Yes, the Columbus Blue Jackets have great prospects in the first round such as Cayden Lindstrom, Jackson Smith and Pyotr Andreyanov. But a part of the most intriguing talent of the organization comes from middle to later picks that can play a major role in the future of the team.
Here are three prospects under the radar to keep an eye on and how you can follow their development this season.
Sergei Ivanov
Sergei Ivanov, one of the best targeting prospects in the system of the Blue Jackets, has not received enough attention. Located in the fifth round (138th General) in the NHL design of 2022 by former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen, he surpassed all his design spot and impresses GM Don Waddell.
At only 20 years old, Ivanov spent the full season 2023-24 on loan to HC Sochi in the Russian Top League, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he placed a .911 Save percentage (SV%) and a 3.00 goal average (GAA) in 38 matches. Although his record was a disappointing 11-21-3, the team generally finished last death in their division. He is now a contract with SKA St. Petersburg until the 2025-26 season and they finished second in their division last season.
Earlier this season outside the season, my colleague Mark Scheig reported that Waddell “confirmed that their beliefs came to Ivanov and said that his agent advised the team that he will be ready to come after the 2025-26 season.”
Related: Blue Jackets believe that Sergei Ivanov will come to North -America after next season
That alone was enough to put him on my list of Blue Jackets -ProSpects to view this season, especially given the goalkeeper situation in Columbus. Whether Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves are the long -term duo or not, having another option, such as Ivanov, is important.
He would probably first connect the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL) with the smaller ice rinks and faster pace of the North -American match before he deserves an NHL role. The question is whether he will make the leap for the 2026-27 season, but from now on all signs indicate yes.
With 2025 first round Pick Pyotr Andreyanov (20th general) probably still four or five years away from to North America, Ivanov is the clear answer among the prospects of Columbus Goalie. Compared to the older names in the system, Evan Gardner, Nolan Lalonde and Melvin Strahl, Ivanov stands out in that category.
The only thing to note is his size. With 6-foot and 157 pounds, it is not as large as many modern goalkeepers, but there are many smaller goalkeepers who perform well in the NHL. 2025 Calder Trophy finalist Dustin Wolf from the Calgary Flames is also 6-foot.
Ivanov strongly relies on its athletics, similar to Greaves, which is also considered substandard at 6-foot. When a goalkeeper is substandard, certain parts of their play are elite to earn a full -time role, and that is the standard Ivanov.
Dobber -Forecasts noted this season: “Consistently to set up above a .900 SV%, where he also plays, Ivanov continues to make the fact that he would soon get a chance in North America. Columbus also supports substandard goalkeepers, so Ivanov’s chance to show that he can be established to the NHL level when his KHL contract ends when his KHL contract ends when his KHL contract will pay off ends at the end of the 2025-26 season.
For fans who want to follow his development, the KHL season starts this week. The SKA St. Petersburg season opens against Shanghai Dragons on 6 September, giving everyone a (hopeful) early chance to see how the 21-year-old continues his career.
Malte Vass
VASS is a home-to-home, reliable conclusive left-handed defender on 6-foot-2, 194 pounds that arrive for the Boston University Terriers (Hockey East) for his second season in October. He was selected by the Blue Jackets in the third round of the NHL design of 2025, on 76th General.
The Terriers are expected to rankings in the top five in most preseason after a loss for the Denver pioneers in the frozen four semi -final of last season, so there is no shortage of competition for VAS on the back.
Related: Malte VASS – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
VASS is not going to set up many points. He is the type of player that you have to view well to appreciate, with strengths that appear in defensive details. He closes the almost effectively, plays a physical game and is efficient in moving pucks from the defensive zone.
Mijn collega Peter Baracchini deelde zijn gedachten over het NHL-potentieel van Vass vóór het ontwerp van deze zomer: “Vass past absoluut bij de Bill of een sterke derde-parende verdediger, maar een speler die in de line-up kan komen en een complementaire speler kan zijn voor een aanvallende speler. Tampa Bay Lightning -verdediger Erik Cernak met zijn defensieve mindset, intensiteit en lichamelijkheid For his game.
As for his role on the blue line of the Terriers, Hannah Connors of the Boston Hockey blog noted”Regarding points for improvement, he may have to polish his puck management. But if he is placed on a line alongside colleague Swede Boumedienne, we could see the productivity that reflects that of the Boumedienne-Tom Willander-line last season.”
He will be part of a deep defensive core with Aiden Celebrini, Sascha Boumedienne, Carter Amico, Charlie Trethewey and Haoxi “Simon” Wang, who are all high -profile picks. This is perhaps one of the best defensive cores in the NCAA, and definitely the best in Hockey East.
It is an ideal setting for VASS to develop, given the competitiveness of Hockey East against top programs such as Boston College, Maine, Providence and Uconn, and for those who want to see him play, most matches of Boston University will be available this season to watch ESPN+.
Oiva Keskinen
In May 2025, the Blue Jackets Finnish Center Oiva Keskinen signed at a three -year entry contract (ELC). He was selected in the seventh round, 194th General, in the NHL design of 2023, when Kekäläinen was still at the helm.
Related: Blue Jackets have potential late round gemstone in Oiva Keskinen
In his first Liiga season, Finland’s Top Professional League, Keskinen placed 36 points more than 70 games with Techela between the regular season and play -offs. His strong game gave him a nomination for the Wasama Award, awarded to Liiga’s Rookie of the Year, and he played a major role in helping Tofaa to conquer the championship. That season he also represented Team Finland at the 2023-24 world championships, with two goals and five points in seven games.
Keskinnen built up at that momentum in 2024-25 and took an important 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, which helped the club again helped to reach the after season.
Those figures impressed Waddell enough to sign him out of season earlier this season, which is rare for a seventh round pick and especially one that he did not set himself. Now ready to become a member of the samples for the 2025-26 season, Keskinen gets a valuable opportunity to adapt to the North American game while he continues his development.
On 6-foot and 181 pounds, he projects in the coming years as a potential depth in the Blue Jackets, depending on how well he is progressing in Cleveland. Given the recent success of the organization when developing players via the AHL, there is sufficient reason to be optimistic. Keskinen has the start of a late-round steel in the middle with the potential to grow into a reliable Bottom-Six NHL employee.
This season he has to throw in the Midden-Six for the monsters of Trent Vogelhuber, an setup filled with young, hungry forward ready to prove himself. Fans can follow their progress throughout the season by viewing the monsters on Flohockey and keeping the team’s social media for updates.
The biggest names will always get the most attention, but players such as VASS, Ivanov and Keskinen are just as important for the future of the Blue Jackets. Even if we don’t hear much about them right now, they are worth looking closely while they continue to grow within the organization.
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