PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT

EVAN GARDNER (SASKATOON, WHL)

A 2024 second-round pick, Gardner backstopped the Blades to a first-round playoff series win vs. Edmonton. Gardner had a 2.53 GAA and .916 save percentage in the series, including 30 saves on 32 shots in the Game 7 OT win. Saskatoon has dropped the first two games of its round two series vs. rival Prince Albert, but Gardner has been nominated for the WHL's Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy for a third consecutive season. The award is given annually to the WHL’s Humanitarian of the Year.

SERGEI IVANOV (SKA ST. PETERSBURG, KHL)

Ivanov, a 2022 fifth-round pick, made two playoff starts for SKA in its playoff series vs. CSKA Moskva before St. Petersburg lost the series 4-1. He made 22 saves in a 1-0 shutout win Friday, then stopped 23 of 26 shots in a 4-2 setback Saturday. Ivanov finished the year with a 13-11-2 record in 29 games while posting a 2.50 GAA and .928 save percentage.

OIVA KESKINEN (TAPPARA, FINLAND)

A 2023 seventh-round pick, Keskinen finished the regular season with a 20-17-37 line in 49 games, including 14 goals and 27 points in his last 26 games. Tappara is the top seed in the Liiga playoffs and downed HPK in five games in its opening-round series, with Keskinen posting a pair of assists in four games.

PROSPECT NEWS

Blue Jackets sign Boston Buckberger to two-year entry level contract

The defenseman tallied 10-19-29 with a +32 rating in 43 games this past season and was chosen for the all-tournament team at the Frozen Four

Blue Jackets sign Josh Eernisse to one-year entry level contract for 2026-27 season

The 24-year-old forward spent the past three years at the University of Michigan, posting an 11-8-19 line in 38 games this season

Blue Jackets assign defenseman Charlie Elick to AHL Cleveland

The second-round pick in the 2024 draft registered 6-14-20 in 63 games with Tri-City (WHL) this season

Prospect Report: Smith, Whitelaw, Ivanov have impressed

Taking a look around the world at how the Blue Jackets' draft picks are performing during the 2025-26 season

Patience has been a virtue for Lindstrom at Michigan State

The CBJ first-round draft pick is seeing progress throughout the season as he works his way back from injury

Smith's strong start to college hockey continues in Columbus

The Blue Jackets' talented first-round pick will play against Ohio State the next two nights as the Nittany Lions are in town

Monsters look to keep the winning culture going

The Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate in Cleveland opens the season with some new faces and some prospects to watch

Columbus rallies past Pittsburgh at Prospects Challenge

Nicholas Sima's overtime goal, Griffin's three points allow the Blue Jackets to finish the pre-camp tournament with two wins in three games

Blue Jackets pull away from Sabres at Prospects Challenge

Columbus evens its record at the tournament at 1-1; Pinelli leads the way with a four-point game

Blue Jackets drop opener at Prospects Challenge

Keskinen, Williams score for Columbus, but New Jersey pulls away to an 8-2 victory

Pinelli to help lead the way at Prospects Challenge

The Blue Jackets prospect said he's ready to get back on the ice as the Blue Jackets play three games in Buffalo

Blue Jackets to participate in 2025 Prospects Challenge in Buffalo

Columbus to face New Jersey on Thursday, Buffalo on Saturday and Pittsburgh on Sunday

Lindstrom grew as a person, player on his road to recovery 

After battling through injuries, the CBJ first-round pick details what he learned on and off the ice through all the adversity

Prospect Watch: Breaking down the CBJ goaltenders

The Blue Jackets are well-stocked between the pipes after selecting netminders in each of the past four drafts

Prospect Watch: Breaking down the CBJ defensemen

Columbus has restocked the pipeline with a bevy of sizable blue line prospects over the past two seasons

Prospect Watch: Breaking down the CBJ forwards

Even with a number of graduations to the NHL level, the Blue Jackets still have a lot of talent in the pipeline

Hedin Raftheim adds size to the CBJ prospect pool

The defenseman taken in the sixth round of this summer's draft is getting to know Columbus after his selection

School days: College comes calling for many CBJ prospects

The NCAA's recent decision to allow CHL players has changed the game, but Blue Jackets draftees have followed many paths to the college ranks

Blue Jackets hope Griffin can be a diamond in the rough

The fifth-round draft pick led the Ontario Hockey League in playoff goals last season

Blue Jackets to participate in 2025 Prospects Challenge in Buffalo

Columbus will play games vs. New Jersey (Sept. 11), Buffalo (Sept. 13) and Pittsburgh (Sept. 14) at the event at LECOM Harborcenter

Williams hopes to put his NHL experience to good use

After playing for the Blue Jackets in the season finale, the undrafted free agent was a leader at the team's annual development camp

Loranger doesn't let his size slow him down

The Blue Jackets' seventh-round pick has plenty of offensive upside, and a will to make it to the highest level

Four interesting things from Blue Jackets development camp

From fashion choices to ways to improve on the ice, the youngest CBJ players are always fun to talk to

Vass embraces his job as a shutdown defender

The 2025 third-round draft pick has a competitive streak that makes him stand out on the ice

Andreyanov ready to chart his course with the Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets have high hopes for the goaltender selected in the first round of the 2025 draft

Pipeline Podcast, pres. by Ruoff Mortgage

Dylan Tyrer introduces you to the next generation of Columbus Blue Jackets on the Pipeline Podcast. This podcast features interviews with upcoming prospects, their coaches, and more.

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

The AHL affiliate of the Blue Jackets has clinched a playoff spot and is battling for a first-round playoff bye as it heads into the final two games of the season.

Cleveland finishes the regular season this weekend with a road game Friday at Rochester before the finale Sunday at home vs. Grand Rapids. The Monsters are 35-26-6-3, good for third in the AHL North but just one point ahead of Toronto for the final first-round bye in the division. 

The Monsters hit the road this past weekend, falling by a 4-1 score Saturday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before a 4-3 shootout loss Sunday at Lehigh Valley. James Malatesta had the lone goal against the Penguins, then tallied again along with Riley Bezeau and Mikael Pyythiä against the Phantoms. 

Malatesta has scored in three straight games and has five tallies in the last five, while Pyyhtiä has five goals in the last four games and has 15 multipoint games on the year. Luca Pinelli is tied for seventh among all AHL rookies with 44 points, while Jack Williams leads the AHL with four OT goals.

FOLLOW THE PROSPECTS

WILLIAM WHITELAW

Forward, Western Michigan (NCAA)

2023 third-round pick

2025-26 Statistics

TANNER HENRICKS

Defenseman, St. Cloud State (NCAA)

2024 fourth-round pick

2025-26 Statistics

ANDREW STRATHMANN

Defenseman, University of North Dakota

2023 fourth-round pick

2025-26 Statistics

KIRILL DOLZHENKOV

Forward, Avangard Omsk (KHL)

2022 fourth-round pick

2025-26 Statistics

SERGEI IVANOV

Goaltender, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

2022 fifth-round pick

2025-26 Statistics

NIKOLAI MAKAROV

Defenseman, Lada Togliatti (KHL)

2021 fifth-round pick

2025-26 Statistics

VICTOR HEDIN RAFTHEIM

Defenseman, Byrnäs IF (Sweden)

2025 sixth-round pick

2025-26 Statistics

JÉRÉMY LORANGER

Forward, Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA)

2025 seventh-round pick

2025-26 Statistics