It’s been five weeks since the Blue Jackets finished their season with a 6-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at Nationwide Arena.
That wasn’t the final day for fans to continue watching players connected to the Jackets, though. A handful of prospects, NHL defenseman Damon Severson plus Rick Nash, the team’s director of player development, still have something at stake in other tournaments.
Columbus Blue Jackets defender Denton Mateychuk (5) races towards the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Austin Wagner (25) during their game on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 at Nationwide Arena
That includes the Cleveland Monsters, who’ve advanced to the Eastern Conference finals of the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs and have a challenging matchup on tap against the defending champion Hershey Bears.
Severson and Nash are vying for a gold medal with Hockey Canada at the men’s world championship in Prague, Czechia, while Denton Mateychuk headlines three Blue Jackets prospects competing for the Canadian Hockey League’s prestigious Memorial Cup.
Here’s a rundown on each tournament and how Blue Jackets fans can follow along:
Columbus Blue Jackets center Luca Del Bel Belluz (65) celebrates his first career goal on his first ever shift during the first period of the NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Nationwide Arena
Cleveland Monsters preparing for conference final matchup against Hershey Bears
The skinny: After downing the Belleville Senators and then breezing past the Syracuse Crunch in the second round, the Monsters face a steep challenge in the conference finals. Hershey is the league’s defending champion, coached by a perennial NHL job candidate in Todd Nelson, and the Bears’ lineup of mostly AHL veterans can be imposing.
That’s especially true if Monsters goalie Jet Greaves, a Blue Jackets prospect off to a scorching hot start to the postseason, can’t play due to an undisclosed injury/illness. He’s day-to-day after missing the clinching game against Syracuse, which is good because the series doesn’t start until Thursday of next week in Hershey.
Notable Blue Jackets prospects: G Jet Greaves (injury), C Luca Del Bel Belluz, D David Jiricek, D Corson Ceulemans, D Stanislav Svozil, F James Malatesta, D Jake Christiansen (injury), D Nick Blankenburg (injury), C Hunter McKown, F Trey Fix-Wolansky, F Luca Pinelli, F Mikael Pyyhtia, F Tyler Angle
How to watch: Fans in the Cleveland market can watch the first two games played at GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania on CW 43 Cleveland (WUAB). All games will be available via streaming on AHLTV with one of two subscription options — a daily price for access to all AHL playoff games that day and a “Playoffs All-Access” rate for every remaining Calder Cup game through the championship. Fans can also check listings for Bally’s Sports Ohio, which occasionally picks up Monsters broadcasts in the Columbus area.
Radio: All game broadcasts can be accessed free online via the iHeartRadio app for those not in the Cleveland market. For those in market, games one, two, four and six (if necessary) will be simulcast on both NewsRadio WTAM 1100 and Fox Sports 1350 “The Gambler,” while Fox Sports 1350 will broadcast every game.
Denton Mateychuk, Martin Rysavy, Max McCue vie for CHL Memorial Cup
The skinny: The Memorial Cup is a prestigious tournament for Canadian junior teams that play under the Canadian Hockey League’s purview in the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Hockey League.
Champions of all three leagues plus the host city’s team are entered into a four-team round-robin tournament to determine which is awarded the Memorial Cup. Blue Jackets prospect James Malatesta led the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts to the 2023 Memorial Cup title as the tournament’s MVP, and Columbus has three more prospects competing this year.
Denton Mateychuk, a puck-moving defenseman picked 12th overall in 2022, and forward Martin Rysavy (2021 seventh round) play for WHL champion Moose Jaw, while forward Max McCue (OHL free agent) is a key player for OHL champion London.
The tournament began Friday (7:30 p.m.) in Saginaw with a matchup between Moose Jaw and the host Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. The Spirit secured the franchise’s first-ever Memorial Cup win with their 5-4 victory at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Michigan. Moose Jaw and London square off Monday (5:30 p.m.) in the second game for each team. The tournament semi-final round is May 31, and the final will be played June 1.
How to watch: U.S.-based fans can watch Memorial Cup action on NHL Network, while those outside of North America can stream games on CHL TV.
Columbus Blue Jackets’ Damon Severson, Rick Nash aim for gold at men’s world championship
The skinny: The men’s world championship concludes this weekend in Prague, where Canada is one of four teams remaining in the medal rounds.
Severson is skating on Canada’s second defense pairing for a roster assembled by Nash, who’s handling the GM duties for his country.
Canada went through Group A pool play in Prague undefeated before eliminating Slovakia 6-3 on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. Canada faces Switzerland in the semifinals at 12:20 p.m. Saturday for the right to play for a gold medal on Sunday.
How to watch: NHL Network is broadcasting all games from the world championship.
