It wasn't an easy process for Carson Meyer to get to the NHL. It might even be harder for him to stick.
But no one will ever be able to take away the fact that the Powell native not only made it to the highest level when he debuted with the Blue Jackets a season ago, he did it for his hometown team with a big group of friends and family in attendance.
"Just very exciting," Meyer said after his debut in April. "I really didn't have any expectations going into the game, just wanted to play hard and finish checks with however many minutes I played. Just the chance to put on that jersey in front of my whole family and friends in Nationwide as really, really special for me. I know it was special for my parents, too."
The man has overcome a lot on and off the ice, all the while working himself from a sixth-round draft pick who initially had to go to the AHL level to prove he deserved a CBJ contract to an NHL player. A scorer growing up and in college at both Miami University and Ohio State, Meyer also has had to rework his game.
While he's always had both skill and some sandpaper to his game, focusing on the latter is his meal ticket to making it work at the NHL level. Meyer did just that in two seasons with the Cleveland Monsters after finishing up at OSU, putting in the hard effort to show he can play the way he has to in the pros.
"The No. 1 thing is he's earned his opportunity to get up here," CBJ head coach Brad Larsen said. "I think he's a guy that understands what he's going to have to do to play in the NHL -- his role, his style. We were very clear on that when we talked to him in the exit meetings, and it is an adjustment for him I think, but he has to be hard on pucks, he has to be tenacious, he should be noticed with his energy."