As we delve deeper into the Kings’ offseason, the upcoming 2022 NHL Entry Draft has additional options who may make sense for the Kings.
We previously mentioned the likelihood of Rob Blake standing pat at 19th overall. However, one of the noted behaviors from last year is the frequent utilization of draft capital to move up. Los Angeles traded up to get Pinelli and Helenius in the second round then Kirsonov in the third.
If the Kings wish to upkeep the theme of trading up, then it is worth looking at options of moving up.
In the spirit of evaluating left-handed defensemen, it’s time to look at another.
Denton Mateychuk
Vitals
Date of Birth: July 12, 2004
Height: 5’11
Weight: 187 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense
2021-22 Season
Mateychuk spent his entire season playing for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League. He had 64 points (13 G, 51 A) in 65 games.
Blueline Special
Mateychuk distinguishes himself quite a bit among other defensemen. His 64 points nearly doubles the next defender on his team, who had 39. League-wide, the native of Winnipeg, MB was fifth overall among all blueliners.
Inconsistent Consistency
Mateychuk was one point shy of being a point-per-game player in the regular season, though he did hit the benchmark during the postseason. However, he was held off the scoreboard for a remarkable number of times despite his production. He was blanked nearly 33% of the time in the regular season and 50% in the playoffs.
Big Stage Links
As mentioned in a previous article about Owen Pickering (incidentally, Pickering and Mateychuk are cousins), Los Angeles hasn’t drafted from the WHL for a historically long streak. There are no ties to prospects who played in that league who Mateychuk would know. However, Kings prospects Brandt Clarke and Francesco Pinelli wore the Maple Leaf alongside him to represent Canada in 2021’s Under-18 World Junior Championship.
Rankings by Independent Scouting Services
Ranked No 9 by Last Word on Sports. “Mateychuk’s potential is sky-high. He could become a number one defenceman for his team, helping them to control possession and even-strength and quarterbacking the top power-play unit. While he is a bit undersized, his skating and intelligence more than makeup for it. Expect Mateychuk to spend another year or two in junior before he is NHL ready though. A July Birthday, he is also one of the younger players in the draft, so there is some hope that he will continue to grow another inch or two. He can also add muscle to his frame before he is ready for the pro game. His game is reminiscent of Quinn Hughes. This is a stylistic comparison only though and not one based on skill and ability.”
Ranked No. 15 by Sportsnet. “In terms of his approach, there are few better in this class. He takes command out on the ice leading vocally and by example.”
Ranked No. 8 by Elite Prospects. “He’s always up in the play, and when he gets the puck, few defensemen create more opportunities. He’s a confident, aggressive defender, too.”
See For Yourself
Here is a shift by shift video of Mateychuk against Lethbridge.
Final Comments
Los Angeles has had an influx of offensively-gifted defensemen joining the organization or finding their niche in the NHL, such as Clarke, Durzi, and Spence. This should encourage the Kings to pursue a similar type of blueliner, despite being undersized.
Mateychuk fills an organizational need of being a left shot. We always discuss how draft decisions shouldn’t be made solely on need, yet it serves great as a tiebreaker when everything else is equal.
He has a good stick and mobility. While undersized for a defenseman, he’s not afraid to use his body to separate the man from the puck. Kings fans may remember a player by the name of Lubomir Visnovsky. There are a few parallels as far as the type of role he would play (not necessarily the same impact).
If Rob Blake and Company want to instill more offense from the blueline, Mateychuk would be a great start. He wouldn’t be expected to step in within a year of getting drafted, akin to early expectations of Clarke. However, in the event he does develop into a full-time NHL player, the Kings would have a newfound offensive force on the left.
Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.
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