Blue Jackets first-round draft pick Cayden Lindstrom relays his style
Blue Jackets first-round pick, forward Cayden Lindstrom, was asked about his finer qualities. Here he describes what Columbus fans can expect to see.
Cayden Lindstrom, the Blue Jackets’ top prospect, played his final game with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Memorial Cup championship.Despite a leg injury sustained during the WHL playoffs, Lindstrom prioritized returning to play with his junior team.Lindstrom will join Michigan State’s hockey program next season, taking advantage of new NCAA eligibility rules.
Cayden Lindstrom’s final game with the Medicine Hat Tigers didn’t end with a dream finish, but the Blue Jackets’ top prospect accomplished a huge goal just by playing in the Memorial Cup championship
After a frustrating season dealing with a back injury in Columbus, the fourth overall pick of the NHL’s 2024 draft rejoined his junior teammates to finish the season with a Western Hockey League championship run, plus an impressive showing at the Memorial Cup — the crowning tournament for the Canadian Hockey League’s three circuits.
Medicine Hat lost to the London Knights on June 1 in the championship, but Lindstrom left Rimouski, Quebec, Canada, thankful to rejoin his junior teammates before embarking on a new challenge next season at Michigan State.
“It was my goal all season to come back for the (WHL) playoffs and play, and win a championship with the Tigers, so that’s what I did,” Lindstrom said. “It felt really good mentally, and physically the body felt good as well. So, it was overall good.”
Lindstrom’s back held up well, but a hit to his left leg in the third game of the WHL championship series caused a painful “charley horse” tissue bruise that limited him significantly for the remainder of the Tigers’ postseason. He missed Game 4 of the WHL championship, played sparingly in Medicine Hat’s Game 5 clinching win and then missed the Tigers’ Memorial Cup opener following a long flight that caused issues in his injured leg.
Still, Lindstrom played the final three games for the Tigers to finish his season in uniform. There were multiple points during the season that didn’t seem like a realistic outcome, especially after his back surgery to repair a herniated disc in November 2024.
He could’ve shifted his focus to starting his offseason training early, eschewing any thoughts of returning to Medicine Hat, but playing again for the Tigers never dropped from Lindstrom’s list of priorities.
“It felt great,” Lindstrom said. “They kept in touch with me all season and asked when I was coming back, so it was just, overall, such a good experience to go through with those guys. To battle through the rest of the playoffs and the Memorial Cup, just to do that with them meant a lot to me.”
It was also a form of closure.
Lindstrom has decided to take advantage of a change in NCAA eligibility allowing players from the CHL’s three Canadian junior leagues to join U.S. college teams. The change officially begins in August 2025, allowing Lindstrom to switch his development path next season from Medicine Hat to Michigan State, which has become one of the NCAA’s top programs.
The school has state-of-the-art facilities now at Munn Ice Arena. Head coach Adam Nightingale has also assembled an impressive staff, including highly regarded strength and development coaches. Combine those draws with playing fewer games than junior teams, and Lindstrom switching to the NCAA makes a lot of sense.
Considering his NHL size and impressive talent, Lindstrom could potentially play just one season for the Spartans before starting his professional career.
“I’m always trying to challenge myself as a player, so I think, for me, playing against older guys (in college) would be beneficial for me, just the ‘compete’ level,” Lindstrom said. “I love to compete against really good players and strong players. I think that builds me as a better player and a more confident player and is a really big reason I chose college (hockey).”
Having more practice time at a college program was another selling point.
“I think the practices will help me get everything I need back and help me become a really good player and a long-term player,” Lindstrom said. “We’ll have so much time to go over video and stuff like that, so I think that will really help me out as a player.”
Lindstrom probably could’ve gone to any NCAA program, but his visit to Michigan State is what sold him on East Lansing, Michigan.
“They run their practices like an NHL team,” he said. “I mean, their coaches are unbelievable, and just the whole team … I really love the atmosphere around there. They were just so dialed in, and that’s what I like. All the guys there just trained and worked so hard, and that really caught my eye.”
Enough to push aside some nudges from the Blue Jackets’ locker room, where four Michigan Wolverines alums hung their gear in the 2024-25 campaign.
“I heard a lot about the University of Michigan from those guys, but they actually really helped me with my decision,” Lindstrom said. “They weren’t pushing me too hard about it. They obviously wanted me to go (to Michigan), but they just said, ‘Go wherever fits you best,’ and I thought Michigan State fit me best.”
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
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