The Columbus Blue Jackets announced on Apr. 16 that forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Luca Del Bel Belluz have been loaned to the Cleveland Monsters, the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, according to club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell.
The move affects two players with significant experience at both NHL and AHL levels. Aston-Reese, age 31, played in 27 games for the Blue Jackets this season, scoring one goal and four assists while accumulating 12 penalty minutes. Since his National Hockey League debut in the 2017-18 season, he has appeared in a total of 416 NHL games with several teams including Columbus, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He joined Columbus after being claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 7, 2024.
Aston-Reese has also spent time in the AHL over five seasons with various teams. This year with Cleveland he has posted seven goals and seven assists for a total of fourteen points across twenty-five games.
Luca Del Bel Belluz is returning to Cleveland after appearing in fourteen contests for Columbus during the current season where he registered one assist and four penalty minutes. The center was selected by Columbus as a second-round pick (44th overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft. Since making his professional debut at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Del Bel Belluz has played thirty career NHL games for Columbus.
In his time with Cleveland since turning professional in 2023-24, Del Bel Belluz has tallied fifty-eight goals and eighty-three assists over one hundred seventy-two AHL games. This season he set personal bests for assists (thirty-five), points (fifty-seven), and power play goals (nine) through fifty-three appearances as an AHL All-Star.
The team also provided information regarding ticket plans for next season.
