Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. As we go through the summer of 2024, each day our LWOS Prospects Writers will bring you a look at one NHL team’s top prospects or other topical articles. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow Ben Kerr and Frederik Frandson on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! You can find all the articles here as well as our extensive NHL Draft preview. Today, we look at the 2024 Columbus Blue Jackets Top Prospects.
For those wondering, the cut-off for what is or isn’t a prospect is typically about 50 NHL games played (including playoff games) or is 25 years old. These are not hard or fast rules though, and we may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.
2024 Columbus Blue Jackets Top Prospects
1) Adam Fantilli
Adam Fantilli is the clear-cut number-one prospect in the Blue Jackets system on our list. Although he only just qualifies as he played 49 games last season scoring 27 points. However, the rookie season wasn’t without bumps as he missed a lot of the season due to a lacerated calf. This season he will return and hope to grow into the superstar that made him the third overall pick in 2023.
When looking at Fantilli’s skillset and potential it’s hard not to believe it will happen. The Canadian centre is a rare blend of speed, skill, power and size that is all NHL calibre. His skating is excellent with good top-end speed and mechanically smooth strides and he comes at defenders at pace and with a ton of power, making him hard to knock off the puck. His vision and ability to read the game is also among the best in the NHL and if he can develop his shot to become more of a dual threat off the rush, Fantilli is in for an excellent career. Something the Blue Jackets desperately need, as they need an elite centre to build around in the future.
2) Cayden Lindstrom
Over the past few seasons, the Columbus Blue Jacks have built a strong and plentiful prospect pool. With Fantilli on as the projected first-line centre of the future, the Blue Jackets grabbed their second top centre prospect in 2024 when they took Cayden Lindstrom at fourth overall. A goal-scoring two-way forward with a lot of size and creativity. Last season this resulted in 46 points and 27 goals in 32 games. This stat line shows how good of a goal scorer he is, especially for a player who can play in almost any situation. But he also had the injury bug last season. This leads to the question of whether he can stay healthy and that will be what the upcoming season will have to prove for the youngster.
When looking at Lindstrom as a player, he is hard not to like from a coaching perspective. He has an incredible motor, always works hard and is a great mix of skill and size. He also skates well, although it can be improved mechanically. However, with his motor, he rarely stops moving, which makes for a noticeable presence on the forecheck. He is also willing to play down low and in front of the net, which allows him to get on the scoresheet in a variety of ways. If there is an area apart from his injuries that he needs to improve this season it’s his awareness. While he skates well he needs to do so with more efficiency and intelligence. If Lindstrom can add that, he has the potential to be a real impact player in the NHL in a few seasons.
3) David Jiricek
One of the players who suffered the most from the disappointing, and in many ways disastrous, season for the Blue Jackets was David Jiricek. The Czech defenceman was expected to solidify himself in the NHL for good and play a full season but failed to make a significant impact. He was going up and down between the NHL and AHL and seemed to be sheltered from playing in big moments. A decision that created off-ice turmoil, which has disappeared recently. However, this season will be a critical one for the defenceman with so much potential. He needs to break out and show that he is ready to step into the role as a future number one for the Blue Jackets.
As a player, not many have the ceiling of Jiricek. He can be a monster defensively, offering both calm and confident puck movement and great physicality. Something we have seen in international play during the World Juniors. Here he has looked both poise, mature and NHL-ready. However last season he looked outmatched, especially in terms of awareness. This will have to change as he needs to find the right balance between working the offence and not getting caught in transition, while also being more of a defensive shutdown player. While his value as a prospect didn’t suffer due to the shaky season, since it was his rookie season, he will need a better showing next year. The potential is there, but to fulfill it, Jiricek needs to improve and return to the defenceman he was during the World Juniors for Czechia.
4) Denton Mateychuk
Another defensive prospect with a lot of potential for the Blue Jackets is Denton Mateychuk. Last year the Canadian had a wonderful season, where he captained the Moose Jaw Warriors with both great defensive leadership and a ton of points. In 52 regular season games, Mateychuk had 75 points and added 30 more points in 20 playoff games. He was vital to the success of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who ended up winning the WHL championship last season. He was also the third highest-scoring defenceman in the WHL and even did well when called up for the AHL playoffs with three points.
This season Mateychuk is looking to find a way to crack the NHL roster with a solid training camp. The spot is there for the taking and if he can make the NHL, he could be a dark horse for a Calder nomination. His potential is that high, as he has an endless bag of tricks up his sleeve offensively. He has a powerful shot, an accurate pass and is an elite skater. The biggest challenge will be his size and translatability which means his floor is lower than others. However, if all goes to plan, this could be the season where the partnership between Jiricek and Mateychuk begins. A partnership that has the potential to dominate the NHL for years to come.
5) Gavin Brindley
During the 2023 NHL draft, one of the picks that felt like a steal as soon as it was made was Gavin Brindley being selected at 34th overall. The first reason was that Brindley was and is seen as a player with a lot of upside. The second reason was that he was selected by the Blue Jackets, who had just selected Adam Fantilli at fourth overall. The pair had been a deadly duo in their first season in the NCAA, putting on a show and scoring points for fun. They were complimenting each other well, and while Fantilli was the star, the energy of Brindley was key to the success of the line.
Reuniting the two in the NHL was viewed as a gift for the Blue Jackets and that feeling hasn’t changed after a great second season in Michigan where Brindley scored 53 points in 40 games. Showing that he isn’t just a byproduct of Fantilli. His energy, great motor, and defensive responsible nature continued while being more dominant offensively. Brindley in many ways showed that he was able to drive an offence by himself. This season he will get the chance to play with Fantilli once again and get the chance to show he is ready to be his right-hand man for the next many years to come in Columbus.
6) Jorden Dumais
If offensive was the only thing determining the placement on this list, none would be higher than Jorden Dumais. The undersized winger has been a point-producing machine during his time with the Halifax Mooseheads. Two seasons ago he had 140 points in 67 games. More than two points per game. This season he was on his way to do the same, but injuries and off-ice trouble put a stop to his surge in the QMJHL. Now he is turning pro and the true test is to come. Can he transition into a more physical and professional game? Or will he become another undersized junior league star who fades away and plays in Europe in five years? This upcoming season could be one to answer that question.
If he can translate his QMJHL game, Columbus Blue Jackets fans have every right to be excited. Dumais has a nose for goals and offence and can create something in almost every way imaginable. While he isn’t big or strong, he is smart and hardworking, which allows him to get into areas where the puck ends up. This creates a ton of chances around the net. His vision is on a different level, and he is among the best playmakers not in the NHL right now. He is also extremely smart and makes up for a lack of size and elite skating with smart off-the-puck movement, and great work rates. The biggest thing will be if he can overcome his injuries and find a way to compensate for his smaller frame and average skating. Two key areas that will determine if he can translate to the pro level.
7) Charlie Elick
From an undersized but skilled forward to a physical defenceman, up next is Charlie Elick. The second-round pick in the 2024 draft is a defence first defenceman who brings a nice blend of size and skating to the back end. Last season he had a decent season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL putting up 27 points in 65 games. This season Elick is looking to add more calmness and poise to his game, as well as refining some offensive skills to become more of a productive defenceman.
The key to Elick’s game is his defensive game and skating ability. Both are very good and it allows him to be a roadblock in the opposition’s rush, as his gap control is excellent. He tends to simply use his reach and skating to force the play to the outside and shut it down with physicality. Something that is promising for his future. What isn’t as promising, however, are his abilities with the puck on his stick. He never looked comfortable with the puck last season, and his tendency to rush a pass to get rid of it led to a lot of turnovers. This habit needs to change as he grows and matures this season. He needs to be calmer with the puck and add some puckhandling if he wants to become the shutdown defenceman he has the potential to become with his brilliant defensive toolkit.
8) Stanislav Svozil
Stanislav Svozil is yet another defenceman from Czechia in the Blue Jackets system who is in for a critical season in terms of his development. A few years ago he was always a standout on the back end of team Czechia at the World Juniors, along with David Spacek and David Jiricek. He was even named the Czech captain in 2023. A team that was a goal from winning the gold medal in Halifax. Since that final, Svozil has primarily played in the AHL, where he has gotten used to the pro game.
In the AHL he has only been okay and that needs to change this season. He needs to put his name back in the minds of fans and impress the Blue Jackets front office with a strong campaign. Otherwise, he might get overtaken from behind by players like Charlie Elick and see his name fall down the depth chart.
However, all is far from hopeless when it comes to Svozil, as he is still a very talented defenceman. His work rate is great and he has a wonderful motor. The reason he was the captain for Czechia is that he tends to lead from action, especially defensively. His footwork and skating are NHL calibre and it allows him to force players to the outside, where he can get close and use a smart and active stick to intercept the puck and break up attacks. He can also be physical, however, it’s far from as frequent in the pro game as it was in the juniors. This season one of the things that would help Svozil’s game would be to regain that snarl and ability to drive players to the boards and win the battle along it.
9) James Malatesta
James Malatesta was one of the few bright spots last season for the Blue Jackets when he came into the lineup in the last part of the season. While he only played 11 games in the NHL, he did manage to make a surprising impact. While it didn’t turn into more than 4 points throughout the stint, his play was very noticeable. He played with a lot of passion and energy and a spark that made him hard to ignore going into training camp.
He was good in the AHL, playing the same way, with a lot of energy. Something he has always done, as he always plays the game at a high pace. It’s slightly chaotic and can be overzealous at times, but it also creates a lot of energy and chances. He is willing to do whatever he can to win and doesn’t let anyone off easy, even with an undersized frame. He often challenges the defenceman on the forecheck with a motor that forces a lot of turnovers. His offensive talents are questionable and so is his potential as a top-six player, but as a grinding bottom-six forward, Malatesta might excel. For that reason, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in the starting lineup on opening night on the fourth line.
10) Luca Del Bel Belluz
The last player to crack the top 10 is Luca Del Bel Belluz. The forward has rapidly been climbing the depth chart of the Blue Jackets this past season. This comes from a season in the AHL where he proved that his style was translatable. One of the key areas he developed was in his defensive game. He played far smarter hockey and found consistency, which was previously an issue for him. He also managed to put up very respectable offensive numbers with 31 points in 58 games.
His skating and size are still concerns that he needs to address, while also getting stronger. Without improving that, his role as a two-way center in the NHL seems destined to fail. However, with another season and strong developments to his weaknesses and overall awareness, things could look good for the 20-year-old. Especially as a two-way third-line centre behind Adam Fantilli and Cayden Lindstrom.
Main Photo Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
