We have discussed how the Columbus Blue Jackets got to this point. We outlined why they must maximize their current core. We touched on what some of their biggest holes are on the roster. The time has now come to take a deeper and honest look at the organization and its pipeline.
We ask a couple of important questions: Who in the Blue Jackets’ system has a realistic chance to become a meaningful piece on the NHL roster this season or within the next couple of seasons? And is that group strong enough to accelerate the timeline?
Welcome to Part 4 of our 2026 Blue Jackets summer series on how they can become a contender. As you will see, the way this area of the team has been handled has not only had a direct impact on today — it will continue to shape where they go in the near future.
There must be noticeable improvement here soon. Otherwise, the Blue Jackets will continue to kick their contention status further down the road.
Setting the Scene
Let’s set the scene and put the reality of this situation front and center. The Blue Jackets have not signed one of their own first-round picks since Adam Fantilli in 2023. That happened when former GM Jarmo Kekalainen was still on the job.
That means since Don Waddell took over as GM and President of Hockey Operations, the Blue Jackets have yet to sign any of their own first-round picks. That stretch is now more than three years long.
In that time, the Blue Jackets have held four first-round picks. Although Waddell hoped to use one of those picks in 2025 or 2026 to help bolster the NHL roster, nothing came of it.
Understanding that the hockey landscape has changed during this period, it is still striking that the Blue Jackets have not inked any of their top picks. As far as we can tell, the 3-plus years since they last signed their own first-round pick is the longest current streak in the NHL.
Cayden Lindstrom (2024), Jackson Smith (2025) and Oscar Hemming (2026) are all set to play in college this season. Pyotr Andreyanov (2025) will continue to play out his contract in Russia.
Oscar Hemming and other top prospects are years away from making an NHL impact. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
That ensures none of the Blue Jackets’ top prospects will be helping the NHL team to start this season. While it is possible Smith could sign after his season at Penn State is over, it will be up to other internal options to see if they can rise up and help a roster that still has holes to fill.
Closest Internal Options
The prospect closest to making this roster is Luca Del Bel Belluz. His last two AHL seasons have shown he is on the verge of breaking through, with consecutive 50-point campaigns.
The question with Del Bel Belluz remains where he would slot in if he makes the roster. In his previous NHL stints, he saw time all over the lineup. Given his usage with the Monsters on their top line and top power-play unit, he would figure to get a similar chance with the Blue Jackets — especially with the questions surrounding what the second line will look like.
Given the improvements Del Bel Belluz still needs to make in his game, including overall two-way play and skating, there is no guarantee he would slot into the top six right away. Could he adjust to play in the bottom six? He will be one of the key players to watch at training camp to see where his skating and strength are at.
Luca Pinelli is another prospect to watch. He enjoyed a successful AHL rookie season, scoring 46 points in 68 games. At 5-foot-9, he plays a feisty game and does not back down from anyone. He showed signs of his two-way game developing but needs to demonstrate a greater willingness to use the middle of the ice given the skill he has. Based on team need, he is in position to be one of the first call-ups the Blue Jackets will have up front.
Other players to watch from the closest internal options standpoint include Mikael Pyyhtia, Jack Williams, Oiva Keskinen, Guillaume Richard, Corson Ceulemans and James Malatesta. Sergei Ivanov is now signed but will spend this season in Russia before coming over. Others are either more depth pieces or further away from making an impact.
Notice what you don’t see. There aren’t many options in the “next man up” department ready to come in and add 15-20 goals right away. For a team that needs scoring, the pipeline does not have a lot of it on the way.
The prospects with the most upside are anywhere from one to four years away from having an NHL impact. Outside of Lindstrom, Smith, Andreyanov and Hemming, prospects like Charlie Elick and Evan Gardner could make things interesting.
Group Lacks High-End Talent
While the Blue Jackets have some legitimate options and interesting prospects in the system, they do not appear to have anyone ready to take the next major step as an impact player. That limits their short-term outlook.
The Blue Jackets lack enough pure high-end offensive talent and proven scorers to raise their ceiling in 2026-27 and immediately beyond. Contenders are able to bring in multiple players who can finish at the level needed to succeed.
The Blue Jackets find themselves in a situation where their internal help is more oriented toward size and compete in a complementary role rather than a difference-making one. That makes the job of the established core that much more important. They have to carry the load while the prospects continue to develop and mature. Even that is not enough to overcome previous concerns over drafting and developing. It also means they need to bring in outside help to reach the next level.
In Conclusion
Overall, the Blue Jackets’ pipeline shows that the team remains a work in progress. They still have to maximize their core. Their missing pieces still need to be filled from the outside.
But their current internal options do not solve their biggest issue: scoring. It is a multi-year process that requires both internal growth and the right external moves in order to become a consistent contender.
The Blue Jackets have pieces in the system worth believing in, but belief alone will not fill the scoreboard or close the gap on true contenders. Until more high-end scoring arrives, the hard truth remains that the help they need is still more promise than presence.
Stay tuned for the final part of our summer series, “Making the Moves,” where we explore how the Blue Jackets can reasonably address all of their needs without sacrificing the future.
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