Mateychuk, Parekh, and Komarov named finalists for 2023-24 CHL Defenceman of the Year
Denton Mateychuk of the Moose Jaw Warriors, Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit, and Vsevolod Komarov of the Drummondville Voltigeurs have been named nominees for the CHL Defenceman of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the top defenceman in the Canadian Hockey League.
The nominees for this prize are based on the recipients of the regional awards including the OHL’s Max Kaminsky Trophy, QMJHL’s Émile-Bouchard Trophy, and WHL’s Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy.
The recipient of the CHL Defenceman of the Year Award will be announced and given his trophy at a ceremony for the 2024 CHL Awards on Saturday, June 1, in Saginaw, Michigan. The latter is an event taking place as part of the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow in Saginaw, which is scheduled to run from May 23 – June 2.
Over the years, the CHL Defenceman of the Year Award has been won by many great players including Chris Pronger (Peterborough Petes), Dan Hamhuis (Prince George Cougars), Keith Yandle (Moncton Wildcats), Ryan Ellis (Windsor Spitfires), Dougie Hamilton (Niagara IceDogs), Ivan Provorov (Brandon Wheat Kings), Thomas Chabot (Saint John Sea Dogs), and most recently Olen Zellweger (Kamloops Blazers).
WHL Nominee — Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw Warriors)
17G-58A, 75 PTS, +35 in 52 GP during the 2023-24 season
Columbus Blue Jacket prospect Denton Mateychuk of the Moose Jaw Warriors had a great season manning the Warriors’ blueline. The 19-year-old from Dominion City, Man., tallied 17 goals and 58 assists for 75 points and a +35 rating through 52 games. His 1.44 points-per-game average led all WHL defencemen, while his 75 points ranked third among that same group.
Mateychuk started the season by registering six goals and 29 helpers over 23 straight games from Oct. 10 to Dec. 8. His 23-game point streak was tied for the second-longest streak of its kind in the WHL this season (behind his teammate Jagger Firkus’ 26-game point streak). Mateychuk, who has served as Captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors since October 2022, is the second Moose Jaw Warriors to be named WHL Defenceman of the Year and the first since Kale Clague achieved the feat in 2017-18.
A WHL East Division First Team All-Star, Mateychuk grew his career total to 41 goals and 174 assists for 215 points in 203 regular-season games with Moose Jaw, setting a new franchise record for points by a defenceman on Mar. 17. Drafted in the first round (12th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft, the Warriors defenceman signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets in July 2022.
OHL Nominee — Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit)
33G-63A, 96 PTS, +39 in 66 GP during the 2023-24 season
2024 NHL Draft prospect Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit had one of the most productive seasons for a defenceman in recent memory. The 18-year-old from Nobleton, Ont., led all defencemen in the CHL in scoring (96) and goals (33) during the 2023-24 campaign. Ultimately, his 96 points (33G-63A) were the most by a CHL defenceman since Ryan Ellis tallied 100 points as a member of the Windsor Spitfires in 2010-11. Alongside Ellis, Parekh is one of just two CHL blueliners over the last 20 years to top 95 points in a single season.
With 33 goals in 2023-24, Parekh became the second draft-eligible defenceman in OHL history to score 30 goals in a single season, following John Slaney’s 38 with the Cornwall Royals in 1989-90. Parekh is also one of eight draft-eligible blueliners to have broken the 30-goal plateau in CHL history, ranking third behind John Slaney (38 goals in 1989-90) and Greg Hawgood (34 goals with the Kamloops Blazers in 1985-86).
Ranked as the highest-ranked OHL skater at No. 5 by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft, Parekh became the first Saginaw Spirit player to win the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL Defenceman of the Year. Last season, Parekh set a new OHL record by recording 21 goals as a 16-year-old defenceman during the 2022-23 campaign.
QMJHL Nominee — Vsevolod Komarov (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
14G-55A, 69 PTS, +47 in 61 GP during the 2023-24 season
On the heels of winning a Memorial Cup with the Québec Remparts in 2023, Buffalo Sabres prospect Vsevolod Komarov of the Drummondville Voltigeurs put together a memorable campaign in 2023-24. In 60 games between the Remparts and the Voltigeurs, Komarov finished the season with 55 assists and 69 points, both of which rank as the most by any defenceman in the QMJHL.
Traded from the Québec Remparts to the Voltigeurs in early December, Komarov was dominant with his new team, collecting 50 points (11G-39A) in just 38 games. His 1.32 points per game average in 38 contests with the Voltigeurs was the second-highest average of any Voltigeurs rearguard in franchise history, trailing only Denis Gauthier who averaged 1.40 points per game during the 1995-96 season. Komarov also finished the season with a plus/minus rating of +47, which was the best mark of any defenceman in the QMJHL, and ranked tied for fourth among CHL blueliners.
By winning the 2023-24 Émile-Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL’s top defenseman this season, Komarov became the fourth Voltigeurs defenceman to win the award after Dmitry Kulikov (2008-09), Denis Gauthier (1995-96), and Patrice Brisebois (1990-91). Drafted in the fifth round (134th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft, the Drummondville blueliner signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres in December 2023.
