OHL In The System: Columbus Blue Jackets
As the 2024 NHL Draft concludes and development camps kick off across the National Hockey League, we’re diving into the current and former OHL talent within each NHL Club’s prospect pool.
This 32-part series will spotlight OHL players who are either signed to an NHL or AHL contract or are recently drafted, and are 25 years old or younger with 50 or fewer NHL games played.
Join us for OHL In the System!
Today’s edition features the prospect pool of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Luca Marrelli (D) — Oshawa Generals (2021-24)
Selected: 86th overall, 2024 NHL Draft
OHL Career Stats: 187 Games Played | 11 Goals | 86 Assists | 97 Points
Age: 18
The only OHL player to be selected by the Blue Jackets this year, Luca Marrelli heard his name called 86th overall at the 2024 NHL Draft. Helping the Oshawa Generals reach the OHL Championship Series as Eastern Conference champions this past season, the 18-year-old blueliner registered 57 points in 67 regular season games played, along with 13 points in 21 playoff contests. Selected by the Generals in the fifth round of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, the Toronto, Ont. native has tallied 97 points in 187 games played over three seasons in Oshawa.
Luca Pinelli (LW) — Ottawa 67’s (2021-24)
Signed: April 23, 2024
OHL Career Stats: 194 Games Played | 91 Goals | 90 Assists | 181 Points
Age: 19
Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Luca Pinelli signed an entry-level contract with the club on April 23, 2024. Pinelli has played three seasons in the OHL with the Ottawa 67’s after being chosen in the second round of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. Over 194 regular season games played, the Stoney Creek, Ont. native has registered 91 goals, 90 assists and 181 points. Additionally, the 19-year-old forward has tallied 29 points in 25 playoff contests.
Cameron Butler (RW) — Peterborough Petes (2018-20), Niagara IceDogs (2020-2022), Oshawa Generals (2022-2023)
Signed: March 16, 2023
OHL Career Stats: 257 Games Played | 74 Goals | 80 Assists | 154 Points
Age: 22
Originally selected by the Peterborough Petes in the second round of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection, Cameron Butler found great success in the OHL. Skating in four seasons between the Petes, Niagara IceDogs and Oshawa Generals, the Ottawa, Ont. native tallied 154 points over 257 regular season contests. Signing an entry-level contract as a free-agent on March 16, 2023, Butler made his NHL debut on March 30, 2023. Spending last season with the Cleveland Monsters, Butler registered eight points in 51 games played.
Nolan Lalonde (G) — Erie Otters (2021-2023), Saginaw Spirit (2023-24), Kingston Frontenacs
Signed: October 2, 2022
OHL Career Stats: 131 Games Played | 3.68 GAA | 0.872 SV% | 56-53-5-6
Age: 20
Selected by the Erie Otters in the third round of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Nolan Lalonde has played three seasons in the OHL between the Otters and the Saginaw Spirit, playing to a 56-53-5-6 regular season record, along with a 3.68 goals-against average and 0.82 save percentage over 131 games. Backstopping the Spirit to the 2023-24 Western Conference Finals, Lalonde appeared in 12 playoff games this season, playing to a 5-7-0-0 record. The 6-foot-1 netminder was crowned a 2024 Memorial Cup champion with the tournament host back in May. Signed as a free-agent to the Blue Jacket on October 2, 2022, Lalonde was recently traded to his hometown team, the Kingston Frontenacs, for the upcoming OHL season.
Pavel Cajan (G) — Kitchener Rangers (2021-22)
Signed (AHL): July 12, 2022
OHL Career Stats: 44 Games Played | 3.61 GAA | 0.901 SV% | 21-18-2-2
Age: 21
Pavel Cajan signed a two-year contract with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters on July 12, 2022 after spending a season with the Kitchener Rangers. Selected by the Rangers in the 2020 CHL Import Draft, Cajan played to a 21-18-2-2 regular season record, along with 3.61 goals-against average and .901 save percentage over 44 games played in 2021-22. Playing to a 16-18-6-2 record over 44 games played with the Monsters from 2022-24, the Pribam, CZE. native re-signed with Cleveland through the 2024-25 season on July 2, 2024. Cajan represented Team Czechia at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Jet Greaves (G) — Barrie Colts (2018-2020)
Signed: February 20, 2022
OHL Career Stats: 60 Games Played | 3.17 GAA | 0.899 SV% | 20-27-4-1
Age: 23
Originally signed by the Blue Jackets to a three-year, entry level contract on Feb. 20, 2022, Jet Greaves appeared in nine NHL games this past season, posting a 3-6-0 record with a 3.49 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. The Cambridge, Ont. native has gone 61-40-11 with a 2.96 GAA, .905 SV% and four shutouts in 118 career AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters since making his pro debut in 2021-22. Selected by the Barrie Colts in the third round of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection, Greaves played to a 20-27-4-1 record along with a 3.17 goals-against average and .899 save percentage over 60 regular season games.
Luca Del Bel Belluz (C) — Mississauga Steelheads (2019-23), Sarnia Sting (2022-23)
Signed: December 1, 2022
OHL Career Stats: 192 Games Played | 71 Goals | 98 Assists | 169 Points
Age: 20
Selected by the Blue Jackets in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Luca Del Bel Belluz signed an entry-level contract with the club on December 1, 2022. The Mississauga Steelheads’ third round pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, the Woodbridge, Ont. native played three seasons in the OHL between the Steelheads and the Sarnia Sting, tallying 169 points over 192 regular season contests. Del Bel Belluz helped guide the Sting to the 2023 Western Conference Finals, adding 15 points in 16 playoff games that season. Appearing in 58 games with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters this past season, the 20-year-old forward registered nine goals, 22 assists and 31 points.
Max McCue (RW) — London Knights (2019-24)
Signed: March 1, 2024
OHL Career Stats: 218 Games Played | 51 Goals | 90 Assists | 141 Points
Age: 21
Max McCue signed an entry-level contract as a free agent with the Blue Jackets on March 1, 2024, after originally being selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft. Helping the London Knights hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup as 2024 OHL champions, McCue registered 22 points in 18 playoff contests this past season. Being crowned a back-to-back Western Conference champion, the overage forward has found great success within the Knights organization, recording 141 points in 218 regular season games played over five OHL seasons.
Ole Bjørgvik-Holm (D) — Mississauga Steelheads (2019-22)
Signed: August 16, 2021
OHL Career Stats: 111 Games Played | 5 Goals | 27 Assists | 32 Points
Age: 22
Selected by the Mississauga Steelheads in the 2019 CHL Import Draft, Ole Bjørgvik-Holm played two seasons in the OHL, tallying 32 points over 111 games played. The Blue Jackets’ fifth round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, the Oslo, NOR. native has appeared in 43 games with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters from 2020-24, recording seven points. Bjørgvik-Holm spent the 2023-24 season with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, where he registered 33 points in 57 regular season contests. The 22-year-old blueliner has also appeared on the international stage, representing Norway at the 2021 and 2022 IIHF U20 World Championship.
tomorrow’s edition of In The System, features the Montreal Canadiens organization!
