Evaluators profile Suvanto as a premium middle-six shutdown center who projects similarly to Anton Lundell of the Florida Panthers or Charlie Coyle.
The Columbus Blue Jackets found out last week where they would land in the upcoming NHL Draft, and to no one's surprise, they didn't win the lottery. For the second straight year, they will pick #14, and for the second straight year, they might actually get lucky.
Welcome to draft speculation season, where we will talk about all the potential draft targets for the CBJ. Could someone fall to them at #14, or will they reach for a player who is projected to be lower? Who know, but it's fun to speculate.
So, here we go.
Target: Oliver Suvanto - Turku, FIN
Height/Weight: 6'2.75'' - 207 lbs.
2026 Team: Tappara - LIIGA - Finland
Position: Left Shot Center
2025-26 Stats With Tappara: 2g-9a-11 pts in 48 games.
THN Ranking: 22nd - Kennedy, 18th- Ferrari
NHL Central Scouting: 8th overall in North America - 4th overall forward in N.A.
What Scouts Have Seen
- Defensive Structure & Maturity: Suvanto's primary value is his high-end defensive positioning. According to scouts from The Hockey Writers, he is already exceptionally structured in his own zone, effectively collapsing down low to bail out defenseman and handle standard pro-level coverages.
- Puck Protection & Cycle Game: He leverages his massive frame to protect pucks along the boards and half-walls. He absorbs defensive pressure easily, shrugging off checks to maintain possession.
- Net-Front Presence: He dominates the crease and slot area, excelling at establishing body position to screen goaltenders and tip pucks.
- Age Advantage: Born just days before the 2026 draft cutoff, he is one of the youngest top prospects in his class, hinting at a higher developmental ceiling. [1, 3, 4, 5, 6]
What Scouts Are Saying
Austin Kelly - DobberProspects - "Suvanto does well crafting offense and being a two-way producer. What Suvanto does best is his defense. Suvanto is a defensively responsible center who positions himself well and with maturity but also has the physical ability to be tough in 1v1 battles. Suvanto isn’t a player with any high-level attributes, but he’s shown a high level of overall growth, and hasn’t looked out of place in sheltered minutes in Liiga. With how much he’s improved as a player, he may have a few big proponents of his game within the coming months."
Steven Ellis - Daily Faceoff - "I liked Suvanto early on, but then usage became an issue. The Finns lacked a true No. 1 center, but they had Suvanto take the mantle over the first two games. But it was clear he didn’t fit there and ultimately ended up in a bottom-line role. Suvanto played fine on the penalty kill, and his strong, physical game made him a difficult matchup for even some of the tournament’s speediest players. But there were times when he looked completely invisible and even got caught taking too long of shifts at points. I still like Suvanto as a first rounder, though, and partly think his lackluster tournament was more due to Finland not having a deep enough offensive group to give him the true support he needed."
The big question is whether or not GM Don Waddell will trade this pick or keep it. Being in the middle of the first round won't have many teams calling his phone, but he might be able to do something this year. Last year's draft was a bit weak after the first couple of picks, but this year might be different, as several players could fall that night, intrigue more teams to want to take a shot at that #14 pick.
The CBJ did seem to get lucky with defenseman Jackson Smith, who just finished his freshman season at Penn State in historical fashion. Can they get lucky again this year?
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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