2025-26 Columbus Blue Jackets Top Prospects

McKeen’s Hockey
May 2nd, 2026
Scott Wheeler
The Athletic
Mar. 24th, 2026
Wes Crosby
NHL.com
Aug. 7th, 2025
Chris Babos
Dobber Prospects
Aug. 4th, 2025
1 Jackson Smith (LHD) Jackson Smith (LHD) Cayden Lindstrom (F) Cayden Lindstrom
2 Cayden Lindstrom (C) Pyotr Andreyanov (G) Jackson Smith (D) Pyotr Andreyanov
3 Pyotr Andreyanov (G) Cayden Lindstrom (C) Pyotr Andreyanov (G) Jackson Smith
4 Luca Del Bel Belluz (C) Sergei Ivanov (G) Luca Del Bel Belluz (F) Luca Del Bel Belluz
5 Luca Marrelli (RHD) Jordan Dumais (RW) Jordan Dumais (F) Charlie Elick
6 Luca Pinelli (C) Luca Pinelli (C) Stanislav Svozil
7 Jordan Dumais (RW) Luca Del Bel Belluz (C) Jordan Dumais
8 William Whitelaw (RW) Luca Marrelli (RHD) Mikael Pyyhtia
9 Sergei Ivanov (G) Evan Gardner (G) Sergei Ivanov
10 Evan Gardner (G) Charlie Elick (RHD) Luca Pinelli

** 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

2026 Columbus Blue Jackets Draft Picks

Round No. Player Pos. Team Ht. Wt.
1 14 Oscar Hemming LW Boston College (NCAA) 6′ 4″ 204
3 94 Alessandro DiIorio C Sarnia (OHL) 6′ 1′ 195
4 121 Evan Jardine LW Youngstown (USHL) 6′ 0″ 185
5 142 Parker Snell G Edmonton (WHL) 6′ 2″ 176
6 182 Anttoni Uronen C HIFK (FIN) 6′ 0″ 201
6 185 Jonas Woo D Medicine Hat (WHL) 5′ 9″ 175
7 206 Filip Novak LW Sparta Jr (CZE Jr) 6′ 2″ 206

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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)