Columbus Blue Jackets playing it safe with Denton Mateychuk, David Jiricek
There’s a point during the baking process when a cake in the oven produces a smell that fills a kitchen with a sweet pungency that makes you crave a sample before it’s fully cooked.
It’s not easy to stay patient, but Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent knows that’s usually for the best while baking cakes and developing hockey players. That’s why it’s unlikely the Jackets will open this season with top prospects other than center Adam Fantilli holding key roles in their lineup.
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It’s probably too soon for Denton Mateychuk, David Jiricek, Jordan Dumais and other top prospects to come out of the development oven.
“It’s like … if I’m baking a cake, right, and it’s a beautiful cake, six layers and everything,” Vincent said. “It’s got to cook properly in order to be a good cake. If you take it out too early, then it’s not good. We have to take our time with those guys.”
If there’s anybody who knows this lesson, it’s Vincent.
Prior to joining the Blue Jackets in 2021 as Brad Larsen’s associate coach, he spent a decade in Winnipeg learning about the NHL and how players develop. His first five years were spent as an assistant coach for the Winnipeg Jets before logging the final five as head coach of the Manitoba Moose, the team’s AHL affiliate. He watched a lot of “cakes” come through the Jets system and had the same message for those who felt they might be baking too long.
“When I was coaching in the American league, guys wanted to be called up right away,” Vincent said. “I said, ‘No, you don’t want to be called up right away. When you are called up, you don’t want to come back down. You don’t want to just become a ‘call up.’ You want to become an NHL player.' ”
Columbus Blue Jackets have tough decisions on Mateychuck, Jiricek
One of the biggest questions the Blue Jackets’ front office and coaching staff must answer is most applicable to Mateychuk and Jiricek.
Each of the promising young defensemen could probably play at the NHL level on a team with fewer impediments already on the roster, but the Blue Jackets aren’t one of those teams. They’re loaded with young defensemen, including a handful who are further along in NHL experience, which means there isn’t a pressing need to rush either Mateychuk or Jiricek.
Drafted six spots apart in 2022, Jiricek (sixth overall) and Mateychuk (12th) have each had moments that have indicated they’re either NHL-caliber or close to it. Jiricek has made a few elite level plays offensively, while Mateychuk has shown a level of consistency in all situations during his first three preseason games.
The future for both looks bright, but there’s likely still baking time left.
Columbus Blue Jackets playing it carefully with Mateychuk
Vincent said Mateychuk is having a “fantastic” camp, but there are three preseason games remaining and no obvious role within the Blue Jackets’ top six defensemen for him to fill.
The rookie is a left-handed shot often used at the left point, where the Blue Jackets already have Zach Werenski on the top defensive pairing and Ivan Provorov on the second. Mateychuk could skate on the third pairing, but he’d play there over Jake Bean, Nick Blankenburg, Adam Boqvist or Andrew Peeke in a role would severely limit his minutes compared to what’s available with Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League.
Mateychuk would ideally play with the Cleveland Monsters in the AHL, but he’s 19 and doesn’t meet the NHL’s age agreement terms (at least 20 years old) for junior players within the Canadian Hockey League umbrella. Jiricek’s in a similar spot except that he's not affected by the CHL/NHL agreement and excelled with the Monsters last year.
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Would it be better for either of them to play high minutes at a lower level or get less ice time and diminished roles in Columbus?
"Any of our players, we don’t want them to make the jump too quick and adjust their style with limited ice time, (developing) as a five, six or seven defenseman when we think they could be a one, two or three," Vincent said. "It’s a dangerous game to play with confidence. You can lose it pretty quick. Right now, he’s highly confident. We can see it. We have great hopes for him and he’s making a case for himself, but we don’t want to go too fast. We want to make sure the cake is really good when it comes out of the oven.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets want to avoid rushing Mateychuk, Jiricek
