The 2026 NHL Draft is almost here.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, owners of the 14th overall pick, are likely to make a selection in that spot for the second straight season. Last summer, the choice at #14 was defenseman Jackson Smith.
This season? There's a lot of different ways the team can go. President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell could trade the pick, but has indicated that he would need to be wowed to swing a deal. With the draft class outside of the top few being a very pedestrian one, that "wow" offer is not likely to come.
But will the Blue Jackets go defense again in round one, or will they add a forward to the prospect pool? It could go either way, but in part one of our two-part draft look-ahead, we examine six draft possibilities for Columbus on the blueline. (Thursday, our Will Chase will look at five options at forward.)
Alberts Smits
Smits is the least likely option of these six because the thought is he is unlikely to be around at #14. However, players fall — and if Smits is one of those, the Blue Jackets should swipe him up. The 18-year-old played for Latvia at the 2026 Winter Olympics and World Championships, and gained a load of experience playing against NHL players in that span. At 6'3" and 210lbs, Smits has plenty of size, but also has strong skating ability — something most 18-year-old blueliners don't have. Ranked No. 2 among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Smits' two-way style has drawn comparisons to players like Mo Seider and Miro Heiskanen, and scouts believe his combination of maturity, experience, and skill make him one of the safer picks in the draft.
Malte Gustafsson
Several mock drafts have the Blue Jackets going with Gustafsson if they go defense, and it's easy to see why. The Swede doesn't have the same experience as Smits does, but he's a very similar player: he has size (6'4", 205), he has a strong hockey IQ, and while he isn't classified as an "offensive defenseman", he does have a blossoming two-way game and uses his intelligence to put himself in the right position on both sides of the puck. Scouts like his physical style, reach, and ability to project as a reliable two-way NHL defenseman who can handle tough, gritty minutes. Gustafsson ranks 8th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting and is ranked a top ten prospect by several publications.
Daxon Rudolph
The 6-foot-2 Canadian had a breakout season with the Prince Albert Raiders in 2025-26, posting 28 goals and 78 points in 68 WHL games while emerging as one of the league’s top defensemen. He also added nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points in 19 postseason games, showing an ability to perform under pressure. He's more than just an offensive blueliner, though: scouts have raved about Rudolph's defensive awareness, especially his gap control and ability to break up plays, though some believe he can continue developing his physical engagement and consistency in his own zone. As an added bonus, Rudolph is a right-shot defenseman — which only further pushes his value up. There have been some questions about his intensity at the next level, but nothing that should drop his value.
Ryan Lin
Lin would likely be a top ten pick (and still could be) if not for his size: at 5'11" and 175lbs, there are plenty of questions about his ability to play as an undersized defenseman at the next level. But everything else about his game screams top prospect. Ranked 16th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Lin’s biggest strengths are his ability to stay calm under pressure, make smart decisions with and without the puck, and create offense without sacrificing responsibility defensively. In fact, the Vancouver Giants' (WHL) alternate captain led the team in scoring, recording 57 points (14 goals, 43 assists) in 53 games. Committed to the University of Denver for the fall, Lin projects as a potential first-round pick who could develop into a modern, mobile top-four NHL defenseman.
Tommy Bleyl
A dark horse candidate here, 14th is probably too high for Bleyl. Most projections have him going in the back half of the first round, and some even project him as an early second-rounder. He's barely six feet and only 170lbs, which — like Lin — will count as a strike. But the numbers are eye-popping: while in the QMJHL last season, Bleyl scored 13 goals and had 68 assists for 81 points with the Moncton Wildcats — in just 63 games. He kept that energy up in the postseason too, with 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) in 21 games. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic is a huge fan of Bleyl, writing: "he can influence a lot of what happens on the ice because of his skating. Defensively, he uses it to gap up, surf, get back to pucks and then shake pressure and either carry the puck out of the zone or quickly move it. Offensively, he uses it to bend and shape coverage, walk the line and maneuver out of pressure."
Maksim Sokolovskii
No one is bigger in the draft than Sokolovskii — literally. At 6'8" and 240lbs at just 17 years old, the Kazakhstan native brings rare size and a developing skill set to the blue line. Sokolovskii played with the London Knights and quickly drew attention because of his combination of reach, strength, and skating ability. Despite his massive frame, Sokolovskii moves surprisingly well and uses his size to shut down attackers, win battles, and control space defensively. His offensive game is still considered a work in progress (he had two goals and six assists in 44 games), but scouts have noted improvement in his puck movement and confidence as the season progressed. Most mock drafts have Sokolovskii going late in the first round, but a player like him is a rare combination that could push a team like the Blue Jackets to make a reach for him.
