Release

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defensemen David Jiricek and Denton Mateychuk to three-year entry level contracts, club General Manager and Alternate Governor Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. Jiricek and Mateychuk were selected sixth and 12th overall respectively in the first round at the 2022 NHL Draft held at Bell Centre in Montreal last Thursday.

Jiricek (pronounced YIH-reh-chehk) registered five goals and six assists for 11 points with 49 penalty minutes and an "even" plus/minus rating in 29 games with HC Plzen of the Czechia Hockey League in 2021-22. The 18-year-old finished second on the team in penalty minutes and ranked second among club blueliners in goals and third in points.
A native of Klatovy, Czechia, Jiricek has totaled 8-12-20 with 85 penalty minutes and a cumulative +14 rating in 67 career outings with HC Plzen (Czechia) from 2019-22. He posted 3-6-9 and 34 penalty minutes in 34 games in 2020-21 and finished fifth on the team in plus/minus rating (+13).
The 6-3, 189-pound defenseman has represented Czechia at several international tournaments. He helped his country capture bronze at the 2022 IIHF World Championships with 1-1-2 in five games. He was named a top three player on his team in the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships with 1-1-2 and two penalty minutes in five games.
FULL DAVID JIRICEK STATS
Mateychuk (pronounced Mah-TAY-Chuk), who turned 18 on Tuesday, racked up 13 goals and 51 assists for 64 points with 15 penalty minutes, four power play goals and a +20 plus/minus rating in 65 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League in 2021-22. He was named to the WHL (East) First All-Star Team after finishing fifth-T among league defensemen in points and sixth in assists. He also ranked second on the Warriors in assists and third in points.
The 5-10, 194-pound blueliner has totaled 16-59-75, 23 PIM and a cumulative +8 plus/minus rating in 88 career outings with Moose Jaw since making his WHL debut in 2019-20. He collected 2-7-9 in 16 appearances with the club in 2020-21.
A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Mateychuk helped Canada capture a gold medal at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championships.
FULL DENTON MATEYCHUK STATS

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