Brooks Bandits defenceman Corson Ceulemans has been selected 25th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2021 National Hockey League Entry Draft, becoming the third player in team history to be drafted directly from the Bandits to an NHL team.
The Wisconsin-commit joins Cale Makar (2017, 4th Overall – Colorado Avalanche) and Parker Foo (2017, 144th Overall – Chicago Blackhawks).
The 2003-born blueliner from Beaumont, AB was ranked No. 14 in NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters for the 2021 NHL Draft.
Ceulemans had 11 pts (4G, 7A) in 8 games during the 2020-21 Regular Season before being named to Team Canada’s U18 Men’s team, where he won a Gold Medal at the U18 Hockey Championship in Texas.
Ceulemans also represented his country at the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge in Medicine Hat, AB in November of 2019, scoring 4 points (4A) in 4 games for Team Canada Black. Then, in December of 2019, he was named to Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge in Dawson Creek, BC.
He capped off the season being recognized as one of the nation’s top 46 under-18 players and was invited to the 2020 National Men’s Summer Under-18 Selection Camp, which was cancelled due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
He appeared in 44 games during the 2019-20 season with Brooks, posting 35 points (5G, 30A).As a 15-year-old affiliate, he appeared in 8 games during the 2019 AJHL Playoffs and Doyle Cup for Brooks, posting 3 points (2 goals, 1A). After turning 16, he played in five games in the 2019 National Junior A Championship, scoring 3 points (3A), helping the team win its 2nd National Title. Ceulemans is an alumnus of the OHA Edmonton Prep team in the CSSHL
