Looking through the top five scorers on the Checkers here at the midway point of the season, the names are pretty predictable. Derek Ryan was an elite scorer in Europe before coming to Charlotte, Trevor Carrick is an AHL All Star coming off a record-breaking rookie year, Brock McGinn is one of the most explosive prospects in the system, and Justin Shugg is the team’s reigning scoring leader. But the name in the number three slot might surprise you.
Jake Chelios has quietly put up 21 points in the first 38 games of the season, good for third on the team overall and only two behind second-place Carrick. The blue liner has especially come alive as of late, notching 11 points in his last 12 games and helping propel the team to their best stretch of the season. While he has certainly been a key part of the team’s roll, Chelios also credits that roll for his hot hand.
“Honestly I think it’s just team success,” said Chelios. “A player like me who keeps it simple, if our team is scoring goals, I get to be a part of that. We’re playing good hockey right now and our record shows it. We have a good group of forwards so I can get the puck to them and pick up points.”
Chelios brings an offensive flair to a blue line that’s chock-full of skilled players, but has still found ways to stand out.
“He creates a lot on his own,” said Morris. “He has a lot of patience with the puck and he has a booming shot. He has a knack for knowing when to sneak in and find loose pucks. He’s scored some big ones for us so far this year and hopefully that continues.”
While he praised sharing the ice with fellow offensively-gifted blue liners like Carrick and Ryan Murphy, Chelios has found a niche playing alongside one of the more stay-at-home defensemen on the roster.
“I’ve been playing with Mike Cornell lately and that’s been great for me,” said Chelios. “He kind of stays back and lets me do my thing.”
While his numbers are the most eye-catching aspect of his game – he’s already set career highs in goals, assists and points – it would be selling Chelios short to portray him as a one-trick pony on the blue line.
“Not only has he produced points, he’s defended well,” said Morris. “He’s a big body, he doesn’t get shoved around. He settles things down on the back end with his calm demeanor. He’s been a real asset to our team.”
Coming to Charlotte ultimately has been a big part of sparking Chelios’ play, but it wasn’t without early challenges. Heading into the season, it wasn’t really clear what kind of role the young defenseman would play with his new club.
“I had no history with him so I had really no idea of what he was going to bring,” said Morris. “He was penciled in as a seventh D in the original chart that I saw.”
Chelios found himself on the outside looking in at times early on in the season, serving as a healthy extra for the first two contests and once more a month in. Amongst several high-profile prospects, Chelios had to work his way in.
“That’s how it is,” said Chelios. “If you’re going to have a career in hockey that’s what you have to do. It’s adversity. Obviously it’s tough in the summer not knowing where you’re going to be and coming in and being the seventh or eighth defenseman, but at the same time, you’re still in a good league.”
“He comes from good stock,” said Morris, referencing the fact that Chelios’ father is Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios. “I didn’t think he was going to roll over and play dead. He’s seen the game growing up and I’m sure he understands that one decision isn’t going to amount to a hill of beans down the road. If you stick with it and stay dedicated, good things happen.”
It didn’t take long for those good things to happen, and Chelios quickly carved out his place in the lineup.
“Coach has given me all the opportunity to prove myself,” said Chelios. “Luckily I’ve had the chance to be on the power play and prove to him that I can do it. So that’s helped a lot.”
“His steady play and his sure-handedness has catapulted him in the right direction,” said Morris. “He’s been a pleasant surprise.”
Chelios is now in his second pro season with his second club and is playing in his fourth city - he had a cup of coffee with the Chicago Wolves and the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye in 2013-14 at the conclusion of his senior year at Michigan State before spending his rookie season last year with Chicago and the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings.
Bouncing around like that can be tough for a player just beginning their pro career, but Chelios has found a nice home in Charlotte.
“It’s tough, especially going up and down last year,” said Chelios. “The toughest thing is just moving city to city and getting situated. But this group of guys, they’re a young group, so it was pretty easy for me to just jump in and be one of the guys.”
