Hard work, drive made Ceulemans into a first-round talent

Corson Ceulemans is no expert on the state of Ohio, but that can be excused considering the first-round draft pick of the Blue Jackets grew up about 2,000 miles away.
His father, Colin, played college hockey in Minnesota and Corson will suit up next year at the University of Wisconsin, but the native of suburban Edmonton professes the Buckeye State remains a bit of a mystery.
"I don't know a whole lot," he said. "I just know that LeBron James is from Ohio, so that's kind of it."

It seems as though that will be rectified in the next few years, though, as it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see Ceulemans wearing the union blue in Columbus sooner rather than later. Chosen with the 25th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft in late July, the 6-foot-2, 198-pound right-shot defenseman is thought to be one of the blueliners with the highest ceilings in the draft, someone whose shot, skating ability and poise on the puck make him someone who can excel on all 200 feet of ice.
While much of the ink spilled and pixels occupied thus far about the CBJ draft have focused on the preternaturally skilled winger Kent Johnson (taken fifth overall) and legacy forward Cole Sillinger (12th), Ceulemans is viewed as a steal by the Blue Jackets.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said he projects to be a top-four defenseman in the NHL for "many, many years," while director of amateur scouting Ville Siren said the Blue Jackets targeted the versatile Cuelemans and were more than happy to get him.
"He's a very good skater, he has a great shot and he played well (at the World Under-18 Championships in May)," Siren said. "He got better and better, and he was one of (Canada's) go-to guys on the back end.
"We were hoping (to get him). We were lucky, I would say. We had him higher than the position where we got him."
Ceulemans says the feeling is mutual, noting, "I'm super happy to be a Blue Jacket," after Columbus made the pick. Meanwhile, his father said the family was "ecstatic" after a draft party that featured aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends.
For the family, it's a dream come true, the realization of years of work that Corson took on himself. While Colin did played Division III hockey at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., for a year and stayed active in the coaching ranks -- coaching Corson until he was 13 years old -- much of the drive for Corson to make it to the big time came from the prospect himself.
Colin had Corson on skates at age 2 and playing hockey at 4, but from there, the youngster just took off.
"I think reflecting back on this whole journey here, he was never a kid we ever really had to push," Colin said. "He just always wanted to be at the rink, was always in the garage shooting pucks, asking, 'What else can I do?' There was a lot of passion for it.
"I remember one experience, we had been away at a tournament for the weekend and he had played quite a bit of hockey. We got back home, and he had a development session that he went to every Sunday, which was about 45 minutes from our house. I was like, 'Do you want to just rest tonight?' He was like, 'No, I have to get there. I want to go.' So away we go.
"There are lots of little stories like that. He was just always that kid we were having to sometimes hold back."
In the end, though, that work ethic has served Corson well. He shot up through the local ranks as a kid, often holding his own as a younger kid in his age group and playing on teams that were occasionally overmatched, Colin said, using those challenges to steel himself into someone who had the toughness to make it up the ladder.
From there, his skill caught the eye of high-level scouts, and Ceulemans ended up with Brooks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, which is a step below the Western Hockey League but often produces college- and NHL-level talent. In 2019-20 before the pandemic hit, Ceulemans had a great season on the back end, posting five goals and 30 assists for 35 points in 44 games. This past year, he was able to skate in only eight games with the Bandits but had a 4-7-11 line.
He also showed well in at the World U-18s, returning home with a gold medal after posting a goal and seven assists in six games for Canada. This past week, he took part in a World Junior Showcase event for Team Canada with Johnson and Sillinger, scoring the game-winning goal in the final scrimmage off a pass from the former.
"I think I bring a strong set of skills from the back end," Corson said about his game. "I'm able to produce offense from the back end. I am also very good defensively. I'm a solid two-way defenseman. I think at the NHL level I will be solid two ways and be able to contribute any way I can."
The trio of Johnson, Sillinger and Ceulemans are thought to be key pieces of the CBJ plan to contend in the years going forward, with the trio praised by observers for being one of the best hauls in this year's draft. That's music to the ears of Ceulemans, who is excited to see what the future holds in Columbus -- once he finally arrives in Ohio.
"It's awesome," he said. "We have a bunch of good, young prospects with Johnny and Syl getting selected and myself, so I'm super excited for the future. Three picks is awesome because there's so much young talent coming in, so I couldn't be happier."