Denton Mateychuk
Blue Jackets defenseman discusses his promotion from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.
Zach Werenski and Denton Mateychuk were named to the NHL’s first All-Star and All-Rookie teams, respectively.Werenski finished second in Norris Trophy voting and led all NHL defensemen in several statistical categories.Mateychuk impressed in his rookie season after being called up from the AHL.
Two more Blue Jackets joined Sean Monahan in earning NHL recognition for their contributions toward a surprising season that finished just shy of the playoffs.
During the NHL Awards show televised before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 12, defensemen Zach Werenski and Denton Mateychuk were named to the league’s first All-Star and All-Rookie teams, respectively.
Werenski, who finished second to Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, joined Makar as the top two blueliners for the league’s first of two All-Star teams. Mateychuk joined the Montreal Canadiens’ Lane Hutson, who was awarded the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, as the only two defensemen named to the league’s all-rookie team.
Prior to the awards show, in early June, Monahan became the first Blue Jackets player to ever win the Masterton Trophy for being the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”
The Masterton, Norris and Calder trophies, plus the NHL all-star teams and all-rookie team, are determined by voting members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Werenski had a career-best season to lead the Blue Jackets’ effort to stay in the playoff hunt for all but the final game in the NHL’s 82-game regular season. He set single-season records for defensemen that he’d already held with 23 goals, 59 assists and 82 points while putting a career-high 298 shots on net and skating an NHL-leading 26:45 average ice time per game.
He led the Blue Jackets in assists, points, multi-assist games (14) and multi-point games (22), along with topping the team in shots. Werenski led all NHL defensemen in even-strength goals (17), even-strength points (T-54) and shots on goal, and led all scorers at the league’s first 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February 2025 with six points on six assists to help the U.S. win the silver medal. He also helped the U.S. win an elusive gold medal at the men’s world championships in May 2025.
Mateychuk also impressed after starting the season with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.
The 20-year-old rookie finished with 4-9-13 in 45 games while cementing a role on the second defensive pairing following his NHL debut Dec. 23, 2024, against the Montreal Canadiens. Mateychuk, selected 12th overall in 2022, finished second among all NHL rookie defensemen in even-strength points (13) and tied for second in goals, assists, points and plus/minus with a +4 rating.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
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