Yes, the Columbus Blue Jackets have big first-round prospects like Cayden Lindstrom, Jackson Smith, and Pyotr Andreyanov. But some of the organization’s most intriguing talent comes from mid to later-round picks who could play a big role in the team’s future.
Here are three under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on and how you can follow their development this season.
Sergei Ivanov
Sergei Ivanov, one of the best goaltending prospects in the Blue Jackets’ system, hasn’t received nearly enough attention. Drafted in the fifth round (138th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft by former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen, he has already outperformed his draft spot and is impressing GM Don Waddell.
At just 20 years old, Ivanov spent the full 2023-24 season on loan to HC Sochi in Russia’s top league, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he posted a .911 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.00 goals-against average (GAA) in 38 games. Although his record was a disappointing 11-21-3, the team overall finished dead last in their division. He is now under contract with SKA St. Petersburg through the 2025-26 season, and they finished second in their division last season.
Earlier this offseason, my colleague Mark Scheig reported that Waddell “confirmed their belief in Ivanov coming over, saying that his agent has advised the team he will be ready to come over after the 2025-26 season.”
Related: Blue Jackets Believe Sergei Ivanov Will Come to North America After Next Season
That alone was enough to bump him up my list of Blue Jackets prospects to watch this season, especially given the goaltending situation in Columbus. Whether Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves are the long-term duo or not, having another option, like Ivanov, is important.
He would likely join the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL) first, to adjust to the smaller rinks and faster pace of the North American game before earning an NHL role. The question is whether he will make the jump for the 2026-27 season, but all signs point to yes as of now.
With 2025 first-round pick Pyotr Andreyanov (20th overall) likely still four or five years away from coming to North America, Ivanov is the clear answer among Columbus goalie prospects. Compared to the older names in the system, Evan Gardner, Nolan Lalonde, and Melvin Strahl, Ivanov stands out in that category.
The one thing to note is his size. At 6-feet and 157 pounds, he is not as big as many modern goaltenders, but there are plenty of smaller goalies performing well in the NHL. 2025 Calder Trophy finalist Dustin Wolf of the Calgary Flames, for example, is also 6-feet.
The Blue Jackets might have their goalie in Ivanov if you can get over the height thing. Back to back big seasons in the KHL and he’s only 21.
Them Blue Jackets are going to be deadly in a few years, I tell ya. Very deadly. pic.twitter.com/4WZS8YYtJH
— Byron Bader (@ByronMBader) April 25, 2025
Ivanov relies heavily on his athleticism, similar to Greaves, who is also considered undersized at 6-feet. When a goalie is undersized, certain parts of their game must be elite to earn a full-time role, and that is the standard Ivanov will need to meet.
Sergei Ivanov (Photo credit: HC Sochi/hcsochi.ru)
Dobber Prospects noted this offseason: “Consistently putting up above a .900 SV% wherever he plays, Ivanov continues making the case he should get an opportunity in North America soon. Columbus is supportive of undersized goalies as well, so Ivanov’s chance to show he can be impactful at the NHL level is likely coming when his KHL contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. It will be interesting to see who gets the starting role for SKA St. Petersburg in 2025-26, as two taller and very talented goalies, Moysevich and Zavragin, compete for playing time alongside Ivanov.”
For fans looking to follow his development, the KHL season begins this week. SKA St. Petersburg’s season opens on Sep. 6 against the Shanghai Dragons, giving everyone a (hopeful) early chance to watch the 21-year-old continue his career.
Malte Vass
Vass is a stay-at-home, reliable shutdown left-handed defenseman at 6-foot-2, 194 pounds who will suit up for the Boston University Terriers (Hockey East) for his sophomore season come October. He was selected by the Blue Jackets in the third round of the 2025 NHL Draft, at 76th overall.
Malte Vass, Team Sweden (Photo by Leila Devlin/Getty Images)
The Terriers are projected to land inside the top five in most preseason college rankings after a loss to the Denver Pioneers in last season’s Frozen Four Semifinal, so there will be no shortage of competition for Vass on the back end.
Related: Malte Vass – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Vass isn’t going to put up a ton of points. He’s the type of player you have to watch closely to appreciate, with strengths that show up in defensive details. He shuts down the rush effectively, plays a physical game, and is efficient at moving pucks out of the defensive zone.
My colleague Peter Baracchini shared his thoughts on Vass’s NHL potential before this summer’s draft: “Vass definitely fits the bill of a strong third-pairing defender, but a player that could move up in the lineup and be a complementary player to an offensive-minded player. He’s smart, mean, and does a lot of the little things right. He’s a player that you can rely on to defend a lead and kill a penalty off. His play is very reminiscent of Tampa Bay Lightning defender Erik Cernak with his defensive mindset, intensity, and physicality to his game.”
As for his role on the Terriers’ blue line, Hannah Connors of the Boston Hockey Blog noted, “In terms of areas of improvement, he may need to polish his puck management. However, if he is placed on a line alongside fellow Swede Boumedienne, we could see productivity that mirrors that of the Boumedienne-Tom Willander line last season.”
He’ll be part of a deep defensive core that includes Aiden Celebrini, Sascha Boumedienne, Carter Amico, Charlie Trethewey, and Haoxi “Simon” Wang, all of whom are high-profile draft picks. This is arguably one of the best defensive cores in the NCAA, and definitely the best in Hockey East.
It’s an ideal setting for Vass to develop, given the competitiveness of Hockey East against top programs like Boston College, Maine, Providence, and UConn, and for those who want to see him play, most of Boston University’s games will be available to watch on ESPN+ this season.
Oiva Keskinen
In May of 2025, the Blue Jackets signed Finnish center Oiva Keskinen to a three-year entry-level contract (ELC). He was selected in the seventh round, 194th overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft, when Kekäläinen was still at the helm.
Related: Blue Jackets Have Potential Late-Round Gem in Oiva Keskinen
In his first Liiga season, Finland’s top professional league, Keskinen put up 36 points over 70 games with Tappara between the regular season and playoffs. His strong play earned him a nomination for the Wasama Award, given to Liiga’s Rookie of the Year, and he played a big role in helping Tappara capture the championship. That season, he also represented Team Finland at the 2023-24 World Junior Championships, recording two goals and five points in seven games.
Keskinen built on that momentum in 2024-25, taking a significant step forward in his development. After scoring seven goals in his rookie season, his total jumped to 15 goals and 20 assists in 59 games, once again helping the club reach the postseason.
Those numbers impressed Waddell enough to sign him earlier this offseason, which is rare for a seventh-round pick and especially one he did not draft himself. Now set to join the Monsters for the 2025-26 season, Keskinen will have a valuable opportunity to adjust to the North American game while continuing his development.
Cayden Lindstrom and Oiva Keskinen make the 2-on-0 look easy. Keskinen with a solid day from what I saw. There’s some nice skill there. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/r6mAYuRWqc
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) July 2, 2025
At 6-feet and 181 pounds, he projects as a potential depth piece for the Blue Jackets in the coming years, depending on how well he progresses in Cleveland. Given the organization’s recent success in developing players through the AHL, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic. Keskinen has the makings of a late-round steal at center with the potential to grow into a reliable bottom-six NHL contributor.
This season, he should slot into the middle-six for Trent Vogelhuber’s Monsters, a lineup filled with young, hungry forwards ready to prove themselves. Fans can follow his progress all season long by watching the Monsters on FloHockey and keeping up with the team’s social media for updates.
The biggest names will always get the most attention, but players like Vass, Ivanov, and Keskinen are just as important to the Blue Jackets’ future. Even if we don’t hear much about them right now, they’re worth watching closely as they continue to grow within the organization.