Blue Jackets assign Denton Mateychcuk to AHL Cleveland

Mateychuk, who has played with the Blue Jackets in the preseason before this recent transaction, joins the pro ranks after a fruitful junior hockey career. The 19-year-old has spent the last four seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League, scoring over 60 points in each of the last three years. The Warriors’ captain scored a career-high 17 goals and 58 assists for 75 points in 52 games this year, earning with the Bill Hunter Trophy as the WHL’s top defenseman.

Moose Jaw went on to win the franchise’s first Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions, with Mateychuk being named playoff MVP after scoring 30 points in 20 games. The Warriors went on to the Memorial Cup for the first time, making it to the semifinal before losing to the eventual champions, the Saginaw Spirit.

The Winnipeg native was a finalist for the CHL Defenseman of the Year Award and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star team after registering seven points in four games.

Mateychuk was originally selected 12th overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2022 NHL Draft. He has represented his country in the past, playing on the gold medal-winning Canadian team at the 2021 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship, before playing in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship a few months ago.

The Monsters and Bears will meet in Game 3 of the ECF on Tuesday night in Cleveland. The Monsters trail Hershey 2-0.