The Columbus Blue Jackets could have one of the league’s best under-the-radar signings from this past offseason.
The player in question is Isac Lundestrom, and while he isn’t the biggest name on the roster, he has the potential to turn into a very smart pickup.
Lundestrom, 25, has been a reliable bottom-six forward on a struggling Anaheim Ducks team. His career-high so far is 16 goals and 13 assists for 29 points in 80 games. However, if you put him on a better Blue Jackets team, there’s reason to think he could push for 20 goals and 35-plus points.
That said, as Blue Jackets reporter Jeff Svoboda alluded to in a recent post on X, the team didn’t necessarily sign him for his offense.
If you’re getting 35 points and strong defensive play from a centerman at just $1.3 million per season, it makes this deal look extremely underrated and one of the best-value contracts among bottom-six forwards this summer.
When the organization announced the signing, general manager Don Waddell spoke about what Lundestrom brings:
“Isac Lundestrom is a center who skates very well, is strong on the puck and plays a sound two-way game,” Waddell said. “He will provide additional depth to our forward group, and we are very pleased to welcome him to the Blue Jackets family.”
The Hockey News isn’t the only outlet that sees upside here. Curtis Deem of Union and Blue had Lundestrom setting a career high and becoming one of the best free-agent signings of the summer as his first bold prediction for the 2025-26 season.
