LD Matthew Grimes - Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL (2025 Draft)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Had him as the third best of the Americans on the U17 Select team. He wasn't close to as good as Reid or Simpson, but I thought he showed a good two-way game. Could make plays with the puck, skated well, and was good in his own zone. He wasn't making a lot of high-event plays, but he was one of the better players out there in an efficient way. Listed at 6'0 176, so he's not small either. He's listed on EP as playing for Sioux Falls this season, and I think he could be good enough to play a full season in the USHL, but he'll likely need to earn that spot over the coming weeks. Committed to Minnesota for 2026-27 already.

Matthew Grimes - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Matthew Grimes, 2007-05-19 Locust Valley, NY, USA USA. Most recently in the undefined with Sioux Falls Stampede. Complete player biography and stats.

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[Pavel Buchnevich]

@sigx15, he's another former Mount player. What do you think of him?

He's been very effective so far in the USHL. One of the most impactful U17 players in the USHL so far this season. His skating is very good, and he makes a lot of simple yet effective plays with moving the puck or exiting the zone. He has good hockey sense. I don't think he has high-end skill, and he's only 6'0, but I find him to be a good two-way defenseman. I see a lot of potential in his game, and think he could be a potential first rounder next year, if he takes another step next season.

Another of the next generation from Long Island. This one is a little smarter with his choice of NHL team.

 

[sigx15]

@sigx15, he's another former Mount player. What do you think of him?

He's been very effective so far in the USHL. One of the most impactful U17 players in the USHL so far this season. His skating is very good, and he makes a lot of simple yet effective plays with moving the puck or exiting the zone. He has good hockey sense. I don't think he has high-end skill, and he's only 6'0, but I find him to be a good two-way defenseman. I see a lot of potential in his game, and think he could be a potential first rounder next year, if he takes another step next season.

Another of the next generation from Long Island. This one is a little smarter with his choice of NHL team.

When I saw him, I just thought he was incredibly solid. He was a player who made a ton of the right plays, very good first pass but wasn't super flashy like Felicio was when you watched him. I wasn't surprised he didn't make the NTDP because they tend to go with either super high end offensive defenseman, really raw but projectable kids or big defensive defensman. He's just right in the middle of all of those. That said, I was surprised to see Bracco make it over him because I think he's a better player than him but that could've been something else entirely

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think he’s been very effective so far at the Hlinka. Had that fluke goal, which is cool, but aside from that he’s bringing a lot with his ability to evade pressure with his puck patience and skating. Has defended well too and he’s at 6’1 185, so his size won’t be any type of issue in the pros.

Minnesota recruit. They have some real impressive LHD’s coming up the pipeline the next few years with Rombach and Phillips also. Their left side will be stacked. Also Mooney and Kvaskicka too. That’s some very smart recruiting, even if not BU/BC level potential early first round picks of late.

Could Grimes end up a second rounder? If he has a bigger points year than last, and I don’t see why he can’t as I think he has pretty decent skills, I could see that happening.

 

[jtechkid]

going 100% depend on his season - felicia after ushl - hlinka cup was projected 2-4 th round then had a bad ushl season and by year end no shot of getting drafted - so this means not much - how he is playing end of season - playoffs ushl is what matters

 

[BKarchitect]

going 100% depend on his season - felicia after ushl - hlinka cup was projected 2-4 th round then had a bad ushl season and by year end no shot of getting drafted - so this means not much - how he is playing end of season - playoffs ushl is what matters

True but Felicio is like 5-10, 165. Teams avoid undersized defensemen like the plague come draft day. Grimes at least has a floor with decent size to go along with a well-rounded game. But yeah of course, if he doesn’t do anything to distinguish himself during the season, it will hurt a prospect who maybe doesn’t have any one or two eye-popping traits.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

One thing I like a lot about Grimes is how smooth he is at moving the puck and transporting it. He’s not blazing fast, but comfortably skates well. You try to forecheck him, and he cleanly gets it to his player on the boards to leave the zone. He’s crafty too with his puck handling and can wait you out.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Was really impressed with him in my Hlinka Gretzky viewings. Could be a solid 2nd or 3rd round pick if the offense comes a bit more in junior for Grimes. Gophers, at current moment, likely have a good one coming.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think he has very decent potential.

Where he might falter a little is that he's not a true PPQB (he could probably be a PP2 guy, but there might be teams that have two better than him) and his defense is fine, but not necessarily strong.

So he could end up too much of that in between type of not strong enough offensively and not strong offensive defensively. He has a habit of trying to do too much moving the puck out of the zone and then losing it in his own zone or the neutral zone and it going back into his own net. He doesn't do it that often and is one of the best you'll see in this draft at moving the puck up the ice, but it still happens too often and he tries to get too risky.

But on the flip side, he cleans up that, gets everything a little better, and teams are wondering how this player dropped outside the first round and they got a top four defensemen. He has tools that will intrigue NHL teams. He's very smooth, low panic threshold with the puck, and his skating is pleasing on the eye for a player that has NHL size (6'1) and playable hockey sense and defense.