Cayden Lindstrom is starting to look like himself again, and that’s a welcome development for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 2024 first-round pick has been through a difficult stretch, but his early work at Michigan State is giving the organization plenty to watch. After a rough freshman year, Lindstrom has opened his sophomore season with four goals and an assist in eight games, and he’s now able to say he’s playing the best hockey of his college career.
The latest proof came over the weekend against No. 13 Boston University, where Lindstrom scored in both games. That gave him goals in three straight contests and pushed him to four on the season, already topping the three he managed in 31 games last year.
He also added a primary assist in Saturday’s game, helping set up Michigan State’s opening goal with a strong individual push through the defense. Later, he finished off another solo effort by collecting his own rebound and burying it for the Spartans’ final goal in a 5-0 win.
The numbers are moving in the right direction, too. Lindstrom is already at five points this season, halfway to the 10 he posted last year, and his production per game has jumped from 0.32 points per game to 0.63 through eight contests.
There’s also a clear difference in how efficiently he’s converting chances. His four goals have come on just 12 shots, a sharp contrast to last season’s three goals on 57 shots. That 33.3% shooting rate is almost certainly not going to last, but it does show a player making the most of his looks.
The encouraging start matters because Lindstrom’s development has been interrupted by injuries. He spent an extended stretch recovering from a herniated disc that required back surgery in November 2024, which cost him nearly the entire 2024-25 season with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. When he got to college hockey, he had trouble getting his offensive game back on track.
For Columbus, the hope is simple: a healthier Lindstrom can keep building into the physical, goal-scoring power forward the team had in mind when it used the fourth overall pick on him two years ago.
Eight games won’t settle anything, but the Blue Jackets have to like what they’re seeing. Michigan State is back in action next Thursday and Friday night at Notre Dame.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Lose Conor Garland At A Brutal Time
The Blue Jackets are heading into their matchup with the Florida Panthers without Conor Garland, a notable absence for a group that could use every healthy forward it can get. Head coach Rick Bowness said Garland will miss the game because of an upper-body injury, and the timing is less than ideal for a team trying to keep its lineup intact while navigating a tough stretch.
Garland has been in the lineup this season, even if his offense has not matched the level he reached in previous years, so Columbus loses a player who still brings value beyond the scoresheet. Ryan Lomberg is expected to slide back into the mix, but the bigger question now is how long the Blue Jackets will have to manage without Garland and what the lineup will look like once they do. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Send A Clear Lineup Signal Before A Tough Winnipeg Test
The Blue Jackets are dealing with another lineup wrinkle as Conor Garland has been ruled out with an upper-body injury, adding to the uncertainty around a player who had been in line to help provide some stability up front. The injury leaves Columbus shorthanded at a time when every available body matters, especially with the schedule tightening and the team trying to keep its forward group intact.
There is still no clear return timeline for Garland, which makes the situation more than a one-game absence and leaves the Blue Jackets waiting for more clarity as they move through the week. Around the league, the injury ripple is already forcing other clubs to shuffle, with the Rangers and Devils making their own roster moves ahead of upcoming games, a reminder of how quickly one setback can change the look of a lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Must Rework Their Lines After Another Injury Blow
Dmitri Voronkov and Sean Monahan appear set to give the Blue Jackets a needed boost after both left the previous game early, with each practicing normally and expected to be available against the Panthers. Even with that encouraging update, Columbus is still forced to juggle its forward groups again, and the latest shuffle shows how quickly one injury can ripple through the rest of the lineup.
The bigger concern is Conor Garland, who will miss time with an undisclosed upper-body injury and is out indefinitely, leaving another hole for the coaching staff to patch before the Florida matchup. The team has already announced new line combinations, including a look that puts Adam Fantilli in a different spot up front, and the next game will offer the first glimpse of how well those changes hold up under pressure. [Read more 🡒]