Being the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Denton Mateychuk was viewed very highly within the Blue Jackets organization. He started the last season (2024-25) with the Cleveland Monsters.
However, after solid play and a need within the Blue Jackets lineup, Mateychuk earned a call-up to the big club and never looked back. He played the second half in Columbus and improved the defense corps immediately. He was penciled in to be a starter for the Blue Jackets in the 2025-26 campaign.
Mateychuk played the entire season with the Blue Jackets (75 of 82 games). He bounced around within the defensive corps, playing anywhere from the third pairing to the first pairing.
However, as the season progressed, he grew into a solid second pairing defenseman. He mostly played in defensive situations but did see some power play time later in the season. Overall, he had a solid first full season in the NHL.
While Mateychuk was good, he still has room for growth. The expectation is for him to take the next step going forward to becoming a top defenseman. Some will argue that his growth has been (or will be) impeded by the presence of players like Ivan Provorov or Damon Severson on the team. I’m not arguing for or against that.
But I do think that it has been good that Mateychuk has eased into the NHL without being thrown into the fire. I think it could aid in his long-term development. Now it’s up to Head Coach Rick Bowness to determine the roles that suit him best for his development and the Blue Jackets’ success (now and in the future).
Denton also skated with Team Canada at the World Championships this month. Despite starting the tournament as the team's 7th defenseman, he scored 2 goals and 5 points in 10 games, ultimately finishing on the top pair.
Mateychuk is going into year 3 (of 3) of his entry level contract that pays him $886,666 per season. At the conclusion of next season (summer of 2027), he will be a restricted free agent. The Blue Jackets control his rights and will most certainly extend him past this initial contract.
He is a young player who is still developing his game. The team views him as a key component on the defense. Expect Mateychuk to be a Blue Jacket for a long time.
Final season stats: 75 games played, 13 goals, 18 assists, 31 points, 8 PIM, +12, 158 shots on goal, Overall grade: B+
This was Mateychuk’s first full season in the NHL. He played a majority of the games and showed glimpses of why the team views him so highly. He still has room for growth, but I expect him to only get better. He receives a B+ because he had a solid first full NHL season.
