How acquired: Selected with No. 4 pick in 2024 NHL Draft
2024-25 season: Medicine Hat (WHL): 0 GP, 0-0-0 in regular season; 4 GP, 2-2-4 in playoffs
Lindstrom (6-foot-3, 209 pounds) had a microdiscectomy in November to fix a herniated disc, forcing him to miss the entire 2024-25 regular season with Medicine Hat. He returned with an assist in Game 1 of the Western Hockey League Final and scored in Game 2 before taking a hard hit the next game, missing Game 4 and returning in Game 5.
“That was my goal all season was to go back and play with [Medicine Hat] there,” Lindstrom said on July 2. “Just watched them all year on TV there. It was hard. I had to do what I had to do here to get back. Worked as hard as I could. … It helped me a lot, just coming into this summer, seeing what I had to work on. There’s a lot I need to work on after missing a whole year.”
The 19-year-old, moving to college hockey with Michigan State, has a chance to fully return as a top-end forward with a unique combination of size and skill.
Projected NHL arrival: 2026-27
How acquired: Selected with No. 14 pick in 2025 NHL Draft
2024-25 season: Tri-City (WHL): 68 GP, 11-43-54
Smith (6-3, 195) was projected as one of the top defensemen of the 2025 class, to the point Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said he didn’t anticipate the 18-year-old still being available at No. 14.
“We had him really high on our list,” Waddell said. “Some of our scouts that watched him rated his skating at a 10. That happens very rarely.”
With that agility on a big frame, Smith could transition well to the NHL in the not-too-distant future. For now, he’ll go from the WHL to Penn State, joining forward Gavin McKenna as another top prospect deciding to jump to the burgeoning program in Happy Valley.
“Getting to play against a bit of better competition, I think it gets you a bit more ready for the NHL, which is ultimately every hockey player’s dream,” Smith said.
Projected NHL arrival: 2026-27
How acquired: Selected with No. 20 pick in 2025 NHL Draft
2024-25 season: Krasnaya Armiya (MHL): 37 GP, 23-6-6, 1.75 GAA, .942 SV%
Andreyanov (6-0, 207) was the first goalie drafted in what was considered a deep class.
The 18-year-old has been dominant in the junior system of CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League. He was Columbus’ top-rated goalie in the draft, Waddell said, and was second on its wish list behind Smith.
But Andreyanov won’t be an NHL option for some time, since he’s signed to remain in Russia for the next five seasons.
“Drafted him at 18 (years old) and if he’s coming over at 22, 23, the hope is the development path brings him right to the National Hockey League,” Waddell said.
Projected NHL arrival: 2030-31