MATTHEW WOOD

Right Wing/Left Wing
6’3/190
Right
Univ. of Connecticut/NCAA

Related: Otto Stenberg

Matthew Wood is a big-bodied shooter who can make his money in the NHL as a triggerman with a flash of skill from time to time. Wood has good hands and an even better offensive IQ to go with a strong shot. He’s dangerous inside the offensive zone and on the power play due to the various ways he can beat defenses. Matthew Wood had a prolific season for Victoria in the BCHL in 2021-22, notching a staggering 45 goals and 40 assists in 46 games to lead the league in scoring. He suited up for Canada at the U18 World Championships last spring, picking up a pair of goals through four games, and again at the recent Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he scored two goals and three assists in five games to help secure a gold medal finish. He’s been a high-output contributor everywhere he has played and has gotten off to a hot start with the University of Connecticut, where he has 6 goals and 15 points in 19 games. He is a tall, rangy forward with an elite release on his wrister, a heavy one-timer, and good hands in tight around the net, allowing him to find the scoresheet in various ways. The main area of focus will be improving his foot speed and overall pace, but his size helps to mitigate those issues and allow him to play through traffic. Matthew Wood has the potential to be a high-end goal scorer at the NHL level and should be a top-15 pick in the draft.

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Size/Strength Great
Skating Average
Shot/Scoring Great
Puckhandling Good
Physical Play Average
Offensive Play Great
Defensive Play Average
Hockey Sense Great
Competitiveness Great

Strengths

1. Wood is a tall, rangy forward with an elite release on his wrister, a heavy one-timer, and good hands in tight around the net, allowing him to find the scoresheet in various ways.
2. He’s dangerous inside the offensive zone and on the power play due to the various ways he can beat defenses.
3. Protects the puck well and uses his frame effectively on the cycle, and has the positioning and wrist shot similar to Auston Matthews.

Areas of Improvement

1. The main area of focus will be improving his foot speed and overall pace.
2. Learning to use his frame to his advantage.

Matthew Wood is one of the best pure goal-scorers in the draft this year. The tall, rangy winger has an elite shot and a knack for scoring goals at a high rate. His release is extremely quick and he gets lots of power behind every shot. Wood’s ability to find the back of the net also stems from his high-end hands and IQ with the puck. Wood’s ability to find the back of the net also stems from his high-end hands and IQ with the puck. He’s got a long reach and a good active stick and can find passing and shooting lanes well, but he’s got to improve his speed, mobility, and two-way game. He’ll be the youngest player in the NCAA this year during his freshman season at UConn, where he has 6 goals in 15 points in 19 games. He’s dangerous inside the offensive zone and on the power play due to the various ways he can beat defenses. He is a tall, rangy forward with an elite release on his wrister, a heavy one-timer, and good hands in tight around the net, allowing him to find the scoresheet in various ways. The main area of focus will be improving his foot speed and overall pace, but his size helps to mitigate those issues and allow him to play through traffic. He has the positioning and wrist shot similar to Auston Matthews with his power and speed behind it. He’s great at identifying the open lanes and is able to get into position swiftly in order to complete quick give-and-go plays. Although I don’t think he has the superstar talent that Matthews does, Wood definitely does have the potential to be an elite goal scorer at the NHL level.

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Skill: Pure goal-scorer with great size and an array of deadly releases in his arsenal.

NHL Comparable: Auston Matthews

NHL Potential: Elite Goal-Scoring Winger

Season	Team	League	GP	G	PTS
2020-21	Victoria Grizzlies	BCHL	18	5	13
2021-22	Victoria Grizzlies	BCHL	46	45	85
2022-23	Univ. Of Connecticut	NCAA	19	6	15
	Canada U18	Hlinka Gretzky Cup	5	2	5

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