The 2026 NHL Draft concluded for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they wrapped up six selections across the final six rounds, a move that underscores the franchise’s commitment to layering depth across forward, defensive and net‑minding positions.
At the 94th overall spot, the Jackets chose centre Alessandro Di Iorio, a product of the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, who capped his 2025‑26 campaign with a career‑high 12 goals, 19 assists and 31 points in 45 games.
The club also engineered a trade that netted an additional fourth‑round pick from the Washington Capitals, swapping the 101st overall selection, a maneuver that reflects the team’s aggressive draft‑pick strategy.
The 121st pick brought forward Evan Jardine into the fold; the Youngstown Phantoms standout posted 27 goals, 34 assists and 61 points while logging 70 penalty minutes and a plus‑12 rating over 53 games last season.
In the fifth round, Columbus secured goaltender Parker Snell from the Edmonton Oil Kings, a Western Hockey League prospect who went 21‑9 with a 2.74 goals‑against average, a .895 save percentage and three shutouts in 33 appearances.
The 182nd overall selection was forward Anttoni Uronen, who made the jump to Finland’s Liiga with HIFK and contributed two goals, eight assists and ten points in 27 games during his debut season in the country’s top league.
Defenseman Jonas Woo was taken with the 185th pick after a strong WHL campaign for the Medicine Hat Tigers, where he tallied 29 goals, 57 assists and 86 points while posting a plus‑63 rating and 50 penalty minutes.
Finally, the 206th selection rounded out the draft with HC Sparta forward Filip Novak, who recorded 11 goals, 24 assists and 35 points in 28 games for the Czech junior side, adding 60 penalty minutes to his stat line.
Looking Forward
Beyond the raw numbers, the series of trades — including a deal that sent the 112th pick to Minnesota in exchange for the 121st and 185th selections — highlights the Blue Jackets’ willingness to move up and down the board to maximize value. Coach and management alike have framed the haul as a blend of size, skill and character, traits they say will complement the existing core and accelerate the team’s push back toward playoff contention.