Denton Mateychuk is an offensively gifted defenseman who exudes confidence when he has the puck. His desire to be a difference-maker is noticeable every time he steps on the ice. He’s a terrific skater who has a wide stance with a low center of gravity which allows him to get a lot of power with each stride. Coupled with the powerful stride, he displays great edgework that he’s able to utiilize in many ways, whether it’s working the offensive blue line to get a better lane to the net, making opponents miss as he’s rushing the puck up the ice, or shaking forecheckers off as he retrieves the puck in his own end to start a breakout. He also processes the game at an elite level, which makes him a force in the offensive zone. He’s great at picking his spots to pinch in order to sustain pressure for his team, and he reads the play so well that he’s able to jump off the blue line into some open ice to make himself a dangerous option. The odd time one of his reads doesn’t go as planned, he’s got the determination to get back in time defensively to minimize any opportunity against his team. He can be an aggressive defender in his own zone, too. He uses his anticipation to cut off cycle attempts or any cross-ice passes near him. Due to him trying to read the play so often, there are moments where he can lose his check because he’s trying so hard to beat the puck to where it’s going next. He can shore that up as he matures. He could also benefit from adding weight to his frame. He’s just not able to impose himself physically on others, which may hinder his defensive abilities. Mateychuk’s best-case projection could be as high as a top-pair blueliner, but can become a top-four who quarterback’s a power play unit.

– FCHockey’s 2022 NHL Draft Guide