The Columbus Blue Jackets wrapped up the 2026 National Hockey League Draft by selecting six players during rounds two through seven on Saturday. During the two-day draft, the Blue Jackets used their seven picks to select five forwards, one defenseman and one goaltender.
With the club’s third-round pick, 94th overall, Columbus selected center Alessandro Di Iorio, 18, from the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League. The 6-1, 194-pound center set a single-season career high in goals in 2025-26 with 12-19-31 in 45 outings. He has recorded 23-46-69 with 30 PIM in 103 career OHL games for the Sting over the past two seasons. A native of Vaughn, Ontario, Di Iorio has represented Canada on the international level on numerous occasions, including the 2025 (gold) and 2026 IIHF World U18 Championships, 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (bronze and 2025 IIHF U17 World Hockey Challenge (silver).
The Blue Jackets acquired a fourth-round selection, 112th overall, from the Washington Capitals and a fifth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft (from San Jose) in exchange for the 101st overall pick. Columbus then traded the 112th pick to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for the 121st and 185th overall picks in the 2026 NHL Draft. With the 121st overall pick, the club selected forward Evan Jardine, 18, from the United States Hockey League’s Youngstown Phantoms. The 6-0, 185-pound forward notched 27-34-61 with 70 PIM and a +12 plus/minus rating in 53 games this past season, ranking third on the team in goals (tied) and points. The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan native has notched 54-62-112 with 123 PIM and a +29 plus/minus rating in 127 career USHL games since making his debut in 2023-24. He is committed to play at The Ohio State University in 2026-27.
In the fifth round, with the 142nd overall pick, Columbus selected goaltender Parker Snell, 18, from the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League. The 6-2, 176-pound netminder posted a 21-9-1 record with a 2.74 goals-against average (GAA), .895 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts in 33 outings this past season where he ranked sixth in the league, and second among rookies, in GAA. The St. Albert, Alberta native notched a 2-1-1 record in four WHL playoff games to rank third in playoff GAA (2.22) and fourth in save percentage (.924). Snell made his WHL debut in 2024-25, winning both of his games started and notched his first career shutout.
With the 182nd pick, in the sixth round, the Blue Jackets selected forward Anttoni Uronen, 18, from HIFK in Finland’s Liiga. The 6-1, 201-pound forward registered 2-8-10 in 27 outings for HIFK in his debut in Finland’s top league (Liiga) this past season. The Kerava, Finland native collected 8-12-20 in 20 combined games between HIFK’s junior and U18 teams in the SM-Sarja in 2025-26. He made his SM-Sarja debut in 2024-25, notching 16-35-51 with 46 PIM in 38 contests for the HIFK U18 team, adding 5-4-9 in nine playoff games to help the team win the league’s bronze medal.
Columbus selected Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) defenseman Jonas Woo, 19, with the 185th overall pick in the sixth round. The 5-9, 174-pound blueliner notched 29-57-86 with 50 PIM and a +63 plus/minus rating in 56 games played this past season, leading league defensemen in assists and points to earn WHL (East) Second All Star Team honors. He added 8-9-17 in 13 WHL playoff games for the Tigers to rank second among league blueliners in goals. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Woo has recorded 51-136-187 with 172 PIM and a cumulative +120 plus/minus rating in 259 career WHL games between Medicine Hat, Wenatchee Wild and Winnipeg Ice since the 2021-22 campaign. He is committed to play at Arizona State University for the 2026-27 season.
In the seventh round, the Blue Jackets selected HC Sparta (Czechia) forward Filip Novak, 18, with the 206th overall pick. The 6-1, 198-pound forward notched 11-24-35 with 60 PIM in 28 games played for the club’s junior team this past season, while also making nine appearances for the senior team. Playing on loan to HC Stadion Litomerice in Czech League 2, he notched four assists in 11 regular season games and 4-2-6 in 10 playoff games. The Chomutov, Czechia native has notched 13-25-38 in 34 games and 41-53-94 in 77 games played with HC Sparta’s junior and U18 teams respectively over the past four seasons. He represented his country at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2024 Youth Olympic Games (silver).
Blue Jackets Draft Recap
- Rd 1 (14) – Oscar Hemming, F (Boston College/Hockey East)
- Rd 3 (94) – Alessandro Di Iorio, C (Sarnia/OHL)
- Rd 4 (121) – Evan Jardine, F (Youngstown/USHL)
- Rd 5 (142) – Parker Snell, G (Edmonton/WHL)
- Rd 6 (182) – Anttoni Uronen, F (HIFK/Liiga)
- Rd 6 (185) – Jonas Woo, D (Medicine Hat/WHL)
- Rd 7 (206) – Filip Novak, F (HC Sparta/Czechia)
