RW Matthew Wood – Univ. of Minnesota, NCAA (2023, 15th, NSH)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It wasn't though. It was quite good, definitely at least average in that tournament. Better than Robertson at the same age for sure (or probably even now).

Wood was nearly 1PPG in his U18 season as the youngest player in the NCAA. He’s also 6’4 with prior experience at center.

If not skating, what do you think dropped him to 15 in the draft?

I’m sorry, but admitting this guy has skating issues is like the easiest thing to spot as a flaw with a draft prospect from 2023. Doesn’t mean he’s not very good, but I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever read or heard anyone describe him and not bring this up until these last few posts.

 

[Dominance]

Wood was nearly 1PPG in his U18 season as the youngest player in the NCAA. He’s also 6’4 with prior experience at center.

If not skating, what do you think dropped him to 15 in the draft?

I’m sorry, but admitting this guy has skating issues is like the easiest thing to spot as a flaw with a draft prospect from 2023. Doesn’t mean he’s not very good, but I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever read or heard anyone describe him and not bring this up until these last few posts.

Precisely. If Wood projected to have even NHL average skating he would have been a top-5 lock even in this stacked draft. It is encouraging to hear that he’s making progress, and I don’t think his skating is so truly terrible that it would stop him from making the NHL altogether, but it’s asinine to act like it’s not still rough and the major question mark hanging over his star potential.

 

[Fantomas]

it’s asinine to act like it’s not still rough and the major question mark hanging over his star potential.

You're being imprecise with your terms. Skating is indeed an issue with Wood and is something he will continue to work on.

My disagreement is with the description of his skating as "slow and clunky." It wasn't slow and clunky at the U18s. It just wasn't. I have eyes.

 

[Dominance]

You're being imprecise with your terms. Skating is indeed an issue with Wood and is something he will continue to work on.

My disagreement is with the description of his skating as "slow and clunky." It wasn't slow and clunky at the U18s. It just wasn't. I have eyes.

I fully agree with you. My comment was directed at the idea that his skating is now “quite good” - he has a ways to go for that.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

I think people go on too much about his skating rather than his overall hockey sense and decision making. That is the biggest issue I had with him this year. He will surely improve in that department, but I’m not sure if I see a true play-driving player out of Wood. Is is skating and overall lateral movement great? No. But, I’m not sure that will be his greatest hinderance.

He has a really nice frame and a good shot, but I think he’s definitely a risk. At 15 though, I really don’t think it was a bad pick. I had him ranked 22, but I don’t think Nashville got bad value with him at 15. Frankly, I think you get more value picking him at 15 compared to Honzek at 16 or But at 12.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You're being imprecise with your terms. Skating is indeed an issue with Wood and is something he will continue to work on.

My disagreement is with the description of his skating as "slow and clunky." It wasn't slow and clunky at the U18s. It just wasn't. I have eyes.

I take your comment at face value, but I guess where I can't understand your point is that I don't know how skating can be lacking, yet play well at certain periods of time.

Do you think Wood is a player who has a good skating trait that he can't always translate to games? Because if it's not that, I don't see how you arrive at the conclusion that it didn't look slow and clunky.

 

[Fantomas]

I take your comment at face value, but I guess where I can't understand your point is that I don't know how skating can be lacking, yet play well at certain periods of time.

Do you think Wood is a player who has a good skating trait that he can't always translate to games? Because if it's not that, I don't see how you arrive at the conclusion that it didn't look slow and clunky.

Many perceptions of Wood's skating problems are based on what people saw at the start of the season. That's why I'm focusing on the U18s, where his skating looked surprisingly effective. This tells me he's growing into his body, getting stronger, getting quicker. There's still work to do.

 

[Michael Farkas]

One, Wood's skating on video vs live is different for me. I was really down on his skating early in the year before I got live looks (which isn't to say that it's a positive for him, but it's different)

Two, skating and pace are different things. They have an interesting relationship with one another and you have to really understand what you're looking at to separate them and project them appropriately on their respective development arc(s).

 

[docbenton]

Wood was nearly 1PPG in his U18 season as the youngest player in the NCAA. He’s also 6’4 with prior experience at center.

If not skating, what do you think dropped him to 15 in the draft?

I’m sorry, but admitting this guy has skating issues is like the easiest thing to spot as a flaw with a draft prospect from 2023. Doesn’t mean he’s not very good, but I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever read or heard anyone describe him and not bring this up until these last few posts.

I think scouts question his compete and consistency of pace. He's not exactly a fierce forechecker most games. When he wants to move he moves well for his size. I think he was underdrafted despite this however. His skating simply won't be a problem moving forward.

 

[jiboy]

How has he looked ? I know the stats are not exactly great but I heard they been trying him at center position

 

[Scoresberg]

How has he looked ? I know the stats are not exactly great but I heard they been trying him at center position

I think the center experiment lasted only a few games, and he's back on the wing as of now.

Bit of a slow start - as it has been for the whole team - but still nearly PPG, with 8 points in 10 games.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

hes at like 12 pts in 15 games…leading team in pts

is Uconn just ass this year and he has little help or are we seeing a regression??

 

[Mrb1p]

hes at like 12 pts in 15 games…leading team in pts

is Uconn just ass this year and he has little help or are we seeing a regression??

The team was ass last year too. Its a pretty underwhelming program.

 

[Jacob]

hes at like 12 pts in 15 games…leading team in pts

is Uconn just ass this year and he has little help or are we seeing a regression??

Goals are up. Seems fine.

 

[Fantomas]

Very low scoring team. If he was on Michigan he'd probably have double the points.

 

[blink]

Any updates here on Wood?

 

[CTHabsfan]

Any updates here on Wood?

8-10-18 in 30 games, second in scoring for UConn. He's still very young, but I'm not impressed with his skating. Would have given him a shot if available in the 2nd-round, but wouldn't have wanted to use a 1st-rounder for Wood.

 

[montreal]

Any updates here on Wood?

I watched him vs BU this weekend but wasn't too impressed. Not sure how much he's in either vid,

 

[Hockeyville USA]

8-10-18 in 30 games, second in scoring for UConn. He's still very young, but I'm not impressed with his skating. Would have given him a shot if available in the 2nd-round, but wouldn't have wanted to use a 1st-rounder for Wood.

He put up 34 points in 35 games as a 17 year old. That was incredibly impressive, especially on a weaker Hockey East team. His production, along with the rest of his team, has fallen off a cliff. Luckily, the Predators have time to let him develop further.

 

[sigx15]

8-10-18 in 30 games, second in scoring for UConn. He's still very young, but I'm not impressed with his skating. Would have given him a shot if available in the 2nd-round, but wouldn't have wanted to use a 1st-rounder for Wood.

He needs a mechanical change in his stride in my opinion similar to the way Tuch needed one. Tuch did it, not everyone can or make the attempt to do it

 

[Fantomas]

Still very young. Not in the best situation in UConn. Making team Canada at WJC was a good sign, as very few 18 year olds do that. He'll break out next year.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Needs to GTFO of UCONN IMO

 

[person5000]

Needs to GTFO of UCONN

Good player terrible team. Not much he can do for now.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Needs to GTFO of UCONN IMO

The natural landing spot for him as a Western Canadian would be North Dakota or Denver. Michigan is always alluring of course. He could sign and go to Milwaukee but not sure if he's ready for the A.

 

[Scoresberg]

The natural landing spot for him as a Western Canadian would be North Dakota or Denver. Michigan is always alluring of course. He could sign and go to Milwaukee but not sure if he's ready for the A.

He's not ready for the AHL.

I've watched about five games of him this year and while he certainly hasn't looked good, his team hasn't done him any favors.

His ability to drive the play is lacking because of his skating (which has taken strides this year) so he needs strong linemates to support him. This was evident at the U18's as well where he played with Celebrini and Ritchie and fared quite well.

He was always going to be a bit longer project, so I'm not worried about him yet. He showed at the WJC's that he still has that "it" factor to his game, as he was able to produce more than some regulars on the team despite being the 13th forward.

But yeah, all-in-all, get him out of UConn to where there's some talent to play with.