A big part of Don Waddell's summer was spent adding depth to his roster. The Blue Jackets GM has enough experience to understand the value of not rushing prospects to the NHL. However, there is a chance that the team will need to lean on some of them for help this season. We have pinned down five prospects who could be leaned upon this year.
The thing about having a plan is that it almost never works out entirely like you hope it will. In an ideal world, the Blue Jackets would be able to play through this entire season without ever losing a player to injury. That is not going to happen.
Waddell has added plenty of experience to his NHL roster, and also bolstered things with some veteran signings to play in Cleveland. He's done a really nice job insulating his prospects, and for the first time in the history of this franchise, it feels like there's a plan in place for each of the young players coming along.
Still, inevitably, there's a likelihood that one or more of these guys will be called upon when the injuries mount. Last season, we saw the plan in action: when top of the lineup guys were lost to injury, top of the lineup guys from Cleveland were recalled. This was the case with bottom of the lineup guys as well.
If you look at the roster construction of the Cleveland Monsters, it's pretty evident that the guys who are going to be providing offense for them, are some of the top prospects for the Blue Jackets. Which means that if there is a need for a scorer in Columbus, it could be one of these guys. Let's take a look at the players we think could make an impact if necessary.
Luca del bel Belluz is close to being ready.
The plan for prospects can vary, but the general idea is to let them simmer until they prove to you that they are NHL ready. In the case of Luca del bel Belluz, there isn't a lot more for him to do.
In his first professional season, Luca struggled to find his game. The adjustment from the CHL to the AHL is a massive one, with every guy now being bigger, stronger and faster. So, it's not entirely unexpected for a skilled player like this to have a hard time generating offense. It's even tougher when you're limited to a certain number of games because your development plan dictates needing to get stronger to handle the rigors of the professional game.
Luca spent a lot of time in the weight room and doing off-ice training as a rookie pro in 2023-24, and it paid off big time last year. The heavier, stronger LDBB was terrific for the Monsters as a sophomore, scoring 27 goals and 53 points in 61 games played. He also had a cup of coffee in Columbus, and while he looked very confident: it was obvious that there was still work to do.
The plan here has worked so far, and the next step in his evolution does seem to be more time in the NHL. The first year was to get stronger. The second year was to allow him to play and gain confidence. The third year is probably going to be allowing him to open up even more, with an eye towards getting him into the Blue Jackets lineup for a longer look when an opportunity presents itself.
He's not quite to that "too good for the AHL" stage yet, but you can sense that it's coming. A hot start to his season could allow Luca del bel Belluz to play in the NHL soon, rather than later. After all, that would be his way of telling Waddell and company that he's ready.
On the next slide, let's take a look at another forward who could be leaned upon, though in a much different role.