By Cami Kepke/whl.ca
Moose Jaw, Sask.- Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Denton Mateychuk has been named the 2024 WHL Playoffs Most Valuable Player.
The award is presented to a player deemed to have made the strongest contribution to their team throughout the WHL Playoffs, as voted by members of the media.
The Warriors Captain led his team to its first Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history with a four-game sweep of the Portland Winterhawks in the 2024 WHL Championship Series.
Cementing his bid for the WHL Playoffs MVP, Mateychuk came up with some crucial blocks while locking down the opposition perfectly in Game 4 as the Warriors hung on for a 4-2 win.
The reigning WHL Defenceman of the Year finished second in postseason points with 11 goals (including two game-winners) and 19 assists for 30 points and a +18 rating in 20 postseason matches.
He was only held off the scoresheet six times.
Mateychuk, a Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, registered 10 multi-point games in the playoffs.
His most memorable performances include netting a pair of powerplay goals to force overtime against Portland in Game 3 of the final round and a sensational one-goal, five-assist performance against the Swift Current Broncos to tie the second-round series with one win apiece.
The 19-year-old was one point shy of tying the WHL record for points in a single playoff game by a defenceman.
Mateychuk also played a critical role in shutting down the high-powered offence of Moose Jaw’s opponents.
He is a fixture of the Warriors’ penalty kill and led the league with two shorthanded assists in the playoffs.
Mateychuk is the first player in Warriors’ franchise history to be named the WHL Playoffs MVP, sealing his legacy in the Friendly City.