It took only 12 games for the Blue Jackets’ defensive depth to get a big test.
Already missing Erik Gudbranson, a veteran who’s missed four games with hip soreness, the Jackets might now start a four-game road trip to Western Canada and Seattle without Denton Mateychuk on Nov. 5 in Calgary. Mateychuk, 21, is dealing with an unspecified injury and didn’t practice Nov. 4 at Nationwide Arena.
Mateychuk and Gudbranson will join the Blue Jackets on the trip, but coach Dean Evason ruled Gudbranson out for the game in Calgary and said Mateychuk will be reevaluated there. Mateychuk missed several shifts and played a season-low 13:01 in the Blue Jackets’ 3-2 road loss Nov. 2 against the New York Islanders but still managed to score a go-ahead goal with 7:50 left in the third period.
If he’s out, Dysin Mayo, 29, will make his Blue Jackets debut in his first NHL game since Feb. 13, 2023, when he played for the former Arizona Coyotes.
“He’s played games in the NHL, so if he plays, then we feel comfortable the spotlight’s not going to be too bright … because he’s been there and done that,” Evason said. “I’m sure he’s very excited about having that opportunity to maybe get in (a game).”
Should Mayo play, he’s expected to skate on the right side of the third defense pairing as a right-handed shot to pair with lefty Jake Christiansen. Dante Fabbro, who’s skated on that pairing with Christiansen since Gudbranson’s exit, will move back to the top pairing alongside Zach Werenski, with whom he played with last season.
Fabbro continued playing with Werenski to start this season but was replaced by Mateychuk after four games. His play has since picked up, including more wins in puck battles, better decisions with the puck plus three points on a goal and two assists in the past five games.
“He’s playing really well,” Werenski said. “It’s one of those things where it’s probably tough for him. You go from, in essence, the top pair, and then you move down, and then we start winning all these games. It’s a tough situation. Matty’s playing really well and Fabbs is playing really well, but he’s handled it tremendously.”
As for Mayo, a decision to sign with the Blue Jackets rather than taking his career to Europe could lead to his NHL return sooner than expected. Should he play, Mayo will bring 82 games of NHL experience to the ice. All those games came with the Coyotes, who selected him in the fifth round (133rd overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
“It’s been a couple years now, probably just about three, so it’d definitely be exciting to get in the lineup,” Mayo said. “It’s something where I’m just trying to keep a positive attitude every day, work hard and be a good teammate around here.”
Mayo spent the past two seasons with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, the top minor league affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. He started this season with four assists in five games for AHL Cleveland before the Blue Jackets called him up for a back-to-back this past weekend, which included a trip Oct. 2 to face the New York Islanders.
Mayo began training camp competing with Christiansen, veteran Christian Jaros and rookie Daemon Hunt to be the Blue Jackets’ seventh defenseman. It went to Christiansen, but Mayo’s path to Columbus was boosted after Jaros left camp to return to the Kontinental Hockey League and Wood returned to the Minnesota Wild on waivers.
“When I signed, I didn’t know if an opportunity like this would come at all, especially this quick into the season,” Mayo said. “I mean, we had a guy leave training camp and then somebody picked up off waivers … so, things can change quickly, and that’s why you’ve just got to go with each day and control what you can.”
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.socialÂ