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Prospect Info: Matteo Costantini C (2020 5th Rd #131) Western Michigan (NCAA)

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Penticton and UND are two good development programs to go through at least. Costantini has 2+5 through 4GP at Penticton's extended training camp. Quote excerpts from UND nabs highest-ranked uncommitted player in Central Scouting's draft list | Grand Forks Herald:

"I think his hockey sense is really high," Penticton coach Fred Harbinson said. "He's very explosive. He's a fast-twitch player. When there are loose pucks around the net, he's quick to get to them. He's explosive through holes. He's really hungry to finish plays. He can make plays but he also can score goals. He's a guy we definitely see playing on the power play. The exciting thing is he's a guy who is smart enough and dedicated enough to play on the kill, too.

"North Dakota is going to get a well-rounded player, a well-rounded person. I think his demeanor and personality fit in to what we do at Penticton."

Harbinson said Costantini is impressive off the ice.

"He's a great kid from an outstanding family, a close-knit family," Harbinson said. "Matteo wants to be a hockey player and the family wants to do whatever it takes to help him achieve his goals. I enjoy the kid. He's only been here a few weeks, but everything we heard from former coaches and people who have dealt with him in the past say this is the way he's been his whole life.

"That's exciting for us. When some of your better players are your best people, it makes it easy on a coach."​

[As an aside, Scott Niedermayer, Tony Amonte, and Pierre McGuire have sons on Penticton's roster this season.]
 
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I can confirm that he's committed to North Dakota, and will play there beginning in 2021-22. Super happy for Matteo - after spending most Wednesday nights watching him score big goals and make big plays - yeah, I might be a little biased here, but oh well.

He's got a fantastic opportunity ahead of him, and he has the work ethic to make it happen.
 
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UND nabs highest-ranked uncommitted player in Central Scouting's draft list | Grand Forks Herald
The NHL's Central Scouting Bureau released its final rankings for the 2020 draft in April. While most college-eligible players on the list have long been committed to schools, a handful of available players remained.

Matteo Costantini topped the list.

Costantini, a 6-foot, 178-pound center from St. Catharines, Ont., checked in at No. 96 in the North American skater rankings, making him a potential mid-round pick when the 2020 NHL Draft finally occurs next month.

We should be happy that the Buffalo Jr Sabres program produced a player of this caliber and hope for more to come.
 
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brian_griffin said:
Unless things have changed in the past 4 decades, Ontario goes an “extra” year relative to the USA to grade 13 / ~19yo graduates.
Click to expand...

Grade 13 is done in Ontario. I was the second last “graduating” class that had that option. So the last people that could do that graduated in 2003. And now I feel old because that was 16 years ago, and my daughter is 13
 
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MarkusKetterer said:
Grade 13 is done in Ontario. I was the second last “graduating” class that had that option. So the last people that could do that graduated in 2003. And now I feel old because that was 16 years ago, and my daughter is 13
Click to expand...

Technically you can still do it (I did mine, and I'm definitely younger than you) as a non-mandatory option, an extra year for University prep (as it was originally intended for) or to do sports/other extra-curriculars.
It's not that important in the context of the conversation, as I highly doubt that he'll do a grade 13/5th year, but just wanted to point it out as a former Ontario High Schooler;)


Seems like he's headed out to British Columbia to play in the BCHL next year according to eliteprospects?
 
DolanPlsGoSabres said:
Technically you can still do it (I did mine, and I'm definitely younger than you) as a non-mandatory option, an extra year for University prep (as it was originally intended for) or to do sports/other extra-curriculars.
It's not that important in the context of the conversation, as I highly doubt that he'll do a grade 13/5th year, but just wanted to point it out as a former Ontario High Schooler;)


Seems like he's headed out to British Columbia to play in the BCHL next year according to eliteprospects?
Click to expand...

Weird. I thought OAC was done. Thankfully I avoided the volunteer hours that’s now mandatory. Not that I have a problem with it, but I do feel like that shouldn’t be a mandatory thing.

There were people in grade 10 (when I was in grade 13) that took an extra year to graduate. But they were footballers. So they’re now just trying to graduate university. As opposed to trying to get a double PHD
 
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DolanPlsGoSabres said:
Seems like he's headed out to British Columbia to play in the BCHL next year according to eliteprospects?
Click to expand...

Like most non-elite 1st round prospects, he is taking a post-grad year to play for Penticton in the BCHL. The BCHL as a league and Penticton as a team are both one of the premier Jr A developers of NCAA talent.

I am intrigued that the Sabres took a player that is on a path to play for a really good Jr A team and then a really good NCAA program with North Dakota.

The initial skeptic take because he played for the Jr Sabres has been replaced by hopeful intrigue.

This will be a long play as he will likely not turn pro for 3-5 years. But, for a 5th round pick, that is the norm. VO came to North America in his D+5 season.

The other thing with him being a local kid that played for the Jr Sabres, the fear of him playing out his NCAA eligibility and walking to UFA is lessened.
 
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Buffaloed said:
UND nabs highest-ranked uncommitted player in Central Scouting's draft list | Grand Forks Herald
The NHL's Central Scouting Bureau released its final rankings for the 2020 draft in April. While most college-eligible players on the list have long been committed to schools, a handful of available players remained.

Matteo Costantini topped the list.

Costantini, a 6-foot, 178-pound center from St. Catharines, Ont., checked in at No. 96 in the North American skater rankings, making him a potential mid-round pick when the 2020 NHL Draft finally occurs next month.

We should be happy that the Buffalo Jr Sabres program produced a player of this caliber and hope for more to come.
Click to expand...

The Buffalo Jr. Sabres had 5 players/alumni drafted this year. I think the highest was Tuch to the Habs in the 2nd. Looks like they're building a strong development program there.
 
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DolanPlsGoSabres said:
Technically you can still do it (I did mine, and I'm definitely younger than you) as a non-mandatory option, an extra year for University prep (as it was originally intended for) or to do sports/other extra-curriculars.
It's not that important in the context of the conversation, as I highly doubt that he'll do a grade 13/5th year, but just wanted to point it out as a former Ontario High Schooler;)


Seems like he's headed out to British Columbia to play in the BCHL next year according to eliteprospects?
Click to expand...
Decades ago (I grew up between Buffalo and Niagara Falls) my 11th grade HS English teacher Mrs. O'Neil was Canadian by birth and educated in Ontario (she later married an American) and that's where I learned about the Grade 13. I had forgotten it was targeted for University prep. until you reminded above.

To keep this from being off-topic, the draft stuff is always interesting to me, given how the talent pool is worldwide and there's a huge range of paths these "kids" take. Traditional scholastic paths, powerhouse schools (Shattuck, etc.) where kids move/transfer, Canadian juniors, often with billet families, Europeans who join the SEL / DEL, etc. at effectively high school age, Europeans who go to North America, with or without their families, at ~16yo. Despite how many of these elite draft-age talents know of each other through tournaments and hockey experiences, they nonetheless must have a wide difference in life experiences, academic knowledge, practical knowledge, etc.
 
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