The 2024-25 hockey calendar is almost over, providing us a chance to look around the world at how players in the CBJ system have fared.
But, we did say almost.
One CBJ draft pick remains alive in postseason play, and he could be on the verge of making some history. 2024 third-round pick Luca Marrelli has followed up an excellent season with an even better playoff run, posting a 6-25-31 line in 16 postseason games thus far to lead Oshawa to the Ontario Hockey League final starting tonight vs. London. Not only does Marrelli lead the entire OHL in postseason points and assists, Chris Pronger's all-time OHL playoff record of points for a defenseman (40) is within reach.
Marrelli has been a standout in the CBJ prospect pool all season, but he's not alone. Here's a look at how the team's draft picks and other affiliated prospects fared during the 2024-25 season. (We'll handle the Cleveland Monsters in a separate piece next week.)
CBJ PROSPECT CENTRAL: Stay up to date all season long on the Jackets' future stars
Canadian Juniors
C Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL): After taking the season to rehabilitate an injury that required Lindstrom to have back surgery in November, the 6-foot-4 center has returned to Medicine Hat amid the Tigers’ WHL playoff run. The forward taken fourth overall in the 2024 draft has yet to play in the 2024-25 season but has been skating with the team with the WHL final about to begin.
“We’re looking forward to him getting back and getting healthy and playing on the ice,” director of hockey operations Rick Nash said.
D Charlie Elick (Tri-City Americans, WHL): After being selected by the Blue Jackets in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft, Elick’s post-draft year saw him traded from the Brandon Wheat Kings to the Americans midway through the season. The physical 6-foot-3 defenseman posted a 2-13-15 line in 66 games and added two more points in five playoff contests with the Americans. Since the end of his junior season, Elick has signed his entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets and joined the Cleveland Monsters for their Calder Cup Playoffs run.
G Evan Gardner (Saskatoon Blades, WHL): Another Blue Jackets second-round pick in 2024, Gardner also joined the Monsters for their playoff run and actually started Cleveland's final regular-season contest in his pro debut. A goaltender that battled his way into the Blades' starting job the last few years had another impressive junior season as he went 23-13-5 with a .911 save percentage and 2.82 goals-against average.
D Luca Marrelli (Oshawa Generals, OHL): "We're excited about him,” Nash said near the end of the season, and you can see why. The offensive-minded defenseman's impressive playoff run has followed a regular season in which he placed fourth among all OHL defensemen with 74 points, including 19 goals, in 67 games. Marrelli was taken in the third round of the 2024 draft.
W Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67s, OHL): In 52 games with Ottawa, Pinelli recorded 37 goals and 71 points and earned himself playing time with Cleveland at the end of the season. The 2023 fourth-round pick has 85 goals the past two seasons with the 67s and was a member of Canada's World Juniors squad. The undersized but skilled wing made the most of his opportunity in Cleveland as he recorded two goals in the Monsters’ opening playoff win against the Toronto Marlies.
W Tyler Peddle (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL): The last pick in the 2023 NHL Draft scored 15 goals among 29 points in 54 games with Saint John and was signed to an ATO with the Cleveland Monsters in March. Columbus retains his signing rights through June 1.
G Nolan Lalonde (Soo Greyhounds, OHL): On his fourth team in two seasons, the former Memorial Cup champion was traded from the Kingston Frontenacs to the Greyhounds during the season. In Sault Ste. Marie, Lalonde played in 15 games, going 7-5-3 with a .893 save percentage and a 3.36 goals-against average. The 21-year-old is signed through the next two seasons.
College Hockey/USHL
W William Whitelaw (Michigan Wolverines, NCAA): After transferring from Wisconsin to Michigan for his sophomore season, Whitelaw recorded a line of 11-7-18 in 35 games played. The scrappy 5-foot-9 forward taken in the third round of the 2023 draft entered the transfer portal again at the end of the season and has reportedly committed to defending NCAA champion Western Michigan.
D Aidan Hreschuk (Boston College Eagles, NCAA): The senior defenseman concluded his collegiate career with nine points in 33 games at BC. Taken in the third round of the 2021 draft, Hreschuk was acquired from Carolina via trade in 2022. Nash said that they will evaluate him throughout the summer to see what is next; the Blue Jackets retain his rights through Aug. 15.
D Tanner Henricks (Lincoln Stars, USHL): After nine points in 59 games in the 2023-24 season, Henricks nearly quadrupled his production this season with 33 points (including four goals) in 60 games for the Stars. The 2024 fourth-round pick has committed to play college hockey at St. Cloud State for the 2025-26 season.
D Andrew Strathmann (North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA): In his freshman season at the University of North Dakota, the left-shot two-way defenseman had four points in 30 games while working through a midseason injury. The Fighting Hawks' season came to an end at the hands of eventual national champion Western Michigan in the NCHC conference tournament. Strathmann is a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft.
D Guillaume Richard (Providence Friars, NCAA): Richard ended his senior season with 14 points in 37 games played, which resulted in the Blue Jackets signing him to an entry level contract. The 2021 fifth-round pick played in all six Monsters playoff games and had four points in eight regular-season games with Cleveland.
G Melvin Strahl (Youngstown Phantoms, USHL): In 46 starts with the Phantoms, Strahl owned a 33-12-1 record with a .903 save percentage and a 2.42 goals-against average. His 33 wins led the league and tied for ninth all-time in the USHL, and he was on Sweden's World Juniors squad, though he did not see game action. The 20-year-old goaltender chosen in the fifth round of the 2023 draft has committed to Michigan State for next season.
D Luke Ashton (Minnesota State Mavericks, NCAA): In 38 games played, the 2024 sixth-round pick had 13 points at Minnesota State. After his freshman season, the 6-foot-6 defenseman entered the transfer portal and has committed to Cornell for the 2025-26 season.
W James Fisher (Northeastern Huskies, NCAA): In his freshman season at Northeastern, the 21-year-old had two points in 24 games. The 6-2 wing from the Boston area was chosen in the seventh round of the 2022 draft.
C Jack Williams (Northeastern Huskies, NCAA): Fisher's college teammate signed with the Blue Jackets at the end of the season after serving as a captain with the Huskies and posting a 16-25-41 line in 37 games as a junior. The 23-year-old made his NHL debut in the Jackets' season finale.
D Caleb MacDonald (North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA): Columbus also signed MacDonald at the end of the season after the 22-year-old blueliner had a 3-7-10 line and plus-7 rating in 35 games as a sophomore. He brings good size to the table at 6-3, 224.
Overseas
W Kirill Dolzhenkov (CSKA Moskva, Russia): The massive 6-6 forward played 40 games for CSKA at the KHL level. In those games, Dolzhenkov scored seven goals and recorded 10 points. In 21 games at the second-tier VHL level, the fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft had nine goals and 16 points.
G Sergei Ivanov (HC Sochi, Russia): On loan from SKA St. Petersburg, the 21-year-old played 35 games for Sochi in the KHL before suffering a late-season injury, going 11-21-3 with a 3.00 GAA and a .911 SV%. Undersized but technically sound, Ivanov was a fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft.
D Nikolai Makarov (CSKA Moskva, Russia): A fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft, the 22-year-old defenseman is in the same system as Dolzhenkov and played 11 games for the KHL club. Makarov added 12 points in 41 games played in the VHL and had two points in the playoffs for Moskva’s second-tier team.
C Oiva Keskinen (Tappara, Finland): After winning the Liiga with Tappara in his rookie season, Keskinen looked to improve In his second season in Finland’s top flight. The 6-0 center did just that, posting 15 goals and 35 points in 59 games. The 21-year-old was taken in the seventh round of the 2023 draft.
W Martin Rysavy (Bili Tygri Liberec, Czechia): After three seasons in the WHL playing with fellow Blue Jackets prospect Denton Mateychuk in Moose Jaw, the 2021 seventh-round pick returned home to Czechia. In 52 games, the physical wing had nine points and did not record a point in the five playoff games he was featured. Columbus retains his rights through June 1.
Jeff Svoboda contributed to this report.
