The Columbus Blue Jackets fell just short in the 2024-25 season, missing the playoffs by just two points–the equivalent of one win.
However, with one of the strongest prospect pools in the NHL and established young stars already on the roster, the Blue Jackets are looking to take a big step forward this season.
Today, we will be ranking the five Blue Jackets players who are the most primed to take that big step and be an important part of the team’s success.
5. Luca del bel Belluz
Luca del bel Belluz is one of the Blue Jackets’ most polished prospects in the system. After being drafted 44th overall in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft by Columbus, del bel Belluz has already shown that he can be a capable center at the highest level.
The year after he was drafted, Luca stayed in juniors for a season and tallied 40 goals and 47 assists in just 66 games, split between the Mississauga Steelheads and the Sarnia Sting, who he got traded to in hopes of competing for a championship. He contributed 15 points in 16 games in the playoffs before eventually getting eliminated in the Western Conference Championship Series.
Del Bel Belluz then made the jump to professional hockey, making his debut with the Cleveland Monsters in the AHL in 2023. He put up a respectable 31 points in 58 games, and also made his NHL debut with Columbus at the end of the season, scoring a goal in his only game.
If there was any doubt whether del bel Belluz would be able to take a step forward in the AHL, it was quickly erased with last year’s performance. In 61 games, he netted a team-leading 27 goals, and had 26 assists to finish as the team’s third-best offensive player.
He was one of the top players in the AHL before getting called up to Columbus due to injuries, and he didn’t stop there. He proved himself at the NHL level, contributing eight points in 15 games.
Luca del bel Belluz looked like a veteran at the highest level, playing with a poise, calmness, and intelligence rarely seen in rookies.
While he is yet to establish a full-time NHL role yet, another step forward in the AHL could force Blue Jackets General Manager Don Waddell to make the decision to call him up yet again. If del bel Belluz gets the opportunity and carves out a role in the middle six, he could be a big part of the NHL club not only this season, but well into the future.