The Columbus Blue Jackets will have 23 players at the NHL Prospects Challenge, running from Sept. 11-15 in Buffalo, New York. This year’s tournament will feature the Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Blue Jackets’ roster includes 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and three goaltenders. Cleveland Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber will be behind the bench, coaching many players he will see in Cleveland this season. With two extra skaters beyond a typical game lineup, expect a forward and a defenseman to rotate in and out of the lineup over the weekend.
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The Blue Jackets’ first game is on Thursday, Sept. 11, against the Devils at 7:00 PM ET, following a morning skate. They return on Saturday, Sept. 13, for another 7:00 PM ET matchup, this time against the host Sabres. The tournament wraps up on Sunday, Sept. 14, when they take on the Penguins at 3:30 PM ET.
With a good mix of drafted prospects, free-agent signings, and invitees, this tournament should provide an early look at who is ready to take the next step in the organization’s pipeline and who might be signed in the future. Here are some players to watch by position.
Forwards
The Blue Jackets’ 13 forwards include Josh Avery, Ryder Boulton, Jordan Dumais, Owen Griffin, Brendan Hoffmann, Oiva Keskinen, Max McCue, Ryland Mosley, Tyler Peddle, Luca Pinelli, Nicholas Sima, Evan Van Gorp, and Jack Williams.
Jack Williams
Williams already has one NHL game under his belt after making his debut in the 2024-25 season finale. Signed as an undrafted free agent (UFA) out of Northeastern University earlier this year, he scored 41 points in 37 games in 2024-25 and quickly made an impression with his fast pace and high compete level.
Williams can play both wing and center, and his versatility should give him a legitimate chance to crack the NHL lineup at some point this season as a depth piece who can take draws.
Right now, Williams is part of a deep forward group that includes Luca Del Bel Belluz, Zach Aston-Reese, James Malatesta, and Mikael Pyyhtia, who can step up from Cleveland if needed. In Buffalo, expect Williams to slot into a top-six role where he can show off more of his…
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