Oshawa Generals defenseman Luca Marrelli selected in the third round, 86th overall by Columbus in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft
Luca Marrelli is the third Oshawa Generals player to have his name called at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The right-shot defenseman was drafted in the third round, 86th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Oshawa’s top three prospects are now off the draft board with Beckett Sennecke going third overall to Anaheim, and Ben Danford 31st to Toronto yesterday on Day 1 of the draft.
Marrelli’s playstyle is somewhat similar to that of his Generals teammate Danford, but he possesses a slightly more advanced offensive game.
He’s got great vision from along the blueline and rarely misses the mark on his passes. He was utilized to quarterback the team’s powerplay, recording 18 powerplay assists.
He’s an above-average skater who is quick on retrievals and is quick to push the puck up ice. Defensively, like Danford, he’s highly efficient at limiting time and space, using his mobility to close gaps swiftly, but could play with more physicality.
Brock Otten, McKeen’s Hockey Director of Scouting considers Marrelli a “Jack-of-all-trades” type of defenseman who has a little bit of everything but lacks a standout quality that sets him apart.
However, Otten gave glowing remarks on Columbus’ new prospect saying his hockey IQ is among the best of any defender available out of the CHL — OHL, WHL, and QMJHL — this year.
And TSN's Director of Scouting Craig Button agrees with that opinion.
Marrelli at the NHL Draft Combine talked about how disappointing it was to lose in the OHL Finals to London but added that it’s just more fuel to the fire for himself and his teammates in Oshawa to get back to the dance.
The Generals boast an experienced defensive core, led by Marrelli who will be entering his fourth season in the OHL. They are expected to dominate the Eastern Conference once again in the 2024-25 season.
Marelli adds himself to the list of Columbus Blue Jackets prospects with an Italian background — Adam Fantilli, Luca Del Bel Belluz, and Luca Pinelli.
Luca’s favorite team growing up was the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a big fan of Morgan Rielly. He said he liked to take bits and pieces of Rielly’s game and add them to his own, which is noticeable by how active he is along the offensive blueline and jumping into the attack in transition.
Marrelli said at the combine he plans to work on improving his physical presence and his shot for next season.
Ottawa 67’s defenseman Frankie Marrelli is Luca’s first cousin and he mentioned how special it has been to play against him in the OHL and experience their draft-eligible year together.
Unfortunately, his cousin Frankie was not selected in the draft, which is actually quite surprising.
The Columbus Blue Jackets drafted a prospect with a safe NHL upside due to his skating and complete game with and without the puck.
You can never go wrong with a 6-foot-1.5” right-shot defenseman who can skate like the wind. These are the types of prospects that NHL teams can develop because they have the physical tools to work with.