Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week.
NEWS & NOTES
Mantha showed this season with the Pittsburgh Penguins that he is still plenty capable of being an impactful forward in the NHL. In 81 games this season with the Penguins, he set new career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to be a nice pickup for the Blue Jackets' top nine if signed.
For the last few years, the NHL Draft Lottery has meant something to the Columbus Blue Jackets and their fans. Even though it was almost a given that they would fall in the draft order, they watched and begged for a miracle, which never came. The only miracle came when the Ducks picked Leo Carlsson instead of Adam Fantilli, which allowed the CBJ to pick him at #3.
Rick Bowness revealed that Johnson lost 10-12 pounds coming into this season. At the start of the 2024-25 season, the talk was that he had gained 10 pounds coming into camp. Bowness mentioned they had to figure out how Johnson can keep the weight on. Is this the reason he didn't have a good year? Possibly.
After a down season with the Edmonton Oilers in 2024-25, Arvidsson proved this season with the Bruins that he is still plenty capable of being an impactful middle-six forward. In 69 games this campaign with the Black and Gold, Arvidsson recorded 25 goals, 29 assists, 54 points, and a plus-20 rating. With numbers like these, he would be a good pickup for a Blue Jackets club that could use more offensive production.
The NHL has announced that Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has been named a Norris Trophy Finalist following a stellar 2025-26 season. The award will be handed out on June 25, 2026.
Team USA Hockey has released their preliminary roster for the IIHF World Championships to be held in Switzerland, and as earlier reported, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mathieu OIivier has been selected.
When looking at how well Coyle performed for the Blue Jackets this season, it is clear that they should be looking to re-sign him. He proved to be a fantastic fit on their roster, and he is exactly the kind of veteran forward they should try to keep around as they aim to be a playoff team next season.
One specific area that the Blue Jackets could aim to improve is the right side of their blueline. It is fair to argue that they could use another top-four defenseman for their right side. When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Rasmus Andersson stands out as a clear potential option.
POTENTIAL DRAFT PICKS
Target: Ethan Belchetz
Height/Weight: 6'5'' - 228 lbs.
Current Team: Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Position: Left Wing
2025-26 Stats: 34g-25a-59 pts in 57 games.
International Stats: 25-26 Hlinka Gretzky Cup - 7 points in 5 games
THN Ranking: 13th - Kennedy, 15th - Ferrari
NHL Central Scouting: 9th in North America
Target: Ryan Lin
Height/Weight: 5'11'' - 178 lbs.
Current Team: Vancouver Giants (WHL) - Committed to play at the Univ. of Denver for 26-27.
Position: Right Shot Defense
2025-26 Stats: 14g-43a-57 pts in 53 games.
International Stats: 25-26 Hlinka Gretzky Cup -5 points in 5 games. 25-26 World Junior Championships - 6 points in 5 games.
THN Ranking: 15th - Kennedy, 25th - Ferrari
NHL Central Scouting: 16th overall in North America - 5th overall Defenseman in N.A.
Target: Oscar Hemming - Brother of 2024 Dallas Stars Draft Pick Emil Hemming
Height/Weight: 6'4'' - 200 lbs.
Current Team: Boston College - NCAA - Just completed his freshman season.
Position: Left Shot Forward
2025-26 Stats: 1g-7a-8pts in 19 games.
International Stats: 25-26 Hlinka Gretzky Cup - 6 points in 5 games. 25-26 World Junior Tournaments - 7 points in 6 games.
THN Ranking: 28th - Kennedy, 17th - Ferrari
NHL Central Scouting: 11th overall in North America - 7th overall forward in N.A.
Target: Adam Novotný - Hradec Králové, Czechia
Height/Weight: 6'1'' - 204 lbs.
Current Team: Peterborough Petes
Position: Left Shot Forward
2025-26 Stats: 31g-34a-65pts in 58 games.
International Stats: All international games in 25-26 - 12 points in 17 games
THN Ranking: 10th - Kennedy, 13th - Ferrari
NHL Central Scouting: 14th overall in North America - 10th overall forward in N.A.
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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