Four prospects who could make the Blue Jackets roster out of training camp

David Jiricek

We'll start with the most obvious one here. After buying out the contract of Adam Boqvist, the Jackets freed up a full-time job on the right side of their defense corps. They happen to have one of the top right-hand defense prospects in all of hockey: David Jiricek.

It's not to say that they have to fill this spot with a right-hand shooter. But, who else is going to take this job? There are no players with more upside, nor who are more NHL ready than Jiricek in this system.

By moving on from both Boqvist and Jake Bean, the Jackets opened up two jobs on the back-end. One of these jobs will likely go to newly acquired Jordan Harris. The other? To me, the team tipped their hand here and told the hockey world that David Jiricek is ready to play and learn in the NHL this season.

Which is the correct move, in my opinion. Even though he struggled to put up offensive numbers last year in limited minutes, he passed the eye test on many occasions. The team sent him back to Cleveland for the last half of the year, and he proved again that he's too good for that level. This was especially clear at times in the playoffs.

If Jiricek makes the team (he should), he will be playing under a more structured coach this season in Dean Evason; who should be able to help him land in better spots defensively. This will help alleviate the stress on his foot speed, which came into question at times last year.

And, maybe most importantly, with Boqvist and Bean gone, he might actually earn some special teams opportunities. If he can hold par defensively and get the opportunity to do the things that made him a #6 overall selection at the draft, he's going to be a standout player in no time.

Odds David Jiricek makes the team: >90%. In my opinion, this one is pretty easy to work out. He's ready for the next step.

He might not be the only top defense prospect to make the opening night roster. Can the guy picked six spots behind him do it as well? Let's break that down on the next slide.

Denton Mateychuk

Not only are the Blue Jackets fortunate enough to have a top defense prospect on the right side - they have one on the left side, as well. Denton Mateychuk was one of the best defensemen in all of the CHL this past season, and he'll be fighting for an NHL job next month.

In fact, he almost made the team last fall. Mateychuk was one of the last cuts from training camp, sticking around way longer than most of us expected before being sent back to Moose Jaw for his final WHL season.

He returns this year a heavily decorated, more polished all-around player; who is a year older and more experienced. I wouldn't be surprised to see him stick around training camp for a long time again this fall. But, after the team added Jordan Harris and Jack Johnson in recent weeks, his work is cut out for him.

Obviously, every defenseman develops at a different pace. So we can't expect both Mateychuk and Jiricek to be ready at the same time from that perspective. But, I do think that Mateychuk is a difference maker with the puck on his stick. He's already one of the best skating defensemen the Jackets have, and he's a very mature player for being just 20 years old.

Mateychuk proving he's ready could force the Blue Jackets to make some really tough decisions. With all that said, the smart play here would be letting him simmer in the AHL. At least for the start of the season.

At some point, an Ivan Provorov trade looms large - which would eventually open up a job for Denton this season. Once he plays in the NHL, it's going to be really hard to send him back down. He'll be a fan (and coach) favorite in no time.

Odds Denton Mateychuk makes the team: <10%. Don Waddell isn't going to rush anything, and that's the smart play. Take the early part of the season to evaluate and figure out the direction of this team, and go from there. With a left side featuring Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov, Jordan Harris, and Jack Johnson - lest we forget Jake Christiansen, who has certainly earned a look - there's no sense forcing Mateychuk into heavy minutes he may not be ready for.

Let's move on to a couple of forwards that could make the cut.

Gavin Brindley

The Jackets were able to convince Gavin Brindley to forego his NCAA eligibility and turn pro at the end of last season. Brindley made it into the final CBJ game of the season, burning up a year of his ELC in the process.

He had a strong season with the University of Michigan, scoring 25 goals and 53 points in 40 NCAA games (I still think he was snubbed in the Hobey Baker voting). Turning pro made sense for both the player and the team here.

Brindley really had nothing left to prove at the NCAA level. He could have gone back and competed for a National Championship, but signing his ELC allows him to further develop at a higher level. Not to mention, he earned a really nice payday at the end of his sophomore season by signing.

For the Jackets, they pull one of their top prospects into their grasp and alleviate any concerns about Brindley walking to free agency in a couple of years. Likewise, they probably felt that turning pro now was better for his development. The decision now becomes: is he NHL ready? Or, does he need some AHL seasoning?

The answer to that question may come in the form of another question: do you want him to play center in the NHL? If the answer to this question is yes, then I think a stint in the AHL is certainly the way to go. I could see Brindley playing on Sean Kuraly's wing this season with the Blue Jackets. And, I don't think he would be out of place.

But, wouldn't it be better for him to play heavy minutes in the AHL, in all situations? He can show off his offensive game, improve his all-around game, learn the nuances of pro hockey (the most difficult adjustment might be the schedule); and do it all in a lower pressure environment.

Starting him in the AHL makes a lot more sense to me. Honestly, regardless whether or not you see him as a center, he should be in the AHL this season. I'm sure he can be a viable fourth line player for the Jackets this year, but his future warrants a higher ceiling than that.

Odds Brindley makes the team: <25%. Again, Waddell has spoken about giving his players time to develop. Unless Gavin shows up and beats out one of the top-9 forwards already on the Blue Jacket roster, he's destined for some AHL time.

I do think there is one rookie who could make the roster out of camp, however. Let's discuss on the final page.

James Malatesta

If you asked me to describe James Malatesta's NHL play at the end of last season in one word, I would have to say: eye opening. Okay, that's two words. But, that's the best way I can describe him. Malatesta has been one of my favorite prospects in the entire system since the Jackets drafted him in the 5th round of the 2021 NHL Draft. There's just something about this guy that I absolutely love.

Maybe it's the fact that he can score goals in bunches. Or maybe it's the fact that he simply never gets out-worked. Or, maybe it's the fact that he hits everything in sight, in spite of his 5'9", 190 pound build. It's probably all of the above.

He didn't find the scoresheet much until the very end of his 11 game stint with the Jackets, but he stood out each and every time he was on the ice, because of that work ethic and physicality. Malatesta simply came in, grabbed his lunchbox, and went to work. What more can you ask for out of a 5th round pick who was a professional rookie last season?

With Justin Danforth and Mathieu Olivier both vying for fourth line minutes on the wings, he'll have his work cut out for him. But, Dean Evason is going to love Malatesta, and there is a forward job to be won here.

Odds James Malatesta makes the team: ~50%. There are 11 forwards with NHL-only contracts, so the team will need at least two more forwards. If I were laying a bet on someone grinding their way into Dean Evason's bottom six, I'd take Malatesta.

Naturally, the Jackets could lean on more experienced players like Trey Fix-Wolansky or even newly signed guys like Owen Sillinger or Dylan Gambrell to fill a spot in the press box. But, it's up to the young guys to win these jobs eventually. That time could be now.