How he got here: Lindstrom climbed the draft ranks last season and was selected by the Blue Jackets with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft this summer. A strong player growing up in the northern outskirts of British Columbia, he moved to the Vancouver area at age 14 and eventually made it to the Western Hockey League, where he posted a 19-23-42 record in 61 games in 2022-23. Last year was his breakout season, however, as he was one of the WHL’s leading scorers before missing most of the second half with injury. Still, his big frame and overwhelming skill made him one of the top picks in this summer’s draft.
The 2023-24 season: There is only one word to describe Lindstrom’s season a year ago with Medicine Hat of the WHL – dominantas he scored 27 goals in 32 games, including eight multi-goal games and 16 multi-point games. He likely would have been in contention for the WHL’s top goal-scoring title had his regular season not been cut short by injuries just before Christmas, though he did return for four playoff games. Those numbers made Lindstrom – a big, talented, physical pivot – one of the most coveted players in the 2024 draft, and he was named the CHL’s top talent last season.
Top moment: As we noted above, Lindstrom was twice as likely to score multiple points in a game with Medicine Hat last season as he was to go scoreless. But his most impressive performance came on October 27, when Lindstrom scored two goals and five points in a 7-4 win over Edmonton. The Oil Kings actually led 4-0 after the first period, but Lindstrom scored the Tigers’ second and third goals of the game and assisted on Gavin McKenna’s equalizer before Medicine Hat pulled away.
