2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Columbus Blue Jackets’ Top 10

Jul 16, 2026, 10:30 EDT

2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Columbus Blue Jackets’ Top 10

Credit: Steven Ellis

Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses, and so much more.

Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under, have played fewer than 15 games in the past season, or have not spent significant time in the NHL overall over a three-year period.

Today, we’re breaking down the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets are in a weird spot right now.

On one hand, their prospect pipeline is mid at best. There’s definitely some value and some opportunities for guys to outperform early expectations. But it’s not an entirely deep pipeline full of surefire NHL prospects. And then there’s the big club that simply just can’t get it done when it matters, and never seems to be a true playoff contender. Some of that is due to circumstances out of their control, such as the tragic passing of Johnny Gaudreau.

At some point, though, something will need to change to help them get back to the postseason. I’m just not sure their current farm system can produce enough talent to make that happen. That being said, I actually do like a lot of the prospects they have. I think they have solid goaltending, and there are a few offensive talents who, if they reach their full potential, could give the team some solid depth scoring.

I wish the Blue Jackets could have made a bigger splash at the 2026 NHL Draft. While Oscar Hemming is a solid prospect, it would have been more beneficial for them to have moved that pick + extra assets to get some immediate help. I don’t doubt GM Don Waddell tried; it’s just a shame that they couldn’t find what they needed.

Biggest Strength

For a second straight year, I’m going with goaltending. Jet Greaves already made the move up to the NHL, and has established himself as one of the best young netminders in the world (with a realistic shot at representing Canada at the next World Cup). Then, there’s Pyotr Andreyanov, whom the team took in the first round in 2025. He didn’t get a ton of high-level action this past year, but, fundamentally, his game is in a good spot. Two other netminders appear on this list: Sergei Ivanov and Evan Gardner. Both look like future long-term tandem options for the Blue Jackets. Having this much goaltending depth puts the club in a good position in the long run, that’s for sure.

Biggest Weakness

The Blue Jackets don’t have many goal-scorers in the system. Cayden Lindstrom and Oscar Hemming don’t look capable of filling that description at the next level, but their size makes them intriguing for other roles. Jordan Dumais was extremely productive in junior, but just hasn’t been able to stay healthy since turning pro. Luca Del Bel Belluz has been great in the minors but offered little to no offensive output in the NHL this past year. For a team that has missed the playoffs for the majority of the past decade, it feels like they should probably have a few more guys who can put pucks in the net.

Fast Facts:

NHL GM: Don Waddell
Dir. Amateur Scouting: Ville Siren
AHL Affiliate: Cleveland Monsters
ECHL Affiliate: N/A
Recent Graduates: Jet Greaves, G

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Jackson Smith (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Jackson Smith, LHD, 19 (Penn State University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 14th overall, first round in 2025

Smith started a bit slowly in the NCAA, but he quickly established himself as CBJ’s top prospect. The 6-foot-4 blueliner finished with an impressive 11 goals and 26 points as a college freshman while playing well more than 22 minutes a night. At his best, few defenders have as much impact with and without the puck. He’s always looking to send a guy flying, but Smith also loves to rush the puck and blast pucks past goaltenders. Smith’s game can be a bit erratic, and it didn’t really seem to improve in college compared to his WHL days. But I still love how dangerous he can be, and I think he should be a solid top-four blueliner for the Blue Jackets after another year of college. Before that, though, look for Smith to play a leading role on Canada’s World Junior team.

2. Pyotr Andreyanov, G, 19 (Zvezda Moskva, VHL)

Acquired: Drafted 20th overall, first round in 2025

Goalies are so difficult to develop, and Russian-based goaltenders can have a particularly hard time finding adequate playing time. The 2025 first-rounder was expected to play some games for CSKA Moskva this past year after signing a deal until 2030. Instead. Andreyanov split the year between the second-tier VHL and the Russian junior league, the MHL. He’s expected to return to the VHL this year, where he should get plenty of starts – and, just as importantly, a boatload of shots. His glove hand is quick, he’s reactive when he needs to be, and he doesn’t get frazzled when he lets a goal in. From a technical standpoint, Andreyanov is a high-end goaltending prospect, and the Blue Jackets think highly of him.

3. Oscar Hemming, LW (Boston College, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 14th overall, first round in 2026

*Oscar Hemming (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

After missing the first half of the season due to a contract dispute with his Finnish club, Hemming came out swinging with Boston College. He had a pair of assists in just his second game and even had a nice four-point run during a three-game stretch. But after finishing with just two points in his final 11 games, it was a difficult end for a guy many scouts still really like. At his best, the 6-foot-4 forward is an absolute menace who can beat you with size, speed and skill. The raw potential is there, but he was forced to play some heavy catchup to make up for lost time. I think a full year of college will do him wonders, and I still see some top-six potential.

4. Cayden Lindstrom, C, 20 (Michigan State University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted fourth overall, first round in 2024

Lindstrom didn’t play much hockey over a two-year span, and he had a lot of catching up to do at MSU this past year. He averaged around 10 minutes a night for far too long, which led to him scoring three goals and 10 points. You can tell he’s not capable of playing at 100 percent like he did pre-back injury in the WHL, and it’s disappointing. Lindstrom’s combination of speed, size and skill makes him so fascinating. But at MSU, he played more of a checking role and never got to flex his offensive muscles. I love how competitive he is, and he can be an absolute menace when he’s playing at his best (the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase comes to mind). The problem? That “best” just is too infrequent now. Hopefully that changes with another few years at MSU (and an elevated role).

5. Luca Del Bel Belluz, C, 22 (Cleveland Monsters, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 44th, second round in 2022

Del Bel Belluz has been one of the most consistent AHLers over the past two seasons, recording more than 50 points in both campaigns. He also had a 14-game NHL stint but had just one assist to show for (a big step down from his eight points in 15 games the year prior). I still like the skilled forward, especially on the cycle. Del Bel Belluz is dangerous in the slot, often picking angles like it’s nobody’s business. There are plenty of times where you’d watch him, get disappointed in his lack of impact, and then he’d surprise everyone with a highlight-reel move to get the team on the board. Del Bel Belluz’s two-way game hasn’t seen much improvement over the past few years, and his skating is still below average. If either of those traits improve, I could see him being a decent depth producer in the NHL.

6. Luca Pinelli, C/LW, 21 (Cleveland Monsters, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 114th overall, fourth round in 2023

*Luca Pinelli (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Pinelli had quite the rookie AHL season, scoring 14 goals and 46 points in 68 games. The former Ottawa 67’s captain is an energetic forward who plays bigger than his 5-foot-9 frame. He’s intense, hits hard and plays with a ton of pace. Pinelli’s off-puck game has continued to improve, but he can still be lured into giving the puck away under the slightest pressure. I’d like to see Pinelli break through the middle of the ice to create more dangerous scoring chances, as he still relies too much on the perimeter. But at his age, it feels like he’s already more advanced than most smaller prospects in the game.

7. Sergei Ivanov, G, 22 (Cleveland Monsters, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 138th overall, fifth round in 2022

Ivanov recently signed his entry-level contract, opening the door for him to make the jump over to North America. The move would come at just the right time – he had an impressive 13-11-2 run with three shutouts and a .928 save percentage while serving as backup to Artemi Pleshkov with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg. The six-foot goaltender does a great job of tracking pucks and anticipating where shots will come from. I still want him to work on his footwork to make sure he can quickly get from post to post, but I like his hands, how he handles traffic for someone his size and his ability to steal games despite heavy workloads.

8. Evan Gardner, G, 20 (Cleveland Monsters, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 60th overall, second round in 2024

Gardner was one of the WHL’s top goaltenders over his three-year run with Saskatoon, going 69-34-11 with a .911 save percentage. It was a bit surprising that he never made Canada’s World Junior team during his tenure in the Dub, but there wasn’t much more he could have done, performance-wise. I like how much of the net he takes up despite not being particularly big, and he’s great at keeping himself square to shooters while maintaining the top of the crease. Columbus has a busy crease, so they can be patient with Gardner, but I really like him at this point in his career.

9. Jordan Dumais, RW, 22 (Cleveland Monsters, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 96th overall, third round in 2022

*Jordan Dumais (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Dumais has played just 88 regular season games over the past three seasons, with injuries getting the best of him. So we haven’t seen Dumais come close to replicating the offensive dominance he boasted during his glory days in the QMJHL, which, given he’s 5-foot-9, he was going to need to pull off if he was going to make a pro career work. There’s still some undeniable skill here, and he’s making up for lost time. I do wonder if he’s fighting a losing battle – but I’m not ready to give up on him yet. Dumais is better along the boards than he was in junior and he has some of the best hands of any player in the AHL. Dumais needs to stay healthy and get back to scoring at a stupid-high rate, and while I’m not ready to give up on him, all of that has to happen sooner rather than later.

10. Charlie Elick, RHD, 20 (Cleveland Monsters, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 36th overall, second round in 2024

Not every defender is going to be a high-flying, flashy puck-mover. Sometimes you just need a guy who’s good in his own zone, and Elick fits the bill. Elick moves well for a 6-foot-4 defenseman, and many WHL players considered him one of the toughest defensemen to beat in 1-on-1 situations over the past few years. He received rave reviews for his limited AHL action to close out the year, and now he’ll look to solidify Cleveland’s back end this coming year. As a shutdown defender, there’s a lot to like. I just wish he’d get more comfortable moving and rushing the puck to round out his game a bit more. But I like Elick as a potential No. 6/7 blueliner.

Other Prospects: Alessandro Di Iorio, C (18), Anttoni Uronen, C (18), Owen Griffin, C (19), Jérémy Loranger, C (19), Oiva Keskinen, C (22), Max McCue, C (23), Evan Jardine, LW (18), Filip Novak, LW (18), James Malatesta, LW (23), William Whitelaw, RW (21), Kirill Dolzhenkov, RW (22), James Fisher, RW (22), Malte Vass, LHD (19), Luke Ashton, LHD (21), Andrew Strathmann, LHD (21), Nikolai Makarov, LHD (23), Caleb MacDonald, LHD (23), Guillaume Richard, LHD (23), Victor Hedin Raftheim, LHD (18), Boston Buckberger, LHD (23), Jonas Woo, RHD (19), Tanner Henricks, RHD (19), Luca Marrelli, RHD (20), Corson Ceulemans, RHD (23), Parker Snell, G (18), Melvin Strahl, G (21), Nolan Lalonde, G (22)

SPONSORED BY bet365

Recently from Steven Ellis

MORE FACEOFF.IN YOUR INBOX.

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER