Denton Mateychuk

2022 - 7 - 8

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The Hockey Writers"

Columbus Blue Jackets Draft Denton Mateychuk 12th Overall (The Hockey Writers)

With the 12th pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets have selected defenseman Denton Mateychuk.

He doesn’t shy away from heading into dangerous areas, and has the vision and creativity to make a play and move the puck into those areas to open teammates, or get a shot on goal. “Despite his offensive ability, he can be a bit too risky at times; opting to make difficult breakout passes or zone entries rather than take the safe option. “He has the intelligence to know that not all shots have to be looking for the back of the net, and can send wrist shots on goal with the purpose of creating a rebound for his forward corps, or allow for a deflection. He has the ability to carry the puck into the zone and establish control for his team. “The Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Moose Jaw Warriors saw it fit to draft Denton Mateychuk 11th overall in the 2019 Bantam Draft, and are getting a fantastic return on that investment. Mateychuk followed that up with 10 points in 10 playoff games, further cementing the fact that he can be a steady source of production from the blue line.

2022 NHL Draft: Jackets select Denton Mateychuk at #12 overall (The Cannon)

Blue Jackets continue to build defensive depth with the dynamic defenseman.

I like the swing on the talent here for the Blue Jackets, who after adding several top center prospects in 2021 have now shored up their blue line of the future. Mateychuk is still most likely a few years away from taking the next step, so there is still time for development in all areas of his game. I think it’s safe to say the Columbus Blue Jackets’ defensive depth went from a weakness to a definite strength after tonight.

Blue Jackets' Denton Mateychuk: Off the board 12th at 2022 Draft (CBSSports.com)

Mateychuk is the next best fantasy defender after Ivan Jiricek and Simon Nemek in this year's class. He fits the profile of a top modern-NHL defender ...

Mateychuk's game has a bit of Morgan Rielly in it, and that could make him a future fantasy star. He also has a big shot, good smarts, and makes strong decisions, and that made him one of the best rovers -- sorry, defenders in the CHL this season. Mateychuk is the next best fantasy defender after Ivan Jiricek and Simon Nemek in this year's class.

Who is Denton Mateychuk, the Blue Jackets' pick at 12th overall in ... (The Columbus Dispatch)

Denton Mateychuk, a defenseman from the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors is headed to Columbus after the Blue Jackets drafted him with the No. 12 pick.

"I just want to make sure that I’m ready when I get to the NHL level, so I can have the longest career possible," Mateychuk said. Limiting his offensive opportunities would do a disservice to the kind of player he is, and Columbus is built to allow him that freedom. The NHL-CHL agreement prevents the Jackets from being able to put Mateychuk in the AHL until he's 20 years old or has played four seasons of junior hockey, so his options going forward are Moose Jaw or the NHL. Without thinking too far ahead, it's not impossible that Mateychuk and Jiricek could end up playing alongside one another on the second defensive pair down the line. With the Moose Jaw Warriors, Mateychuk scored 13 goals and collected 51 assists for a total of 64 points in 65 regular-season games. There's inherent risk with the way he plays, but his skating is good enough that it's less risky than perhaps expected because he can recover so well.

Blue Jackets select Denton Mateychuk 12th overall in NHL Entry Draft (NBC4 WCMH-TV)

MONTREAL, Canada (WCMH) — The Columbus Blue Jackets selected defenseman Denton Mateychuk 12th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft on Thursday.

DRAFT: Blue Jackets Select Defenseman Denton Mateychuk with ... (1st Ohio Battery)

The Columbus Blue Jackets selected defenseman Denton Mateychuk with the 12th overall pick in the 2022 National Hockey League Draft.

He does have his limitations defensively, but he also knows how to use his cerebral play, speed, and aggressiveness to be an asset on that end of the ice He's also posted one goal and 10 points in 10 WHL playoff games. Amazingly, according to EliteProspects, 71.4% of his total offensive output was from primary points, something that is almost unheard of for a D-man. He can be found right in the thick of it, putting the puck in the back of the net or coming up with the primary assist.

5 things to know about CBJ draft pick Denton Mateychuk (BlueJackets.com)

With the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Blue Jackets have selected defenseman Denton Mateychuk from Moose Jaw of the WHL.

… Displays excellent puck carrying skills and is a capable and confident puck carrier who is willing to drive deep into the offensive zone. The Draft Prospects Hockey Handbook adds, "A puck moving, offensive defender who is excellent in the transitional areas of the game. Before this year, the pandemic had limited him to just 23 games with the Warriors, with the smooth-skating defenseman posting a 3-8-11 line in those contests. 4. Fun facts: Mateychuk won't have far to go to find someone to chat CBJ with, as 2021 Jackets seventh-round pick Martin Rysavy plays junior hockey with Moose Jaw as well. 1. Bio info: Mateychuk is a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, but grew up in Dominion City, a town of just over 300 people that is within minutes of the U.S. border. ... Has areas to improve on, but with his vision, passing, creativity, and puck skill, he has all the components to become an offensive force from the back end."

Blue Jackets double up on defensemen, make history adding David ... (The Athletic)

"We got two really good defensemen," Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said. "You can never have too many of them."

“And we’re glad that we did.” “He plays both sides of the ice. “We got really lucky there,” Makela said. “No one,” he said. “You can tell by the way he carries the puck, by the way he feels no pressure. But it’s not hard to envision Jiricek playing next to Zach Werenski on the Blue Jackets’ top defensive pair in a couple of seasons. Unless he makes the Blue Jackets out of training camp, which is highly unlikely, he’ll return to Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League, where he was an alternate captain on the team this season. “Those are the guys we thought were the best players (on the board) at the time, so that’s the philosophy we stick to. The more likely scenario as of today, however, seems to be another season in the Czech top men’s league, where he has spent the previous two seasons. “Last year we took two forwards at No. 5 ( Kent Johnson) and No. 12 ( Cole Sillinger) and they were really high-end. The Blue Jackets took right-shot defenseman David Jiricek (6-4, 198 pounds) at No. 6, adding a big, physical blueliner with a slap shot that can break bones. — to see Kekalainen and his scouts and staff take the stage to actually make both selections.

Denton Mateychuk

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