Del Bel Belluz from Blue Jackets deserves a chance in the 2025-26 season – The Hockey Writers Blue Jackets Prospects Latest News, Analysis and more

On the way to the 2025-26 season, it seems that the majority of the opening night schedule of the Columbus Blue Jackets is simple enough to predict. But every season it seems that there is someone who throws a key in the plans of the organization and forces himself in the conversation for one of the last schedules. This season Luca del Bel Belluz could be that player for the Blue Jackets.

Flexible transition to the professional game

The Blue Jackets set Belluz in the second round of the NHL design of 2022 with the 44th general selection. During his concept year, many were concerned that his skates could limit his ability to make the leap to the professional game. “The issue with the game of del Bel Belluz is one of translatability,” said Elite Prospects in their design guide from 2022. “His skates and the low pace of playing, both in terms of movement and in the speed of decisions, limit his advantage. His high position has his ability to spot options, to make every place from the right place from the right place his play “(from 2022 Elite Prospects NHL Draft Guide,” Elite -ProspectsJune 15, 2022).

Although he is far from a perfect player since he became professional during the 2023-24 season, Del Bel Belluz has certainly been productive. During his first season in the American Hockey League with the Cleveland Monsters, he registered 31 points, of which nine goals were, up to 58 games. His production during the late season, however, fell quite a bit, just like in nine Playoff competitions, he only had one goal and an assist.

That same season, how Moment print. On April 16, 2024, he took the ice against the Carolina Hurricanes, and although he had for less than ten minutes Ice Age, he noted his first career goal in the NHL.

Although he would return to the samples for the most 2024-25 season, when DEL Bel Belluz was recalled by the Blue Jackets, he again made an immediate impact, he scored a goal and added an assist in his first NHL match of the season against the Seattle Kraken. Eventually he would play a total of 15 games for the Blue Jackets during the season and ended with eight points in the NHL.

At the AHL level, however, he did a huge step forward in terms of production. In 61 games he scored 27 goals and achieved a total of 53 points.

There are still some doubts about it

In only 21 years old, Del Bel Belluz has a lot of development for him; However, he has already shown that he has a High -ranking performer At AHL level. Of course, reaching the NHL will be the next step in his career, assuming it follows a linear path. His skating problems have not been a major problem yet; However, many still wonder if that will prevent him from becoming a full-time NHL player.

Although points are a great benchmark for the production of a player, they are far from everything. Especially skating and mobility problems are one of the most difficult things for a prospect of overcoming, and although they have not limited his violation, they are still clearly present.

Related: 2025 Blue Jackets’ Summer Q & A: Don Waddell, part 1

In general, Del Bel Belluz has the attacking talent to be in the NHL in the coming season. Although there will be a heavy competition, he can be a dark horse for a grid place when the opening evening comes. That said, he is still a bit of a project, although he performs well. As a result, it will be interesting to see how the blue jackets deal with his development, especially when it comes to his skates, ahead.