The Columbus Blue Jackets and defenseman David Jiricek have finally gone their separate ways. Jiricek was dealt to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Daemon Hunt and four draft picks including a 2025 top-5 protected first rounder.
The Blue Jackets are in position to improve for the future given the assets they now possess. Let’s not forget about the player they got in the trade in Hunt though. He’s motivated to prove he belongs in the NHL.
Hunt was assigned to the Cleveland Monsters after the trade was completed. He’s appeared now in three games registering three assists in that time. He’s someone familiar to head coach Dean Evason having gone through three of his training camps with the Wild.
Hunt spoke exclusively to the Hockey Writers on Saturday night after the Monsters’ 4-3 shootout loss to the Syracuse Crunch. He opened up about the trade, reuniting with Denton Mateychuk and why there is a lot of excitement around the Monsters.
In Conversation With Hunt
Hunt had never been traded before at any level of hockey prior to this deal with the Blue Jackets. Anyone who has been traded has a story about how they found out the news. For Hunt, he admitted he first thought he was being called up to the Wild.
“We were in Charlotte and I was about to go on the ice for warmups,” Hunt said. “I was about two minutes from stepping on the ice and our GM Matt Hendricks (Iowa Wild) grabbed me aside and said Huntsy, you can’t go out. My initial thought was I was getting called up. But then he sat me aside and said I got traded. It was out of nowhere. A lot of emotions, shocked. But yeah, it’s a funny story.”
Hunt didn’t see the trade coming at all. He had appeared in 13 NHL games for the Wild including once this season. He says that he is grateful for what the Wild did for him despite not reaching the NHL full-time as of yet.
“I’m really thankful for what Minnesota did for me. They drafted me. I climbed the ranks there. It was out of nowhere, actually.”
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Hunt now gets to look forward to getting to the NHL through the Blue Jackets. Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber used one word to describe what he’s seen early from Hunt in his three games with the team.
“I think I heard Dean say that he’s just steady, and I think that’s a good word for him,” Vogelhuber said of Hunt. “Makes a hard outlet pass, competes hard. He’s only 22 but he’s pretty steady 200 feet all the way up and down the ice for a 22-year old. He’s still getting used to systems in play and what our expectations are but through three games, I’ve been pleased.”
Hunt says he plays a heavy and hard game, something that would sit well with head coach Dean Evason. Here’s his self assessment of what his game is.
“I’m a puck moving defenseman. I like getting the puck into the forward’s hands. And from there, getting into the rush being part of that fourth-man attack. But I think what makes my game so strong is my defensive play. I’m just hard in the defensive zone, making it hard on their top forwards. From there, I think my offense has gone up. I’m still working on that but I think that strong D-zone is the fundamental to my game.”
Fresh Start in Cleveland
Hunt saw the situation with the Wild. There was a lot of competition for just a couple of spots. While he was certainly in the mix when there was an opening, he was still working on his consistency to climb the ranks.
Hunt comes to the Blue Jackets’ organization and see this as a fresh start.
“There wasn’t a lot of spots in Minnesota. I feel like I can play in the NHL. I’m capable of it. There’s no hard feelings there at all. They did so much for me and I’m grateful for them. I think it’s just a fresh start here. I’m still young and still on my entry level.”
The Monsters have welcomed Hunt with open arms. That was one of the first impressions that caught his attention after the trade was completed.
“So far, it’s been great here,” Hunt said. “Everyone’s been amazing. I’ve only been here for a week now. It already feels like we’re family actually. The guys have been so good and the coaching staff. This is my first-ever experience of being traded. It’s tough mentally and getting used to new systems, team, location. It’s not easy. I thought it’s been a pretty good process so far.”
Mateychuk Reunion
One of the things the Jiricek trade provided was an opportunity for Hunt to reunite with his junior teammate Denton Mateychuk. As you might expect, there was excitement.
“As soon as I heard I got traded to Columbus, I thought about Dents,” Hunt said. “So we’re reunited again I guess you could say. I was excited. I know Cole Clayton also. I work out with them and I know Zach Sawchenko too. There are some connections.”
Denton Mateychuk and Daemon Hunt are both in the warmup. So #CBJ may not need them right now with Jack Johnson on the trip and one more game given Ivan Provorov's status.
— Mark Scheig (@mark_scheig) December 7, 2024
Mateychuk’s rapid rise has caught the attention of a lot of people around the hockey world. He’s one of the AHL’s leading scorers as a rookie defenseman. We asked Hunt to name one thing about Mateychuk that people should know but maybe don’t know yet.
“I think one thing for Dents is his vision. I don’t think people understand how good he is seeing the ice. If he’s in trouble, he always finds a way to get the puck into the forward’s hands or he spins off a check. He sees the ice so well and I don’t think he gets enough recognition for that.”
Monsters’ Excitement for Season
It’s only been a week but Hunt can already see what has made this Monsters’ team stand out in the early going. Here’s his assessment on the team and what gives him reason to be excited.
“First thing that comes to my mind is speed and skill. We’re a fast team. We’re skilled,” Hunt said. “When we play like we can, not many teams can compete with us. These guys are fast and want to play a fast-paced game. From there, I think it’s just about the compete and the willingness to do that. If we compete, then our speed and skill will take over.”
The Monsters were able to get a point on Saturday night before ultimately falling in a six-round shootout to the Syracuse Crunch by a 4-3 score. Vogelhuber said his team wasn’t ready for the push the Crunch brought in the third period. Luca Del Bel Belluz scored two more goals including the game-tying goal in the third. He sits tied on top of the AHL scoring race after a four-goal weekend.
As for Hunt, he’ll continue to adjust to his new surroundings while proving he deserves to be in the NHL. He now joins the list of potential callups when the Blue Jackets need reinforcements. His presence could allow Mateychuk uninterrupted development time without a lot of back and forth. Low-key that’s been one of the early storylines for the Monsters in 2024-25. Despite injuries in the NHL, the Monsters have been able to stay in tact for the most part. That has helped them to their good start this season.
We will hear from Hunt at some point in the NHL. The only question now is how soon?