Jason Mateychuk’s telephone rang Sunday afternoon and the title of his son, Denton, flashed on the display screen.
It was simply three days earlier than Christmas, so Jason had a sense he knew why his son was calling.
He couldn’t have been extra stunned – or grateful – to be fallacious.
“I assumed he was going to get me to verify him in for his flight to come back residence (for the vacations),” Jason stated Monday in Nationwide Area. “And he stated, ‘Dad, I’m going to the massive membership.’ I stated, ‘What?!’ I simply stated, ‘I’m so pleased with you.’
“We talked a bit bit after that, however yeah, I informed him how proud I used to be, and I understand how laborious he works. I stated, ‘You deserve it.’”
Certainly, he does. Denton has been on a gentle path to the highest of the hockey world the previous few years, dominating the Canadian junior ranks the previous couple seasons after which standing out within the American Hockey League in his rookie marketing campaign.
After which Monday delivered a vacation present the Mateychuk household is bound to recollect eternally. Mateychuk made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets final evening, and he definitely confirmed he belonged, logging 18:36 of ice time – together with power-play minutes – and by no means trying misplaced in a 5-4 CBJ win over Montreal.
From his solo rookie lap to being a part of the beginning lineup to taking an everyday shift within the NHL for the primary time, Denton bought to stay out what he known as a childhood dream.
“It was an superior second,” he stated. “I feel going out for warmups there have been in all probability extra nerves, however simply beginning the sport, getting that first one out of the best way, I feel it’s good. I feel in all probability the third or fourth shift, I used to be like, ‘All proper, I’ve settled in a bit bit.’ You’re sort of driving the excessive in the beginning of the sport, so I feel as soon as I bought a pair underneath me, I used to be extra settled down.”
Mateychuk’s first sport was spectacular, and the truth that he’s taking part in one of many hardest positions within the sport at age 20 makes it much more so. Whereas he could also be named after baseball’s well-known cyclone – legendary pitcher Denton True “Cy” Younger – Mateychuk was calm, cool and picked up your complete evening, utilizing a superb stick to interrupt up passing probabilities for the Canadiens, profitable battles alongside the wall, not often getting out of place and even becoming a member of the push when the time known as for it.
Given the first-round draft choose’s accolades coming in, although, that might hardly be a shock. Mateychuk was a standout on Canada’s World Juniors crew a 12 months in the past and dominated junior hockey with Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League, posting a mixed 28 objectives and 105 factors in 72 regular-season and playoff video games in 2023-24 on the best way to being the league’s prime defenseman and playoff MVP.
He was one of many final cuts of CBJ coaching camp and confirmed no signal of slowing down in 27 video games with Cleveland of the AHL, posting a 9-16-25 line that locations him atop the league amongst defensemen in each objectives and factors.
“He’s tremendous stable,” stated CBJ alternate captain Zach Werenski, who is aware of a factor or two about reaching the very best degree as a younger defenseman. “He’s been that means each camps he’s been right here. Clearly what he’s doing within the American League proper now’s particular. He simply performs the fitting means all around the ice, makes performs, he’s by no means out of place, and he has success doing it.
“I’m actually glad for him to get this sport in. Clearly he had some household right here, which is superior.”
Certainly, it’s not straightforward to get from his residence of Dominion Metropolis, Manitoba – just a few quick miles north of the Canadian border with Minnesota – to Columbus. The household was a bit scattered due to their very own athletic ventures, however Jason, Mateychuk’s mom Keela, his brothers Maddux, Kasen and Crosby, and sister Brylee have been all at Nationwide Area in time for warmups.
“It’s superb,” Jason stated. “One thing like that is at all times at the back of your thoughts. You hope that it occurs, however you by no means know. To be right here, it’s simply unbelievable. We’re beaming with pleasure.”
And Jason is true; Denton has definitely put within the work. Whereas he’s blessed with glorious hockey sense and skating expertise, he’s developed fairly a bit from the time the Blue Jackets took him twelfth total within the 2022 draft. Mateychuk stated he’s improved his shot immensely, labored on finding out the sport to know when to hitch the push or keep again, and cleaned up his gaps within the defensive zone to be higher at shutting down opposing groups.
You’ll be able to by no means fairly be prepared for the velocity of the NHL sport, however one contest in, Mateychuk stated he felt he held his personal on the highest degree.
“I feel all the pieces elevated a bit bit,” he stated. “In preseason, guys are attempting to make groups, however when you get all of your techniques and all the pieces set, it’s positively a bit faster. I knew it was going to be fast coming in. I used to be able to make that adjustment, and I felt like I did a fairly good job of that.”
