Denton Mateychuk is driving play at a high level for the Blue Jackets

Curtis Deem of Union and Blue writes that Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk is excelling early in the season despite the team's defensive struggles. Columbus has allowed seven goals in two games while missing injured defensemen Damon Severson, Ivan Provorov, and Dante Fabbro. Elevated to the top pairing alongside Zach Werenski, the 22-year-old Mateychuk has averaged 27:48 of ice time per game and recorded one assist.

Deem highlights Mateychuk's strong underlying metrics, noting he leads Blue Jackets defensemen with a 52 percent Corsi rating per MoneyPuck while committing only two turnovers. Although acknowledging minor issues with penalties and size mismatches against bigger opponents, Deem argues Mateychuk's strong performance warrants continued opportunities, including potential power-play duty.