Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell talks Cayden Lindstrom surgery
Blue Jackets general manager provided an update on 2024 fourth overall pick Cayden Lindstrom and the status of his back injury.
One of the reasons the Blue Jackets haven’t signed 2024 fourth overall pick Cayden Lindstrom yet might be related the next step of his development as a top prospect.
According to a source, the 19-year old power forward/center is considering a switch from junior hockey for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League to playing next season at Michigan State , a top NCAA program. Starting Aug. 1, players from Canadian Hockey League junior programs such as Medicine Hat will be eligible to play for NCAA Division I schools unless it’s proven they were compensated “above actual and necessary expenses” by their junior programs.
Those who have signed NHL entry-level contracts will still be barred from playing for NCAA schools. Lindstrom is one of the only prospects selected in the first round of last year’s draft who hasn’t signed an ELC. A back injury that required surgery in November was thought to be the primary reason, but maintaining his NCAA eligibility may now be a factor.
Lindstrom has lived in Columbus since last summer while going through workouts and rehab activities before and after the procedure, a minimally invasive microdiscectomy performed Nov. 19 in Los Angeles.
An official announcement related to Lindstrom shifting to college hockey isn’t expected to happen until the summer. Daren Hermison, who represents Lindstrom, declined to comment and said the young forward’s focus is currently on recovering from the back surgery.
Lindstrom, who stands 6 feet 3 and 216 pounds, offers an enticing combination of size, strength and skill that led to his being drafted so high despite teams having prior knowledge about the injury.
Should he choose Michigan State, it would make sense considering the circumstances. The Spartans have risen sharply in national prominence the past couple of years, but the school also invested $26.2 million in renovations completed in 2022 that include a 35,000-square foot facility built specifically for training and developing hockey players.
The Spartans are also coached by Adam Nightingale, a highly regarded coach for the U.S. National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan, before taking the job at his alma mater. Lindstrom would become the second 2024 draft prospect chosen with one of the top five picks to play for MSU, following Chicago Blackhawks rookie defenseman Artyom Levshunov (second overall).
Should Lindstrom pick Ohio State instead, that would also make sense.
The OSU campus and Schottenstein Center are just a few miles from the Blue Jackets’ headquarters at Nationwide Arena and the Buckeyes made the NCAA Tournament field in a strong season. In fact, the Spartans and Buckeyes would have faced each other in the second round this weekend had they not each lost first-round matchups Thursday in Toledo.
Lindstrom, meanwhile, continues to live on his own in Columbus while rehabbing and training with the Blue Jackets’ staff. Wherever he plays next season, Blue Jackets fans will be eager to watch his progress in becoming an NHL impact player.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
Get more on the Columbus Blue Jackets with our Cannon Fodder podcast