After averaging over a point per game (8-57--65 in 63 GP) in the WHL regular season, Denton Mateychuk helped the team he captains, the Moose Jaw Warriors, sweep the Lethbridge Hurricanes and advance to the second round.
Mateychuk posted 2-1--3 in the four-game series, including this sweet goal where he maneuvered around defenders before scoring.
Denton Mateychuk professional ankle breaker.@MJWARRIORS | @BlueJacketsNHL#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/4LPXZATYQH
— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 2, 2023
In the regular season, Mateychuk was named the team's player of the year and finished ninth in scoring among WHL defensemen.
The Captain with some insurance!#FullFlight | #WHLPlayoffs | @BlueJacketsNHL pic.twitter.com/T8c8AY6fr5
— x - Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) April 6, 2023
In the second round, the Warriors will either face the Saskatoon Blades or the Regina Pats, led by Connor Bedard and fellow Blue Jackets defenseman prospect Stanislav Svozil. That series is currently tied at two games apiece.
It will be interesting to see how far Mateychuk can take his team, and if his performance in the WHL is any indication of the kind of NHL player he'll be, the Blue Jackets made the right choice selecting him 12th overall in the NHL Draft.
