Columbus Blue Jackets top prospects, summer of 2024: players #20-11
By Curtis Deem
19. (18) C Oiva Keskinen 6’0″, 180 pounds. 7th round (#194 overall), 2023 NHL Draft. Projection: middle six two-way center. Stats: 7g-20a-27pts, 54gp for Tappara (Finland). Will return to Tappara next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (NR) Matt (18) Mike (19)
Why we ranked him here: Keskinen was actually a big riser this season, so he maintains (roughly) his same spot on the list despite new players coming in ahead of him.
He had a strong year in the top league in Finland, and was a standout player at the World Juniors. As a skilled center with solid two-way tendencies, he's definitely a dark horse prospect within the system.
18. (15) D Andrew Strathmann 5’11”, 190 pounds. 4th round (#98 overall), 2023 NHL Draft. Projection: bottom-four puck moving defenseman. Stats: 7g-32a-39pts, 48gp for Youngstown (OHL). Heading to the University of North Dakota (NCAA) next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (18) Matt (18) Mike (14)
Why we ranked him here: Strathmann captained his junior team this season, finishing 5th amongst USHL defensemen in scoring; and 5th overall in PIMs.
He's an active, physical two-way defenseman with obvious leadership capabilities. If he were 2-3 inches taller, he's probably inside the top-10 of this list. I'll be interested to see how he plays at the NCAA level next season. Like Keskinen, he's a dark horse in this organization.