Columbus and AHL Continue to Develop Players in Cleveland

Dec 5, 2019

For 84 seasons, the American Hockey League has served as the top developmental tier for the world’s best players in preparation for a National Hockey League career. For the past five years, the Cleveland Monsters have served as the main affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets and the place where top Blue Jackets prospects have continued to learn and grow.

 

Located a little over two hours away from each other, the short distance between Cleveland and Columbus has helped strengthen the relationship between Blue Jackets and Monsters management while also advantaging players. Fourteen members of the current Blue Jackets roster have appeared in at least one game for the Monsters at some point in their careers, including the most recent Cleveland call-up, defenseman Andrew Peeke.

 

Fresh from the University of Notre Dame, the 21-year-old rookie appeared in 21 games for Cleveland this season compiling 12 points (5G, 7A) before earning his first recall to Columbus.

 

“It’s obviously easy having Columbus this close to us, but they also watch all our games and see what we do every night,” said Peeke. “You’ll hear things that they want to see out of you and what you can do better which makes it a good funnel system from here to there.”

 

Spending time in the AHL allowed Peeke to acclimate to the faster pace he will also see in NHL-level games, and received one-on-one time with the Monsters’ coaching staff and General Manager Chris Clark.

 

Transitioning to a management role after seven seasons in Columbus player development, Clark was promoted to Blue Jackets Director of Player Personnel and General Manager of the Cleveland Monsters prior to the start of the 2019-20 season. A focus of Clark’s time with the Blue Jackets has always been development of the players and working in an increased role at the AHL level has allowed him to maintain that focus.

 

“The AHL is a teaching and development league. The season is about wins and losses, but it’s also about the development of players,” said Clark. “You need to find the fine line of what do you weigh more. Winning is part of [growing] but so is developing our young guys and getting them up to speed.”

 

At the time of Clark’s promotion, head coach Mike Eaves also joined the Monsters and is now in the midst of his 35th season as a coach after spending the last 17 years teaching the game at the collegiate level. With Eaves’ coaching style fitting hand-in-glove with Clark’s way of thinking, the Monsters have continued to develop even through tough stretches.

 

“We talked the other day about a book called The Obstacle is the Way. A lot of times when things are in your way, you have to deal with them and become better because of them,” said Eaves. “We are looking at what we are going through as a way to improve to help us get over this hump so by the end of the year when it really matters, we’ve already gone through these hardships and know what to do.”

 

Eaves also noted the week-to-week attention of Blue Jackets’ management at Monsters games adds a sense of urgency to the players’ game. With young skaters like Eric Robinson and Kole Sherwood earning opportunities at the next level, the Monsters’ coaching staff keeps an eye on how they are doing at the NHL level and if they are applying the lessons they learned in the AHL.

 

“Having CBJ management [in Cleveland] really helps develop our guys [because] they know they’re being watched. I’m [still] watching them up there,” said Eaves. “With Eric’s two goals, he shot them right away without stick handling and gave himself the advantage. That itself proves what all our coaches are trying to say, ‘You don’t have the time and space here or up in the NHL, so here’s where you can work on it so you can use it’ is sticking with the guys.”

 

While the Monsters must adjust game plans any time there is movement between the two teams, it is a welcomed challenge to the Cleveland and Columbus staffs.

 

“We want to lose our best players because that means we are doing something right and our coaches are doing something right,” said Clark. “The coaches are moving guys on and helping [them get] to the next level. That’s what our job is.”