Blue Jackets prospect watch, Jeremy Loranger is a unique player with a high ceiling

With the Blue Jackets making two picks in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, some of the prospects drafted in the later rounds didn't garner much attention at the time.

Although I've already given a brief update on one of these late-round picks, I think that another one deserves some recognition as well.

Jeremy Loranger is an intriguing prospect

Selected with pick 198 in the seventh round, Jeremy Loranger was just one of three players drafted straight out of the BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League) in the entire draft.

This came after he set this junior league on fire, scoring 40 goals and 105 points in 54 games, ranking second and first among all players, respectively.

Despite being another undersized forward at 5'9 and 160 pounds and having a rather underdeveloped defensive game, Loranger's offensive polish and raw talent couldn't be completely overlooked, and the Blue Jackets opted to take a flyer on the playmaker.

Like many BCHL players, he then decided to go to college, playing for the University of Nebraska Omaha. While he didn't set the world on fire, his seven goals and 19 points in 28 games made for a solid freshman year that proves that his offensive talent can hold up against greater competition.

Loranger has a fantastic one-timer (and a great shot in general) and is fantastic at attacking open space on the ice. He was a pretty big part of the team's power play, with one of his better goals on the season coming on the man advantage.

Despite a good season with the Mavericks, Loranger is instead playing with UConn next year, which is looking to bounce back after finishing as the 13th ranked team and losing to Michigan State University by just one goal in the first round.

With an improved supporting cast on the Huskies, Loranger should be able to showcase his well-rounded skillset with the puck even more while further developing his play outside of the offensive zone.

He's still not much more than a boom-or-bust prospect who could reach his ceiling as an offensive star (something the Blue Jackets might need), but could also struggle to adapt his abilities to pro hockey. However, the latter is definitely looking less likely after this solid start to his college career.

He should be fun to watch this season on a contending team, and another year of improvement may see the 18-year-old draw more attention as a legitimate prospect in the Blue Jackets system despite being taken in the seventh round just last year.