After years of retooling, the Blue Jackets organization is loaded with prospects who bring a variety of traits. It's now a really healthy system from top to bottom, which means we're starting to see competition for roster spots on both the NHL club, and its AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters.
Playing time is beginning to come at a premium on both squads, which means that you have to be on top of your game at all times. In the case of Corson Ceulemans, I'm starting to have some concerns.
He faced some injuries this season that have kept him out of the action, but even when he's been in the lineup, his production has stagnated a little bit. In 47 games last year, his first full season at the professional level; Ceulemans scored 3 goals and 12 points for the Monsters. This year, he was held to just 33 games, scoring 2 goals and 7 points.
None of those stats jump off the page for a guy who was drafted in the first round (#25 overall) at the 2021 NHL Draft. That pick was acquired by the Jackets in the trade that sent long-time captain Nick Foligno to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is the kind of pick you hate to see your team miss on.
While I'm not saying the Jackets missed on this pick quite yet, it's notable that Ceulemans hasn't given the big club much to think about to this point in his career. For a guy who was drafted based on his skating and offensive abilities, we would like to see him producing more for the Monsters at this point in his career. It's also important to note that several defensemen taken after him have become NHL regulars already.
Negatives aside, there was growth in his game this season. His defensive zone play improved, and he was getting more shots on the net than he had in his rookie campaign. From that perspective, he might have been a little snake bitten. He also played more physical this season, which was definitely something we hoped to see out of a guy with his size.
Does he still fit into the long-term plans?
I think he does. Even though he was an inherited player, he fits the Don Waddell mold of "big, mobile defenseman". Honestly, the concern here isn't as much in his development arc, as it is in the guys coming behind him. The Jackets spent a lot of draft capital on those big, mobile defensemen last summer - many of them being right hand shots.
While most of them aren't going to be eligible for the AHL next season, it will be hard to overlook Luca Marrelli on the depth chart. He obliterated the OHL for 19 goals and 74 points this season, and will be able to play for the Monsters full-time next year.
For me, this means that next season will be pivotal for Corson Ceulemans. If he can stay healthy and take a big step forward, he will thrust himself right back into the discussion as a future piece of the CBJ blue line. If not, he's at risk of being passed up by younger players who bring a variety of different traits.
I'm far from writing him off at this point, but I have to wonder when he's going to take that step and begin to really stand out at the AHL level. Until that happens, he's going to be viewed as a longer-term project for the Jackets. Taking this summer to reset and prepare for greater things is vital for him.