First-Round Pick Still Waiting for NHL Debut Signs Another AHL Deal with Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets just gave a one-year contract extension to a 23-year-old defenseman who hasn’t played a single NHL game. That’s Corson Ceulemans, the team’s first-round pick from 2021. The deal is for the 2026-27 season and it’s a two-way contract, which means he’ll make $850,000 if he’s in the NHL and $95,000 if he’s in the AHL. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline had the numbers first.

Ceulemans has spent his entire pro career with the Cleveland Monsters, Columbus’s AHL affiliate. He set personal bests this past season with eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points in 64 games. He led Monsters defensemen in goals and shots on goal and was second among blueliners in points. Not bad for a guy still trying to crack the NHL roster.

Here’s the thing. Ceulemans is one of the few first-round picks from the 2021 draft who hasn’t played in the NHL yet. That’s a little unusual, but it doesn’t mean the Blue Jackets have given up on him. He’s 6-foot-2 and 191 pounds, and he took on top-four minutes and penalty-kill duties in Cleveland this season. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, he added three points in nine games.

Before the Pros

Before turning pro, Ceulemans spent two seasons at the University of Wisconsin. He put up 15 goals and 30 assists in 67 games there. His final college year was his best — eight goals and 15 assists in 36 games, leading all Badgers defensemen in scoring. He also won a gold medal with Canada at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championships, with a goal and seven assists in six games.

The Blue Jackets picked him 25th overall in 2021. Since then, he’s played 157 AHL games and has 14 goals, 31 assists, and 45 points. He’s also racked up 90 penalty minutes and 262 shots on goal. Not flashy numbers, but steady development for a defenseman.

What’s Next for Ceulemans

The Blue Jackets went 40-30-12 last season and made a coaching change from Dean Evason to Rick Bowness. They’ve got about $32.3 million in cap space, so they have flexibility. Ceulemans will likely start next season in Cleveland again unless he forces his way onto the NHL roster in training camp. The team hasn’t said anything about that yet.

For now, it’s one more year to prove he belongs. The clock is ticking on that first-round pedigree, but the Blue Jackets are clearly willing to be patient.