ever since 2023.

Jack Williams was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Northeastern University; he posted 41 points in 37 NCAA games last season and played one NHL game in the 2024–25 season finale. His maturity and motor skills give him a real shot at cracking the NHL roster as a full-time player sometime later this coming season, where I think he could be a middle-six forward. He is the perfect guy to have available to call up in case of injuries.

Owen Griffin was a breakout performer in the OHL playoffs, putting up 29 points in 21 games. He was a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft who plays a good 200-foot game and could be a middle-six centerman one day.

Oiva Keskinen had a good showing in the Liiga last season (35 points) and will head to Cleveland later this year. The 2023 seventh-rounder is a smart, versatile Finnish forward with depth scoring potential, and could very well end up as a steal from that draft.

Malte Vass is a physical, simple Swedish defender bound for Boston University. He’s not flashy, but he’s an effective stay-at-home guy who was picked in the third round of this year’s draft. He also had a great development camp earlier this month.

“I like to maybe get my hands dirty sometimes,” Vass said with a smile. “I always get in the corners. I want to win the puck and play it to my forwards. I’m best at that job, and that’s the job I want to do.”

Jérémy Loranger was the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) MVP last season, recording 119 points in 62 games. The Nebraska-Omaha commit had a very good development camp. Asked where that skill comes from, Loranger said, “I will say practice behind the scenes. Just working on my skills. I had to go to a private school when I was younger. The practice was just everyday skills, smaller games, and edges. I think that’s where I got that from.” He also shared that he had no idea Columbus was considering him in the draft: “They just drafted me and I like what they sell.”

When looking at his future development, I think it is going to be tough heading into the NCHC for him due to its physicality, but he just seems to have a knack for being in the right places at the right time. I think he could maybe surprise a lot of people, which is why I put him here in tier three.

Jordan Dumais returned from injury this past season and posted 11 points in 23 AHL games. He’ll need to regain his offensive rhythm, but his vision and creativity still flash. However, the 2022 third-round right-winger has a lot of untapped potential in my book and has shown good upside during his limited time at the professional level.

Sergei Ivanov spent last season on loan with HK Sochi in the KHL, the highest level of Russian hockey, and posted a 3.00 GAA and a .911 SV% across 38 games, with three shutouts and an 11-21-3 record on a struggling team. The Blue Jackets are expecting that Ivanov will come to North America after next season, most likely heading straight to Cleveland to start. He could be a backup option in a few years, possibly behind Jet Greaves. I don’t think Elvis Merzlikins is the guy long-term, so having a solid backup plan in Ivanov is great in my book.

Tier Four: Charlie Elick, Guillaume Richard, James Malatesta, Hunter McKown, Kirill Dolzhenkov, Victor Hedin Raftheim, Stanislav Svozil, William Whitelaw, Caleb MacDonald, Andrew Strathmann, Tanner Henricks, Luke Ashton, Aidan Hreschuk, Nolan Lalonde, Evan Gardner & Melvin Strahl

Charlie Elick was traded midseason to the Tri-City Americans (WHL), where he became teammates with Jackson Smith. Elick said, “Brandon was a great place for me to play. I loved it there. It was one of the best years of my life. It made me be able to get drafted by Columbus. So, I’m proud of that. Things are going to line up and eventually the trade got confirmed. They really liked me. They wanted me earlier before that. I think it was a good move. Playing with Smith and Terrell Goldsmith on that team was a good step because I knew the guys before. I think just growing in the role there and being a leader on that team helps for sure.” He’s a big, physical shutdown defender who will start in Cleveland this coming season.

Guillaume Richard signed after finishing his NCAA career at Providence College. He’s a steady, low-risk defender who could fill a third-pairing role in the future.

James Malatesta has played 13 NHL games and brings good energy. He’s a bottom-six contributor who can kill penalties and chip in offensively when injuries occur on the NHL squad moving forward.

Hunter McKown is still just 22 years old and coming off a full season in Cleveland, where he posted 31 points in 68 games, plus two points in six playoff contests. He’s a responsible, versatile forward who can play center or wing and has shown flashes of offensive upside. McKown fits the mold of a player who could be called up from Cleveland if injuries occur.

Kirill Dolzhenkov is a 21-year-old massive winger at 6-foot-6, 223 pounds, with limited KHL minutes so far but strong VHL production. He’s a long-term project with bottom-six potential that still remains unsigned.

Victor Hedin Raftheim, Columbus’s 2025 sixth-round pick, is a raw Swedish defender with size and mobility. He’ll stay in the Brynäs system in Sweden and work on refining his structure and reads.

Stanislav Svozil played two NHL games in the 2022-23 season and was solid in Cleveland last season. He’s a reliable two-way defender who could maybe earn a depth role soon.

William Whitelaw transferred to the University of Michigan this offseason from the University of Wisconsin. He’s a speedy and skilled forward, but needs to round out his game to make it in professional hockey.

Caleb MacDonald signed out of the University of North Dakota this offseason and adds size to the Cleveland blue line. He’s a depth piece with a physical edge, but he produced very little offensively in his two-season NCAA career. He has great size at 6-foot-4, 229 pounds, and could maybe be a depth piece one day in the NHL after developing at the AHL level.

Andrew Strathmann, a 20-year-old defenseman, is returning to the University of North Dakota for this coming season and hopefully can impress enough to earn an ELC next offseason. He only produced four points in 30 games last season, but played a solid, reliable defensive game in most games. I think he could maybe become a bottom-pairing defenseman on an NHL roster one day.

Tanner Henricks is a puck-moving defenseman committed to St. Cloud State. He’ll need time to develop, but the tools are there, and he has proven to be a two-way defenseman, recording 35 points in the United States Hockey League (USHL) this past season. I like the upside of him being in an elite conference like the NCHC.

Luke Ashton is transferring to Cornell University after a decent season for Minnesota State. He’s massive and plays a simple, physical game. He’ll need to improve his mobility and production to climb the depth chart, but could maybe one day find himself in a depth role at the NHL level.

Aidan Hreschuk’s rights are still held after his fourth season at Boston College ended last season. I am unsure of what the plan is with him moving forward. He could maybe be a future depth piece down the road if he is signed.

Nolan Lalonde is turning pro after a decent OHL season. He was traded to the Soo Greyhounds and finished strong. “Everyone’s development path is different,” said a team staffer. “We felt like last year it was best for him to go back to junior. He had a good year in junior. Late in the year, I think he played his best hockey with them. I’m excited about him coming into pro now. He’s come a long way in terms of his skating and his off-ice habits and just the way his body is athletically.”

Evan Gardner had a decent WHL season and signed with Columbus in March. He played one game for the Monsters at the end of the season and credited his time with goalie coach Thiessen for building confidence. “Getting into that game was great for my confidence and kind of reassuring me that I’m able to compete at that level right now,” Gardner said. “I got to learn from a guy like Jet who was lights out to end the season here. To watch him and be around him all the time down there was awesome for me. He was great to me.” The staff added, “There are definitely some ups and downs for him… He came back strong at the end of the season. It was awesome to have him in Cleveland. He gets a front row seat to see a guy like Jet and how he prepares and goes about his business.”

Melvin Strahl is headed to Michigan State after a strong USHL regular season in Youngstown, but had a rough two Clark Cup Playoff games.

“The schools were all over him,” said a team source. “Going to Michigan State is going to be a perfect opportunity. He’s going to be in a situation where the team that they’re building, every day in practice, he’s going up against the best of the best.” Strahl will compete with Trey Augustine for playing time and is already restarting his summer program with the Spartans. “It gives him the opportunity to work on some things off ice and on ice. I’m excited about his path there.”

Strahl likely won’t see much playing time this coming season behind a brick wall in Augustine, but I do like the long-term development track at Michigan State.

Tier Five: Max McCue, Corson Ceulemans, Nikolai Makarov, & James Fisher

Max McCue had eight points in 46 AHL games. He’s a checking-line candidate but needs more offense to stick. He will most likely be a long-term AHL player.

Corson Ceulemans has all the tools but hasn’t put them together. This is a make-or-break year in Cleveland. If he can find consistency, he could push for NHL time down the road, but it is unlikely. For a first-round, 25th-overrall pick in 2021, he has been very disappointing from a production standpoint.

Nikolai Makarov’s rights are still held, but he’s unlikely to sign. He’s buried in the KHL’s CSKA system and hasn’t shown much progression in the VHL. At 22 years old, he will most likely go unsigned.

James Fisher is a long shot with no clear development path. He’s a depth forward who’ll need a breakout year at Northeastern University to stay on the radar and earn a chance at an ELC.

That was a lot of players to cover, but when looking over this pyramid as a whole, the Blue Jackets have built a deep prospect pool. It’ll be fun to see which of these guys takes the next step this season.