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

[Bubbles]

He is a great prospect but seriously there are so many other elite guys that year and quite a few centers and guys performing on a bigger stage.

my guess is that if he works into the top 10 he has some showing among his peers that impresses the scouts, ie a tournament or a move to a higher level.

Wood and another 2023 Draft candidate Bradley Nadeau have been selected for the Capital City Challenge Under-17 tournament Nov. 26 to Dec. 1 in Ottawa, Ont. I expect the scouts (and this thread) will pick up after that tournament.

 

[wetcoast]

Wood and another 2023 Draft candidate Bradley Nadeau have been selected for the Capital City Challenge Under-17 tournament Nov. 26 to Dec. 1 in Ottawa, Ont. I expect the scouts (and this thread) will pick up after that tournament.

Some of the guys from Canada that he will be competing against in the draft will be there but not Bedard, guessing he might be playing in Regina or for a U-18 team?

2021 Capital City Challenge | Full 66 Player Team Canada U17 Roster

 

[Kshahdoo]

Is BCHL a good league?

 

[kyle44]

Some of the guys from Canada that he will be competing against in the draft will be there but not Bedard, guessing he might be playing in Regina or for a U-18 team?

2021 Capital City Challenge | Full 66 Player Team Canada U17 Roster

There's no U-18 team playing at this time, and all other CHL players were released from their teams to participate. The Capital City Challenge ends on December 1, and the World Junior selection camp begins on December 9. I suspect this means that Bedard will be invited to the World Junior camp and Hockey Canada didn't see a need for him to participate in another event right before camp opens.

 

[kyle44]

Is BCHL a good league?

It is arguably the best Junior A league in Canada. It is a tier below major junior hockey in Canada. The best players in the league typically have NCAA aspirations, so they play Junior A in order to preserve their NCAA eligibility (if you play major junior hockey in Canada you lose NCAA eligibility). Players that really stand out in the league at 16 and 17 typically go on to become fairly high NHL draft picks and have NHL careers. For example:

Kent Johnson (5th overall in 2021)
Alex Newhook (16th overall in 2019)
Tyson Jost (10th overall in 2016)
Dante Fabbro (17th overall in 2016)
Kyle Turris (3rd overall in 2007)
Jamie Benn

Wood is currently outpacing the 16 year old seasons of the above players by a significant margin, but as other posters have alluded to its still early in the year. It will be interesting to see how he performs among the best U-17 Canadian players in a few weeks.

 

[Kshahdoo]

It is arguably the best Junior A league in Canada. It is a tier below major junior hockey in Canada. The best players in the league typically have NCAA aspirations, so they play Junior A in order to preserve their NCAA eligibility (if you play major junior hockey in Canada you lose NCAA eligibility). Players that really stand out in the league at 16 and 17 typically go on to become fairly high NHL draft picks and have NHL careers. For example:

Kent Johnson (5th overall in 2021)
Alex Newhook (16th overall in 2019)
Tyson Jost (10th overall in 2016)
Dante Fabbro (17th overall in 2016)
Kyle Turris (3rd overall in 2007)
Jamie Benn

Wood is currently outpacing the 16 year old seasons of the above players by a significant margin, but as other posters have alluded to its still early in the year. It will be interesting to see how he performs among the best U-17 Canadian players in a few weeks.

I see, thanks.

 

[Bubbles]

Some of the guys from Canada that he will be competing against in the draft will be there but not Bedard, guessing he might be playing in Regina or for a U-18 team?

2021 Capital City Challenge | Full 66 Player Team Canada U17 Roster

I think in Hockey Canada eyes, he's no longer in the U-17 group and is considered for the U-18 group, more or less.

 

[Xirik]

The Devils need to collect more wood!

 

[covfefe]

So he missed 5 games due to a suspension, first game back puts up a crisp 1g-4a.

 

[Bubbles]

Another big night, 2G, 1 A. Here's his assist:

 

[Bubbles]

Just finished the 2021 Capital City Challenge. Finished with 4G, 3A. He can definitely compete with the other 2023 NHL draftees.

 

[BKarchitect]

UConn has had plenty of NHL drafted talent over the years…Tage Thompson of course is now coming good in the NHL and stands as the gold standard from the program as a first rounder. Tverberg is legit and a slew of high profile Euros over he years (Kuznetsov, Iskhakov, Kondelik, Shlaine). But I do wonder as Wood’s reputation continues to burgeon if he’ll make it to Storrs - he seems another level as a prospect and there’s two years yet for somebody to change his mind - either CHL or another higher profile NCAA hockey powerhouse.

 

[Bubbles]

Hat trick tonight. This kid loves to score.

Grizzlies’ Wood goes from national stage back to local in hectic week

 

[GretzkytoLemieux]

I wonder if we are looking at another potential top 5er for an already potentially stacked draft year.

 

[Dominance]

I wonder if we are looking at another potential top 5er for an already potentially stacked draft year.

Which is the better 2023 draft class - Western Canada or the field?

 

[GretzkytoLemieux]

Hahah idk ask a real scout. I would hazard a guess that if we include Ontario and Quebec with ‘the field’ that they would probably shade it but who knows..

 

[Bubbles]

I wonder if we are looking at another potential top 5er for an already potentially stacked draft year.

I would say right now, he's mid round, knocking on the top 10. 2023 is just stacked with top, top end franchise centres. Wood is a scoring winger. He doesn't quite know how to use great size just yet. Also, he's not exactly a speed merchant (not that he's slow, but it's not an asset)

 

[covfefe]

I definitely think he’s slow, the skating needs a ton of work but overall package is outstanding otherwise.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

UConn has had plenty of NHL drafted talent over the years…Tage Thompson of course is now coming good in the NHL and stands as the gold standard from the program as a first rounder. Tverberg is legit and a slew of high profile Euros over he years (Kuznetsov, Iskhakov, Kondelik, Shlaine). But I do wonder as Wood’s reputation continues to burgeon if he’ll make it to Storrs - he seems another level as a prospect and there’s two years yet for somebody to change his mind - either CHL or another higher profile NCAA hockey powerhouse.

I also like Capone. That guy is going to be a fourth line NHL’er that opposing players hate to play against.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

So far in December : 6 goals, 4 assists, 10 points, 1.66 ppg, with 6 penalty minutes
= 20 goals, 15 assists, 35 points, 1.95 ppg.

 

[QJL]

Having one of the greatest BCHL draft -1 seasons of all time. He’s looking like a surefire first round pick, even with slow feet. Man amongst boys right now.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

How high he'll go? top 10? top 5?

The last top 3 BCHL, NHL draft pick?

Kyle Turris, 3rd overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Burnaby Express - in his draft year - 50 games, 66 goals, 121 points / 14 games, 12 goals, 26 points

Other 1st rounders from BCHL 2000 ->

(2021) Kent Johnson #5
(2016) Tyson Jost #10
(2019) Alex Newhook #16
(2016) Dante Fabbro #17
(2004) Travis Zajac #20
(2010) Beau Bennett #20
(2016) Dennis Cholowski #20
(2004) Kris Chucko #24

 

[Favin]

How high he'll go? top 10? top 5?

The last top 3 BCHL, NHL draft pick?

Kyle Turris, 3rd overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Burnaby Express - in his draft year - 50 games, 66 goals, 121 points / 14 games, 12 goals, 26 points

Other 1st rounders from BCHL 2000 ->

(2021) Kent Johnson #5
(2016) Tyson Jost #10
(2019) Alex Newhook #16
(2016) Dante Fabbro #17
(2004) Travis Zajac #20
(2010) Beau Bennett #20
(2016) Dennis Cholowski #20
(2004) Kris Chucko #24

Draft-minus-one (D-1) year:

Turris: 95 pts in 77 games (1.23 ppg) in 2005-06
Johnson: 108 pts in 56 games (1.93 ppg) in 2019-20
Newhook: 75 pts in 57 games (1.32 ppg) in 2017-18
Wood: 37 pts in 19 games (1.95 ppg) in 2021-22

And then...
Kariya: 132 pts in 41 games (3.22 ppg) in 1991-92

 

[Maplebeasts]

Which is the better 2023 draft class - Western Canada or the field?

The field. Gimme Michkov, Dvorsky, Fantilli, Musty, Ritchie, Stenberg, etc. The top end is not far off but the depth is way better.

 

[ODAAT]

Wood is an absolute stud, I live minutes from the Q Center and have caught only 5 games this year but he, Rickwood and Connor Eddy IMO will all be NHL players one day, Wood plays heavy, takes crap from nobody. Will need to work on skating but I don`t worry about that, he`s a coachable young man and he`ll put the work in