Jason Matchuk's phone rang Sunday afternoon and his son Denton's name flashed on the screen.
Christmas was only three days away, and Jason had a feeling he knew why his son was calling.
He was beyond surprised—or grateful—at his mistake.
“I thought he was going to ask me to check him in for his flight home (for the holidays),” Jason said at the National Stadium on Monday. “He said, 'Dad, I'm going to the big club.'” I said, 'What? I just said, “I'm proud of you.”
“We talked for a while afterward, but, yeah, I told him how proud I was and how hard I knew he worked. I said, 'You deserve it.
Indeed. Denton has been steadily on his way to the top of the hockey world over the past few years, dominating the Canadian juniors over the past few seasons before breaking out in the American Hockey League during his rookie season.
On Monday, the Matechuk family delivered a holiday gift they will always remember. Matechuk made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets last night and he certainly proved he belongs, logging 18:36 of ice time (including power play time) in CBJ 5-4 He never looked out of place in the win over Montreal.
From his rookie lap to becoming a member of the starting lineup to being a regular in the rotation for the first time in the NHL, Denton is living what he calls his childhood dream.
“It was a great moment,” he said. “I thought it might have been a little more nerve-wracking to go out and warm up, but just starting the game and getting the first assignment done, I thought it was good. I think it was probably the third or fourth shift and I thought, 'Okay, I've got it Settled down a bit. “You're on top at the beginning of the game, so I think once I had a few guys underneath me, I was more consistent.
Mateychuk's first game was impressive, and the fact that he's playing one of the toughest positions in the sport at just 20 years old makes it even more impressive. While he may have been named after baseball's famous Cyclones, legendary pitcher Denton True “Cy” Young, Matchuk was calm, collected, and Poised, used a good stick to break up the Canadiens' passing chances, and won the battle along the wall, which is rare.
That's not surprising, though, considering the accolades the first-round draft pick has received. Matechuk was a standout on Canada's World Juniors a year ago and is dominating junior hockey with Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League, totaling 28 goals in 72 regular season and postseason games in the 2023-24 season. scored 105 points and is expected to become a member of the Canadian junior hockey team.
He was one of the last players drafted out of CBJ training camp and showed no signs of slowing down in 27 games with AHL Cleveland, posting 9-16-25 lines that put him in goals and He ranks among the best among defensive players in the league in scoring.
“He's very reliable,” said CBJ alternate captain Zach Werenski, who knows a thing or two about what it takes for a young guard to reach the highest level. “He's been like that both camps since he's been here. Obviously what he's doing now in the American League is special. He's on the ice the right way, making plays, he's never out of position and he's managed to do that. at this point.
“I'm really excited for him to play in this game. Obviously he has some family here, which is great.”
In fact, getting to Columbus from his home in Dominion, Manitoba — just a few miles north of the Canada-Minnesota border — wasn't easy. The family is a bit spread out due to their respective athletic careers, but Jason, Matchuk's mother Kira, his brothers Maddux, Carson and Crosby, and sister Brili all made it to the National Stadium in time to warm up. .
“This is great,” Jason said. “Things like this are always in the back of your mind. You hope it happens, but you never know. To be here, it's unbelievable. We're beaming with pride.
Jason was right; Denton really put in the effort. While he has great hockey sense and skating skills, he has improved significantly since the Blue Jackets selected him with the 12th overall pick in the 2022 draft. Matechuk said his shooting has improved a lot, and he works on studying the game, knowing when to join the rush or stay behind, and clearing holes in the defensive zone to better suppress opponents.
You never quite get used to the speed of the NHL game, but during one game, Mateychuk said he felt like he was playing at the highest level.
“I think everything stepped up a little bit,” he said. “In pre-season everyone is trying to get the team together, but once you get all the systems and everything in place, it will definitely be faster. I know it will come soon.
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