Blue Jackets a great fit for Mateychuk

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This article was published 19/07/2022 (1177 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Denton Mateychuk grew up in a small town in southern Manitoba and is familiar with a slower pace of life.

His work on the ice is decidedly faster and more explosive. So it didn’t come as any surprise when he entered the whirlwind existence of a first-round NHL Draft pick earlier this month and handled the transition with aplomb.

The 18-year-old Dominion City product was drafted 12th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 7, flew to Ohio two days later for a weeklong development camp and left for home with a signed NHL contract in his pocket.

All along he had a feeling the Blue Jackets were interested, even after the organization selected Czechian defenceman David Jiricek six picks before him in the first round.

“It wasn’t too surprising,” said Mateychuk this week, recalling an interview with representatives of the Blue Jackets at the NHL combine that went particularly well. “I had conversations with them all year and I knew they were one of those teams that could possibly take me. But when you hear your name called, it’s a crazy feeling. I didn’t really know what to think in the moment.”

Now that the dust has settled, it’s not inconceivable that Mateychuk, a never-nervous, left-shot defenceman, could be paired with the right-shooting Jiricek at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Columbus brass has been watching closely.

“You know, (Mateychuk) didn’t have a bad game,” Blue Jackets’ director of amateur scouting Ville Siren told the Columbus Dispatch. “For example, in the (CHL) prospects game, I would say he was a top-two player in that game. He really wanted to show what he’s capable of doing in that game. I was very impressed.”

The club and Mateychuk’s agent, Greg Landry, worked quickly to iron out the details of a contract.

“My agent called me and just went over it with me,” said Mateychuk, who arrived home last week in time for an appointment to have his wisdom teeth extracted. “It was kind of a surreal moment — another step in the way to being a full-time NHL player, right? It’s pretty cool.”

Reaching the big leagues is likely to take time and Mateychuk understands that. He expects to return to the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors in the fall but not before experiencing his first NHL training camp and next week’s Hockey Canada’s U20 summer evaluation camp in Calgary.

Fellow Manitobans Owen Pickering and Conor Geekie also have invitations from Team Canada, along with Geekie’s Winnipeg Ice teammate Matt Savoie.

“I just want to be the best player I can be for my development,” said Mateychuk. “If I’m ready to play in the NHL next year, then that’s what I should do but I think it’s more than just playing in the NHL right away. I think it’s more about having a career and being able to play for 15 years. I think whatever they see is best for my development is what I’m going to do. If that means being a junior for a couple more years, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

Geekie (Arizona Coyotes) and Pickering (Pittsburgh Penguins) signed similar entry-level deals.

Geekie, a centre from Strathclair who went 11th overall to the Coyotes, and Pickering, a blue-liner from St. Adolphe who was the 21st overall selection by the Penguins, are all destined to return to their junior teams for another two seasons of development, barring unforeseen developments.

Meanwhile, Savoie also inked a three-year entry level deal with Buffalo after the Sabres took him ninth overall. The St. Albert, Alta., product is also likely to return to major junior for at least one more season.

Pickering, who is Mateychuk’s second cousin, loved his draft-day experience (he had his name announced from the podium by all-star Penguins defenceman Kris Letang and received a congratulatory text from captain Sidney Crosby) before being whisked away for development camp at the team’s practice facility in Cranberry, Pa., where he charmed the local media with his easy-going banter.

“I feel like I did a good job having an open mind, having confidence in myself, and trying to learn because that’s what the week’s about,” said Pickering. “I was trying to take advantage of all the resources and not put too much pressure on myself.”

In retrospect, falling to the Penguins at No. 21 was serendipitous.

“Like I kind of said before the draft — it was tough to tell which team is just doing their due diligence and which teams were showing more interest,” said Pickering. “But I met with Pittsburgh the day before the draft in Montreal, so obviously there was a hint there that they were interested…

“Pittsburgh is the best possible fit and I’m happy to go there — great organization, great people. So, I think it was a very good outcome, which is all I could ask for.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter @sawa14