F Eriks Mateiko - Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL (2024, 90th, WSH)

[LeProspector]

Eriks Mateiko - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Eriks Mateiko, 2005-11-18 Jelgava, LAT Latvia. Most recently in the QMJHL with Saint John Sea Dogs. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

Latvian born forward standing at 6’4” has me intrestead. can anyone tell me about his game and if he has any potential going forward?

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[Vikz]

Eriks Mateiko - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Eriks Mateiko, 2005-11-18 Jelgava, LAT Latvia. Most recently in the QMJHL with Saint John Sea Dogs. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

Latvian born forward standing at 6’4” has me intrestead. can anyone tell me about his game and if he has any potential going forward?

Big, goal-oriented forward. Because of late birthday, he is 2024 draft-eligible.
Might be the next big thing in Latvian hockey. While 13p in 33 games might not be a mind-blowing result, this is attributed to a slow start, which can be expected from a 16 y.o. guy leaving his country to live and play on the other side of the globe. He had only 1p in first 13 games. Since then, he is turning it around with 12p in 19 games, including 4p in last 4 games. His production might be really good by the time he is supposed to be drafted which, combined with his size, can make him a solid prospect.
Unless something extraordinary happens, he is a lock for both U-18 and U-20 Latvian teams in this year's elite group tournaments.

 

[czech]

Two goals in the first match. Not a bad start.

 

[Frk It]

This kid wasn't on my radar at all... but then I saw him ranked in the 30's on Central Scouting's list... then I saw him test well at the top prospects game at his size... then I watched some highlights of him.

Seems like an interesting player... maybe he could become a late round gem?

 

[austin63867]

This kid wasn't on my radar at all... but then I saw him ranked in the 30's on Central Scouting's list... then I saw him test well at the top prospects game at his size... then I watched some highlights of him.

Seems like an interesting player... maybe he could become a late round gem?

I have him graded as a 2nd Round prospect. Good skating ability for a big forward with good intensity and offensive awareness. Can turn the puck over one too many times but he's still young and a massive guy learning how to be comfortable with his size.

It's weird there's a draft with so many massive players (Mateiko, Skahan, Fischer, Muhonen, Kleber) that aren't getting the hype you'd expect seeing as scouts love big players with good games.

 

[Namejs]

Mateiko has definite NHL upside and I see him as an old school bottom 6 power forward. His ceiling is not high, but the risk is not high either. He's massive, great reach, good puck possession and he does have a knack for scoring goals. Solid skater, not much of a playmaker.

 

[Caser]

 

[Holtbyisms]

 

[stephenball]

I said on the Caps board, maybe someday the Caps can have a full lineup of European giants drafted in the third round, between the Protas brothers and him. What a shot on the shootout winner.

 

[Melkor]

Whatever happens down the road, this guy has already got his name set in stone just for beating Canada at the world juniors

 

[Melkor]

Dude killing countries left and right at the Juniors and barely a soul gives a flying shit. Instead there are like 20 pages in the threads about random people who ain't doing a damn thing lol.

 

[Namejs]

Dude killing countries left and right at the Juniors and barely a soul gives a flying shit. Instead there are like 20 pages in the threads about random people who ain't doing a damn thing lol.

Haha, welcome to my life as a Latvia fan. I've been blabbing on about systemic bias for years, but no one gives a shit.

People don't realize that in smaller countries NHL tier prospects usually come once every few years and whenever they play in the WJC, they must carry a bunch of passengers with them. And it's not their fault, you know.

If you'd place him on the Finnish roster, his exposure would probably double. Place him on same random 3rd division country like Croatia or whatever, his exposure would be a fraction of the exposure he receives now.

Which is why these wins over Canada are worth much more than just taking part in the WJC and getting steamrolled by everyone. Players get written off collectively by association. And when Canada got their ass handed to them, for some reason their eliteprospects views doubled overnight. As if they suddenly became better players overnight. They didn't.

Mateiko has been great, but he was pretty damn good last year as well. It's just that his linemates sucked.

 

[pgfan66]

Haha, welcome to my life as a Latvia fan. I've been blabbing on about systemic bias for years, but no one gives a shit.

People don't realize that in smaller countries NHL tier prospects usually come once every few years and whenever they play in the WJC, they must carry a bunch of passengers with them. And it's not their fault, you know.

If you'd place him on the Finnish roster, his exposure would probably double. Place him on same random 3rd division country like Croatia or whatever, his exposure would be a fraction of the exposure he receives now.

Which is why these wins over Canada are worth much more than just taking part in the WJC and getting steamrolled by everyone. Players get written off collectively by association. And when Canada got their ass handed to them, for some reason their eliteprospects views doubled overnight. As if they suddenly became better players overnight. They didn't.

Mateiko has been great, but he was pretty damn good last year as well. It's just that his linemates sucked.

I get what you’re saying but Mateiko is in his third Q season, first as captain, and a signed NHL draft pick. Nobody’s writing him off because he’s Latvian. People are just talking about him more because of the win.

 

[Namejs]

I get what you’re saying but Mateiko is in his third Q season, first as captain, and a signed NHL draft pick. Nobody’s writing him off because he’s Latvian. People are just talking about him more because of the win.

That was more of a general comment not specifically about Mateiko. I used him as an example.

Guys like Bulans, several goalies, defencemen like Fenenko have flown completely under the radar and went undrafted, while players with worse stats have enjoyed exposure and popularity after U18 Worlds, WJC or Hlinkas based solely on the success of their junior national team.

It's just the way the cookies crumbles

 

[pgfan66]

That was more of a general comment not specifically about Mateiko. I used him as an example.

Guys like Bulans, several goalies, defencemen like Fenenko have flown completely under the radar and went undrafted, while players with worse stats have enjoyed exposure and popularity after U18 Worlds, WJC or Hlinkas based solely on the success of their junior national team.

It's just the way the cookies crumbles

That I can get behind. Although there’s a lot more to it than just national teams. Much easier to get drafted as a Canadian non-national team CHL player than a Latvian, German, Italian national team player.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Dude killing countries left and right at the Juniors and barely a soul gives a flying shit. Instead there are like 20 pages in the threads about random people who ain't doing a damn thing lol.

Look at his junior stats and you’ll see why.

 

[Melkor]

Look at his junior stats and you’ll see why.

I don't care about his junior stats, I've scrolled through prospects page and there are people who haven't even been drafted yet and struggling to boot in their leagues, or some underwhelming 1st rounders drafted by high-profile teams from big cities who get stupid amount of attention and coverage.

Yet players like this who are delivering on the biggest junior stage are not talked about at all.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't care about his junior stats, I've scrolled through prospects page and there are people who haven't even been drafted yet and struggling to boot in their leagues, or some underwhelming 1st rounders drafted by high-profile teams from big cities who get stupid amount of attention and coverage.

Yet players like this who are delivering on the biggest junior stage are not talked about at all.

Yeah, and that’s because you are in a forum of NHL fans. They don’t really care how some player who may or may not be a fourth liner is playing. They care how their first round picks and the first round picks from future drafts and potential draft steals are playing. Good for him and Latvia fans. I just don’t think this forum is the target audience for what you are saying is such a big deal.

 

[Melkor]

Yeah, and that’s because you are in a forum of NHL fans. They don’t really care how some player who may or may not be a fourth liner is playing. They care how their first round picks and the first round picks from future drafts and potential draft steals are playing. Good for him and Latvia fans. I just don’t think this forum is the target audience for what you are saying is such a big deal.

the funny thing is this "may or may not be a fourth liner" might eventually become a solid NHL player and looking back at it everyone would realize that the signs of it were right there but instead people chose to talk about another Kaapo Kakko/Liam Andersson.

By the way, he IS an NHL prospect so he's totally relevant to what I'm saying. There's no better place to showcase that you're an NHL material at this age than the world championship.

 

[KristichBabych]

His 4 th goal of the tournament today…Made a great pass for a breakaway, already miss a goal after a great move in front of the net, the best player for Latvia, with the goalkeeper. And when I wrote this message , Mateiko scored another goal!

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Not bad, not bad at all.

 

[Albatros]

I don't care about his junior stats, I've scrolled through prospects page and there are people who haven't even been drafted yet and struggling to boot in their leagues, or some underwhelming 1st rounders drafted by high-profile teams from big cities who get stupid amount of attention and coverage.

Yet players like this who are delivering on the biggest junior stage are not talked about at all.

Well, it's also not completely meaningless when you're at least 6'4", 200+ and in your third season in the Q yet still keep struggling with your production. If anything, this WJC performance is saving his status as a legitimate prospect that would otherwise be in serious doubt.

 

[kyle44]

Well, it's also not completely meaningless when you're 6'6" and in your third season in the Q yet still keep struggling with your production. If anything, this WJC performance is saving his status as a legitimate prospect that would otherwise be in serious doubt.

I don't think that EP listing is accurate. I've seen him play live a few times. He looks about 6'3 when compared to others players listed at that height.

 

[Melkor]

Well, it's also not completely meaningless when you're at least 6'4", 200+ and in your third season in the Q yet still keep struggling with your production. If anything, this WJC performance is saving his status as a legitimate prospect that would otherwise be in serious doubt.

I don't think for players of his style the points pace means as much as for Bedards and Michkovs of the world. He's a hard-nosed player who makes his bread around the net, cleans rebounds, checks, shoots when given space and just chips away on an undersized defense.
The real measuring stick for him is going to be how he fares in the AHL first couple of years, will he find himself a consistent important role and produce at a respectable level..

 

[Namejs]

Mateiko just got traded to Rimouski Oceanic and I expect his rate of production to increase.