Mikael Pyyhtiä

April 2026 – Pyyhtiä has spent most of 2025-26 proving he is more than just a safe depth placeholder. Columbus re-signed him to a one-year deal on Aug. 13, then waived and assigned him to Cleveland ahead of the season, where he opened the year strongly enough to lead the Monsters in assists and points at the time of his Jan. 7 recall with a 7-15-22 line in 23 games. He earned a brief NHL look in January, played five games for Columbus, and scored once against Utah before being loaned back to Cleveland on Jan. 19. Since returning, he has kept producing and now sits at 14 goals and 28 assists for 42 points in 52 AHL games, with recent offense coming in multiple situations, including shorthanded and on the power play. 

The bigger takeaway is role translation. Pyyhtiä still projects more as a forechecking, pace-driven bottom-six winger than a true NHL scorer, but this season has helped his case as a useful recall who can survive NHL minutes and push play honestly enough to stay in the conversation. The AHL offense is real progress, though the fantasy ceiling still looks limited unless that production carries into a permanent NHL job with better shot volume or special-teams access. Right now, he looks more valuable to Columbus than to fantasy managers. Andrew Epps

August 2025 – Pyyhtiä saw his best stretch in the NHL so far in his career in 2024-2025, playing 47 games, and earning four goals and three assists for seven points. Earning him a one-year, two-way contract, he signed on August 13, 2025, with the Blue Jackets for the 2025-26 season. Pyyhtiä saw most of his time in a bottom-six role and saw some penalty kill time among his 12 minutes of ice time. With Cleveland of the AHL, he scored three goals and added 13 assists for 16 points in 28 games. Pyyhtiä won’t be an offensive player at the NHL level, and even though his ice time in Columbus was limited, his peripheral performance wasn’t enough to warrant an investment in your fantasy league. If he can carve out more of a peripheral role, and shoot more than three-quarters of a shot, hit more than half a hit, and block more than three-quarters of a shot per game, he could be a decent streaming option. Pass for now. Alex Wyatt

November 2022 – After signing a three-year entry level contract, Pyyhtiä returned to the TPS of the Liiga in Finland following being released after training camp. Mark Dubreuil

March 2021 – Hustle is the name of the game with Mikael Pyyhtiä. He is a relentless, consistent forechecker who will place relentless pressure on his opposition as a result of calculated off-puck movement. His tenacity to fight for every puck, combined with intelligent playmaking and an underrated set of hands has resulted in over a point per game in the Finish Jr league, as well as five points in 26 Liiga games in his D+1 year. He’s a bit away, but Pyyhtiä is set on a path that may very well lead to the NHL eventually. Sam McGilligan

December 2020 – Blue Jackets’ most recent fourth-rounder has been invited to Finlands’ preliminary camp and will compete for his first look on a WJC roster sheet. Pyyhtia has notched 19 points through 16 games in the U20 SM- Sarja League, which has earned him a small stint in Liiga, where he’s gone pointless through two. He is by no means a shoo-in for a spot, but with no Aatu Raty named to the camp, he has a much higher chance to compete for a spot up the middle. Dave Hall

October 2020 – Mikael Pyythia is a fun pick in the fourth round as he brings a mixed bag of skill to the table. He is a fearless forward, with excellent speed and a non-stop motor. He competes for each puck and enjoys crashing the net to dig for scoring opportunities. His vision is solid and is considered a strong playmaking option. He has enjoyed success climbing the ladder throughout the TPS pipeline over the years. Just last season, his solid play at the U20-level gifted him a two-game stint with the top club (Liiga), where he produced an assist during that time. The pick is fresh, and it is difficult to pinpoint his role within the organization at the moment. At the very least, his growth will be exciting to keep tabs on. Dave Hall