CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Monsters will make their 2025-26 Rocket Arena debut on Friday night when they host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Here is what you need to know about the Monsters, who are the American Hockey League affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Strong start on the road

Cleveland opened the season with back-to-back wins in Utica, including a 1-0 shutout on Friday night and a 3-2 overtime victory on Saturday. James Malatesta scored the lone goal in the opener, and goaltender Ivan Fedotov stopped all 21 shots for a shutout in his AHL debut.

In Game 2, the Monsters rallied for an OT win to sweep the Comets and start 2-0. Mikael Pyyhtiä netted the OT winner just 23 seconds into the extra period, and Brendan Gaunce and Riley Bezeau each scored as well. Luca Del Bel Belluz and Dysin Mayo assisted on Pyyhtiä’s game-winner. Goalie Zach Sawchenko made 21 saves for the win.

CBJ prospects to watch

This season’s roster features several top Columbus Blue Jackets prospects expected to play key roles:

Luca Del Bel Belluz: A skilled center who posted 53 points last season and nearly cracked the NHL roster out of camp. He’ll anchor Cleveland’s top line and is considered one of the organization’s most promising forwards. Del Bel Belluz has some NHL experience, particularly last season when he had two goals and eight points in 15 games with the Blue Jackets.

James Malatesta: The speedy winger already made an impact with the season-opening goal.

Corson Ceulemans: A first-round pick in 2021, the defenseman brings size and mobility to the blue line. This is Ceulemans’ third full season with the Monsters.

Stanislav Svozil: Known for his puck-moving ability and vision, Svozil is entering his third season in Cleveland.

Luca Pinelli: A fourth-round pick in 2023, Pinelli joined the Monsters late last season after his season in the OHL ended. He played in six playoff games, recording two goals and four points.

Guillaume Richard: A steady presence on defense who made his pro debut late last season after four seasons at Providence.

Mikael Pyyhtiä: A fourth-round pick in 2020, Pyyhtiä plays with speed and has a responsible two-way game. He already has 64 games of NHL experience.

See the full Monsters schedule

Click here to see the full Monsters 2025-26 schedule, including all home and away dates as well as promotions for home games.

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