Evan Jardine didn’t have to travel far for his first taste of Columbus Blue Jackets development camp. He was on the ice at the Ice Haus, and for the Blue Jackets’ fourth-round NHL Draft pick, that made the moment even more memorable as he begins his college hockey career in the Buckeye State at Ohio State.
The left winger called the experience of putting on the organization’s jersey something he’ll carry with him.
“It’s just so surreal," he said. "I’m just so thankful that happened. I can’t explain how excited I am to be here."
Jardine arrives in Columbus after two seasons with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, and his latest one was his best yet. He set career highs across the board in the regular season with 27 goals, 34 assists and 61 points.
He’s also already shown he can deliver on a bigger stage. Jardine played for the United States at the 2025 World Junior A Challenge and helped Team USA win gold, finishing with seven assists in five games.
For Jardine, staying in Ohio carries extra meaning because of the people around him. The Michigan native said the move matters to his family, especially his parents, and that his future Ohio State teammates were fired up, too.
“They were so pumped. Especially my parents, because it’s so close to them.,” the Michigan native said.
“It’s just awesome. They love the city.
They came on my visit with me at Ohio State. They’re pretty familiar with the area too.
It was unreal just being able to share it with them and just seeing how happy they were. I owe everything to them.
They did so much for me.”
Now with development camp underway, Jardine says his focus is on proving what he can bring to the Blue Jackets. He wants coaches to see the skill and edge that got him here, and he’s approaching the week with a simple mindset.
“Just competitive I am," he said. "I just want to get better. I’m here to get better and show them what I can do on the ice."
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Stars Suddenly Linked To A Franchise Shifting Werenski Pursuit
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For Columbus, the intrigue is less about the noise than the reality underneath it: Werenski is not an easy player to pry loose, and he still has years left on his extension. Any team serious about even exploring that kind of move would have to be willing to pay a steep price and navigate the kind of trade structure that usually lives more in theory than in practice, which is why this storyline is worth watching even before anything concrete emerges. [Read more 🡒]