Columbus Blue Jackets top prospects, summer of 2024: players #20-11
We're continuing our rundown of the top-20 prospects for the Columbus Blue Jackets, with prospects we ranked 20-11.
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.
17. (12) C Hunter McKown 6’1″, 205 pounds. Undrafted, signed as a free agent spring 2023. Projection: middle six two-way center. Stats: 9g-15a-24pts, 53gp for Cleveland (AHL). Will return to the Monsters next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (17), Matt (16), Mike (16)
Why we ranked him here: McKown didn't put up huge offensive numbers in Cleveland this season, but he still had a pretty seamless transition year after turning pro.
Another natural center in the system, he's shown a penchant for being a puck hound. Combined with his quick release and heavy shot; McKown has the size and all around game to become an effective two-way center in the NHL. We hope to see more offense from him in the AHL next year.
16. (11) LW Mikael Pyyhtia 6’0″, 160 pounds. 4th round (#114 overall), 2020 NHL Draft. Projection: middle six scoring winger. Stats: 7g-21a-28pts, 60gp for Cleveland (AHL). Will return to the Monsters next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (16), Matt (15), Mike (17)
Why we ranked him here: Pyyhtia never looks out of place, no matter where you put him in the lineup or what you ask him to do. He can play in a checking role, or be a productive complimentary player on a scoring line.
He'll never drive the offense for a line, but he's an intelligent winger who has a quick release and decent playmaking skills. I can see him being an effective third line winger in the NHL, and he looks ready for a longer look at an NHL job to me. The only question I have is whether or not he'll get that chance with this organization.
15. (NR) D Luca Marrelli 6'2", 185 pounds. 3rd round (#86 overall), 2024 NHL Draft. Projection: bottom-four offensive defenseman. Stats: 6g-51a-57pts, 67gp for Oshawa (OHL). Will return to the Oshawa Generals next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (15), Matt (17), Mike (12)
Why we ranked him here: The first newcomer from the 2024 draft to crack our list, Marrelli put up huge numbers on an offensive powerhouse junior team this year.
His combination of size, skating, and puck moving make him a potential steal from this most recent draft. He's overall game will need some polish, but all of the defensive zone tools are there as well. I will be interested to see how he does back in junior this year, with a returning team that will probably not be as good.
14. (6) D Corson Ceulemans 6’2″, 200 pounds. 1st round (#25 overall), 2021 NHL Draft. Projection: bottom four two-way defenseman. Stats: 3g-9a-12pts, 47gp for Cleveland (OHL). Will return to the Monsters next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (14), Matt (12), Mike (15)
Why we ranked him here: At one point in the not-so-distant past, Ceulemans was one of the highest ranked defensemen in the prospect pool. But his first full year at the professional level did not go well at all.
He's far from a lost cause. He can skate, and has good offensive traits. And, as we all know, defensemen develop at wildly different rates. But, this next season is crucial for him. He has to re-establish himself as a top prospect for the Blue Jackets if he's going to play in the NHL here. If he can't do that, well, the team just drafted several players who could fill his niche within the system rather quickly.
13. (10) G Sergei Ivanov 6'0”, 165 pounds. 5th round (#138 overall), 2022 NHL Draft. Projection: starting goaltender. Stats: .928% save percentage, 2.63 GAA, 8-17-3 record in 33gp for Admiral Vladivostok (KHL - on loan). Scheduled to play for Sochi (KHL), on loan again next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (13), Matt (14), Mike (10)
Why we ranked him here: Ivanov continues to put up gaudy numbers in the KHL - this season, on a bad team. The issue here is, he isn't coming to North America any time soon. And, even though the KHL is a top league, it's still a fairly low scoring league, so it's hard to know how he will pan out in North America.
If Ivanov does come over, he could be the most highly capable/skilled goaltender in the system. If he were 2 or 3 inches taller, I think people around the league would talk about him as one of the top goaltending prospects in all of hockey. We're still in wait and see mode, here.
12. (9) C Luca Pinelli 5’9″, 170 pounds. 4th round (#114) overall, 2023 NHL Draft. Projection: middle six two-way center. Stats: 48g-34a-82pts, 68gp for Ottawa (OHL). Will return to the 67's next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (10), Matt (13), Mike (13)
Why we ranked him here: Pinelli finished 3rd in the OHL in goals - and 16th in the league in total points. All while serving as his team's captain. Not bad for a guy picked in the fourth round. He had a huge breakout year with Ottawa, showing the world that he should have been taken much higher. Size is always a concern with a player like this, but if any player can clear that hurdle, it's Pinelli.
Having him this low on our list, really speaks volumes about the quality of prospects within the CBJ system. Pinelli would be a top-5 prospect for a lot of teams right now. He brings a competitive work ethic, goal scoring, and leadership capabilities to his team. I think he'll rise in these rankings as time goes on.
T-11. (9) RW William Whitelaw 5’9″, 175 pounds. 3rd round (#66 overall), 2023 NHL Draft. Projection: second line scoring winger. Stats: 10g-7a-17pts, 37gp for Wisconsin (NCAA). Transferred to the University of Michigan for next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (11), Matt (10), Mike (11)
*loses the tie-breaker based on highest individual ranking (we'll reveal that prospect tomorrow)
Why we ranked him here: Whitelaw is a pure goal scorer. He plays the game at a high pace in the offensive zone, buzzing around and looking for open space to generate offense. He can score in a variety of ways when he gets the puck.
Be it a deke, a quick release shot, or an accurate one-timer; Whitelaw is one of the best scoring prospects in the entire system. Like Luca Pinelli, he would probably be a top-5 prospect in a lot of other systems around the league. But, also like Pinelli, Whitelaw is undersized and will always need to be the hardest working player on the ice. Good news: he doesn't seem to have a problem with that.
Running through the prospects ranked 20-11, I legitimately believe that all of these players have NHL potential. Knazko could work his way out of that discussion with another underwhelming season, but he has not yet, in my opinion.
Whether or not all of these guys make it as Blue Jackets, will have to wait and be seen. But, this is certainly a prospect pool loaded with both top-end and depth talent. Worst case scenario, the team has some really valuable trade chips in this range. We should all be really excited for what the future may bring.
Tomorrow, we'll dive into the top-10 prospects for the Blue Jackets. It's one of the best groups in the entire league, so stay tuned!
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