According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Cayden Lindstrom, the Blue Jackets' first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is expected to leave the OHL and join Michigan State University (MSU) of the NCAA.

With the new agreement between the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and the NCAA, we could see a few big-name players do the same thing as Lindstrom before the start of next season. Based on the new agreement, players can join the NCAA school they committed to as of August 1, 2025.

As Portzline reported in his social media post on X, many locals around Columbus hoped that he would join the Ohio State Buckeyes. But with a chance to join one of the top teams in the NCAA, no one can blame him. This past season, Michigan State was the top-ranked school, whereas Ohio State was ranked ninth.

Lindstrom has spent the last four seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL but has not played this season due to a back injury. His last game in the WHL was on April 5, 2024. In 99 WHL games, he has scored 46 goals and 42 assists for 88 points. His career high came in 2023-24 when he recorded 46 points in 36 games.

With Lindstrom not yet signed to an entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets, he remains eligible for the NCAA. However, there could be a lot of moving parts this summer. While it is expected that he will be part of MSU's roster next school year, he could also end up signing his entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets.

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