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Columbus Blue Jackets: Summer 2023 Top Prospects

ByCurtis Deem|
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Gavin Brindley celebrates with Adam Fantilli after being selected 34th overall pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Gavin Brindley celebrates with Adam Fantilli after being selected 34th overall pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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To make it into the top-15 of this list, you have to be a pretty special player. The Jackets should be stoked to have players like this ranked outside of their top 10:

15 (12) D Samuel Knazko 6’1″, 190 pounds. 3rd round (#78 overall), 2020 NHL Draft. Projection: bottom-four puck moving defenseman. Scored 1 goal, 20 assists, 21 points for Cleveland (AHL). Will return to Cleveland this fall. Why we ranked him here: Samuel’s hockey IQ is really high, he has a knack for finding himself with the puck in dangerous areas, and he knows what to do with it when he gets it. He’s close to NHL ready, too.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – APRIL 13: Samuel Knazko #62 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during a stoppage in play in the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena on April 13, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO – APRIL 13: Samuel Knazko #62 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during a stoppage in play in the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena on April 13, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

14 (11) RW Trey Fix-Wolansky 5’7″, 180 pounds. 7th round (#204 overall), 2018 NHL Draft. Projection: bottom-six pest, secondary scorer. Scored 29 goals, 42 assists, 71 points for Cleveland (AHL). Will return to Cleveland this fall. Why we ranked him here: Trey is probably the most NHL ready prospect the Jackets have. He’s the kind of guy the other teams hate playing against – but, will there be room for him in Columbus any time soon?

13 (8) C Hunter McKown 6’1″, 205 pounds. Undrafted, signed as a free agent spring 2023. Projection: middle six two-way center. Scored 21 goals, 7 assists, 28 points for Colorado College (NCAA). Will most likely play in Cleveland this year. Why we ranked him here: Hunter jumped right into the NHL and did not look out of place, aside from being snake-bitten. He’s a good two-way player and a natural sniper.

12 (NR) RW William Whitelaw 5’9″, 175 pounds. 3rd round (#66 overall), 2023 NHL Draft. Projection: second line scoring winger. Scored 36 goals, 25 assists, 61 points for Youngstown (USHL) this year. Will head to the University of Wisconsin this fall. Why we ranked him here: William combines a relentless work ethic, speed, high end hockey IQ and a pro-ready shot, giving him the potential to be a high end scoring winger in the NHL.

PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 16: William Whitelaw #27 skates the ice in the first period of the 2023 BioSteel All-American game at USA Hockey Arena on January 16, 2023 in Plymouth, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 16: William Whitelaw #27 skates the ice in the first period of the 2023 BioSteel All-American game at USA Hockey Arena on January 16, 2023 in Plymouth, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

11 (7) G Daniil Tarasov 6’5″, 195 pounds. 3rd round (#86 overall), 2017 NHL Draft. Projection: starting goaltender. Posted a .882 save percentage, 3.85 goals against average for Cleveland (AHL) this season. Will play for the Blue Jackets this fall. Why we ranked him here: Daniil may be the most talented goaltender in the system. But injuries have slowed his development and caused him to fall in our list. Still, he’s the best goaltending prospect we have.

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