2025-26 Columbus Blue Jackets Top Prospects

Scott Wheeler
The Athletic
Mar. 24th, 2026
Wes Crosby
NHL.com
Aug. 7th, 2025
Chris Babos
Dobber Prospects
Aug. 4th, 2025
Steven Ellis
Daily Faceoff
July 16th, 2025
1 Jackson Smith (LHD) Cayden Lindstrom (F) Cayden Lindstrom Cayden Lindstrom (C)
2 Pyotr Andreyanov (G) Jackson Smith (D) Pyotr Andreyanov Jackson Smith (LHD)
3 Cayden Lindstrom (C) Pyotr Andreyanov (G) Jackson Smith Pyotr Andreyanov (G)
4 Sergei Ivanov (G) Luca Del Bel Belluz (F) Luca Del Bel Belluz Luca Del Bel Belluz (C)
5 Jordan Dumais (RW) Jordan Dumais (F) Charlie Elick Jet Greaves (G)
6 Luca Pinelli (C) Stanislav Svozil Jordan Dumais (RW)
7 Luca Del Bel Belluz (C) Jordan Dumais Stanislav Svozil (LHD)
8 Luca Marrelli (RHD) Mikael Pyyhtia Luca Marrelli (RHD)
9 Evan Gardner (G) Sergei Ivanov Evan Gardner (G)
10 Charlie Elick (RHD) Luca Pinelli Charlie Elick (RHD)

** Different sites can use different criteria for determining who is still a prospect. Also, for Dobber Prospect lists they take a fantasy hockey approach – prospects whose current trajectory projects them making the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL.

Jackson Smith – Elite skating (scouts rated it 10/10), elite puck-moving, high hockey IQ, and creativity that leads to incredible plays. He’s a chameleon: one moment leading the rush, the next using physicality and smothering opponents. He gets into lanes, is positionally smart, doesn’t give up on puck battles, and can skate his way back into any play.

Cayden Lindstrom – Massive, physical forward who doesn’t sacrifice skill or smarts. He’s a fearless, inventive, inside-driven puck carrier, willing to bury shoulder while darting down the wing or swashbuckling through defenders between the hashmarks. His powerful shot, aggressive style, and ability to dominate around the net make him desirable.

Pyotr Andreyanov  – Andreyanov has rapidly become one of the highest-regarded goalie prospects in hockey. Several prospect analysts now rank him among the top five drafted goaltending prospects outside the NHL. His biggest selling point is explosive movement. He gets post-to-post quickly, recovers well after initial saves, and can make difficult second-effort stops that many goalies cannot.

Jordan Dumais – Considered one of the top prospects in the system with one of the highest ceilings of all Blue Jackets prospects. He’s a cerebral attacker whose vision allows him to see plays well before they develop. Elite hockey IQ, seamless transition to AHL despite missed time, still scoring effectively.

Luca Del Bel Belluz – Del Bel Belluz has quietly become one of the most NHL-ready forwards in the Blue Jackets system. He led Cleveland offensively and has produced at nearly a point-per-game pace in the AHL over the last two seasons. He posted 58 points in 55 AHL games in 2025-26 after scoring 53 points in 61 games the year before. Among Columbus prospects, he’s probably the player most likely to earn a full-time NHL role next season

2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Draft Picks

Rd.  # Player Pos. Team Ht. Wt.
1 14 Jackson Smith LHD Tri-City (WHL) 6′ 4″ 199
1 20 Pyotr Andreyanov G CSKA Jr. (RUS) 6′ 0″ 207
3 76 Malte Vass D Farjestad J20 (SWE) 6′ 3″ 195
5 160 Owen Griffin C Oshawa (OHL) 5’10” 160
6 173 Victor Raftheim D Brynas Jr. (SWE-Jr.) 6′ 4″ 181
7 198 Jeremy Loranger C Sherwood Park (BCHL) 5′ 9″ 161

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2025-26 Critical Dates

Apr. 16: Regular Season Ends
Apr. 18: Stanley Cup Playoffs begin
May 5th?: 2026 NHL Draft Lottery
June 21: Last possible day for 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
June 26-27: 2026 NHL Draft
July 1: Free agency begins (12 p.m. ET)