Boumedienne selected in 1st round of NHL Draft

June 28, 2025

Former OBJ defenseman Sascha Boumedienne was selected in the first round (28th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. He becomes the 7th player in program history to be drafted into the NHL, and 3rd ever to be taken in the 1st round.

In the spring, Boumedienne was named Best Defenseman and selected to the All-Tournament First Team after breaking the all-time scoring record for defenseman at last year's IIHF U18 World Championship. In the tournament, he recorded one goal and 13 assists for 14 points in seven games, helping lead Team Sweden to a silver medal.

A dynamic, smooth skating blueliner, he was the youngest player in Division I men's college hockey this past season, appearing in all 38 games with Boston University. He contributed 3 goals and 10 assists for 13 points, helping the Terriers capture a Beanpot Championship and reach the Frozen Four. He was also named to the 2024-25 Hockey East All-Academic Team. In 2023-24, Boumedienne scored 3 goals and 27 points in 49 games in Youngstown and was named to the USHL's All-Rookie Team. 

Boumedienne played two seasons with the AAA Blue Jackets at the 16U level from 2021-23. In 2022-23, he finished second on the team in scoring as an underage player, posting 11 goals and 31 assists for 42 points in 40 games, before signing a tender with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms. That same season, he also represented Sweden at the World U17 Challenge, where he earned a bronze medal.

AAA Blue Jackets and the NHL Draft
2007 - Trent Vogelhuber (Round 7, pick 211)
2011 - Connor Murphy (Phoenix, Round 1, pick 20)
2011 - Sean Kuraly (San Jose, Round 5, pick 133)
2013 - Cole Cassels (Vancouver, Round 4, pick 85)
2015 - Jack Roslovic (Winnipeg, Round 1, pick 25)
2017 - Carson Meyer (Columbus, Round 6, pick 179)
2025 - Sascha Boumedienne (Winnipeg, Round 1, pick 28)

As a non-profit 501-c3 organization, the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets program prides itself on being the premier youth hockey program in Ohio. With an every day mission to develop our student-athletes to reach their full potential on and off of the ice, the program aims to provide a healthy and safe environment for the elite player to grow as a player, person and teammate through the great game of hockey.