The 25^th installment into our 32 thots features the Blue Jackets of Columbus. Ran by Jessiah The Messiah (lol). Aside from his witty remarks, Jesse carries himself with an air of arrogance, often speaking as if he's the smartest person in the room, even when his team’s performance suggests otherwise. He is having a rough season, currently sitting 6th in the Metropolitan Division with a 20-29-8 record. Offensive struggles have been evident, as they rank 25th in goals for (2.58 GF per game), and their power play (16.57%) is 23rd, failing to capitalize on scoring chances.

Defensively, the team has also struggled, allowing 3.32 goals against per game (25th overall). Their penalty kill (77.49%) ranks 27th, further highlighting their defensive weaknesses.

Forwards:

• Key Players: Connor McMichael, Kaapo Kakko, Ilya Mikheyev, Victor Olofsson, Tanner Jeannot
• Depth Players: Marat Khusnutdinov, Brandon Gignac, Robby Fabbri, Miles Wood, Tyson Foerster, Fabian Zetterlund, Kiefer Sherwood
• Scratched Players: None

Grade: C

Your forward core is young and developing, but lacks a true star. Connor McMichael and Kaapo Kakko have high upside, but neither has established themselves as top-tier producers yet. Victor Olofsson and Ilya Mikheyev provide goal-scoring, while Tanner Jeannot and Miles Wood add grit.

Depth-wise, Robby Fabbri, Tyson Foerster, and Fabian Zetterlund give you some secondary scoring, but there’s no elite offensive driver on this roster. You need a top-line center or goal-scoring winger to elevate this group.

Defense:

• Key Players: Nikita Zadorov, Jacob Bryson, Nick Blankenburg, Darren Raddysh
• Depth Players: Emil Martinsen Lilleberg, Jacob Moverare
• Scratched Players: Scott Perunovich

Grade: C+

Your defensive core lacks high-end talent. Nikita Zadorov is your most experienced blueliner, but he’s more of a physical shutdown guy than a true No. 1 defenseman. Jacob Bryson and Nick Blankenburg have potential but aren’t top-pairing material yet.

Darren Raddysh, Jacob Moverare, and Emil Martinsen Lilleberg provide depth, but none of these players are elite puck-moving defensemen. Scott Perunovich is a wild card—if he stays healthy, he could become a strong offensive contributor

Goaltending:

• Goalies: James Reimer, Kasimir Kaskisuo
• Scratched Goalies: Anton Forsberg

Grade: C-

James Reimer is a veteran stopgap goalie, but he’s not a long-term solution. Kasimir Kaskisuo has limited NHL experience, and Anton Forsberg is inconsistent as a starter.

You don’t have a true No. 1 goalie, which hurts your team’s ability to compete consistently.

Prospect Pool:

• Top Prospects: Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Ville Koivunen, Alexander Suzdalev, Jack Smith
• Other Notable Prospects: Kyle Aucoin, Marshall Warren, Martin Has, Terrell Goldsmith, Matthew Mania, Mike Koster, Will Cranley

Grade: C+

Jonathan Lekkerimäki is your best forward prospect—he has top-six potential as a sniper. Ville Koivunen and Alexander Suzdalev also have offensive upside, but they need time to develop.

Defensive prospects Marshall Warren and Matthew Mania are solid, but neither project as top-pairing defensemen. Will Cranley is your only notable goalie prospect, and he isn’t a surefire NHL starter.

Draft Capital & Future Outlook:

• Notable Picks:
• 2025 1st (TBL, CLB), 2026 1st (CLB)
• Multiple second-round and later-round picks

Grade: B

You have multiple first-round picks in 2025 and 2026, giving you great flexibility for the future. This puts you in a strong position to either draft elite talent or make trades to improve immediately.

Final Grade: C+

How to Improve:

1.     Trade for an elite forward or No. 1 defenseman using your draft picks.

2.     Find a franchise goalie—this is your biggest weakness.

3.     Develop your young forwards—Lekkerimäki and Koivunen could be future stars.

4.     Use your draft picks wisely to build around your young core.

Final Summary:

·        Your team is in the middle of a rebuild, and you have the assets to accelerate it. If you fix goaltending and add a superstar forward or defenseman, you can become a real contender in a few seasons. Your team has potential but isn’t ready to compete yet. Your forwards are solid, but you need a true star to lead the offense. Your defense is weak, and your goaltending is a major liability.