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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2012

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #36: Damon Severson

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 60th overall by the New Jersey Devils.

For those who have been following our prospect profiles, it is clear that this year’s draft is just full of defence prospects.  It should also be noted that the WHL in particular has a very large crop of talented defencemen in this year’s draft class.  In the last decade or so there is one WHL team in particular that stands alone when it comes to producing NHL defencemen, and its no surprise that they have another good one in this year’s draft.  Damon Severson hopes to follow in the long line of Kelowna Rockets defence alumni which includes Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Josh Gorges, Tyler Myers, Alex Edler, Luke Schenn, and Kyle Cumiskey.   Severson joins his Kelowna teammate, forward Colton Sissons, as prospects we have projected for the early 2nd round of this years draft.

Severson was also a member of Team Canada at this springs IIHF Under 18 World Hockey Championships where he came home with a bronze medal.  He did not look out of place playing against fellow top junior players, and showed that he was capable of playing a strong defensive role.

Defense
Born Aug 7 1994 — Melville, Saskatchewan
Height 6.02 — Weight 198 — Shoots Right

2009-10 Kelowna Rockets WHL 5 0 0 0 0 -4 — — — — —
2010-11 Kelowna Rockets WHL 64 4 13 17 53 11 10 2 0 2 13
2011-12 Kelowna Rockets WHL 56 7 30 37 80 6 4 2 0 2 2

Severson has ideal NHL size (though he needs to add muscle to his frame), and is a solid two way defender in the WHL.  Severson is a fluid skater.  He has a great first step and very good accleration.  He reaches his top speed quickly, and this helps him to shake off forecheckers in the defensive zone.  However, he is more quick than fast, as his top end skating speed is only slightly above average.  He does have good mobility, as he is agile and makes good pivots and changes of direction.

Severson’s biggest strength is his defensive game.  He is a great shot blocker, one of the best in this year’s draft class.   While not usually a big hitter, Severson is physical in battling hard along the boards and working to keep the front of the net clear.  A big body, he does use his size to his advantage.  His agility and mobility allows him to keep on rushing forwards to the outside and keep most plays in front of him.

Offensively Severson has a great point shot.  He’s got a very hard one-timer and is used on the point in Power Play situations.  His passing is good and crisp, especially in starting the breakout and transition game, however his vision in the offensive zone is average.  He projects as more of a second unit Power Play defenceman at the NHL level than a true power play quarterback, as he doesn’t have the offensive skills of guys like Matt Dumba, Morgan Rielly, and Derrick Pouliot.

Severson needs to work on his consistency.  We have seen games this season where he was the best player on the ice, and where we walked away thinking that this kid would challenge to be a mid first round draft pick.  However we have also seen games that have left us wondering if we were watching the same player.  There are nights when Severson is a smart, effective defender, who makes excellent decisions and is calm and poised with the puck.  There were other nights when we saw Severson make huge gaffes, and silly mistakes in his own end of the rink.  Times where he tried to get “too cute” with the puck leading to bad giveaways and turnovers, and scoring chances against.  This inconsistency will be his biggest issue to correct and will determine his ultimate role in the NHL.  We do believe that Severson has the potential to be a shut down defenceman, ala an Eric Brewer of the Tampa Bay Lightning, with even a little more offence than that; however it remains to be seen if he will ever reach that level.

… and thats the Last Word.

Kentucky Derby Result and Opening Day at The Fort Erie Race Track

Posted on by Dwayne Edwards

“I’ll Have Another” (I’m pretty sure that’s a cookie slogan), won the Kentucky Derby in impressive fashion! It seems like the winner of the Derby always has an amazing story behind them and this year is no different. Mario Gutierrez from Hasting Race Course in Vancouver was aboard the colt for his first ever Grade 1 victory.  Add to that, the owners of the horse are from Windsor, Ontario. Canadian connections getting it done at the Derby are great to see, but now it’s time to tackle Bodemeister once again at the Preakness to see if he can become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed did it way back in 1978!

The fans of Fort Erie Race Track were out in full force on Sunday with one of the busiest (non-Prince of Wales) days I have seen in years. It was a great day for the races with the sun out and a fast track making for a great day of entertainment and gambling.

The day’s spotlight shone brightly on a couple of veteran jockeys, and a trainer who is in his 3rd or 4th year of training. Martin Ramirez and Kirk Johnson each won a pair of races and Regina Sealock also won two races on the card. I’m sure the long time Fort Erie jockette was excited to start 2012 off on the right foot after what she says was a disappointing 2011.

One of trainers Regina won for was Gary Chudobiak who also stepped into the winners circle twice. Although Gary has not had his trainer’s license for very long he has been a long time owner at Fort Erie.

It was a bitter-sweet day at the Fort and with these proud long-time family members of the Fort Erie Race Track winning made it seemed like it was almost a sign from above to our government. Although everyone was excited for opening day, there was a tingle in the air, a quiet little buzz you would hear every so often – “Was, or could this really be, the last Opening Day at this fantastic race track?” The Border Oval, 115 years of live thoroughbred racing, home to thousands of employees and a second home to even more racing fans is still in jeopardy of ceasing to exist.

Our government needs to understand this; the trackers have invested their lives into this industry. An industry which they are single-handedly destroying.  The first blow was already hit when the slots at Fort Erie are shut down, and many people are out of a job. The ripple effect is a definite possibility if something doesn’t change, as the first few hundred are now unemployed. In this world where unemployment is at all time high levels the government is about to put thousands of more out of work if they can’t work with the racetracks. The town of Fort Erie and the race track administrators are doing everything they can to save these jobs and are presently trying to privatize the slots in order to keep live racing. Perhaps a solution is imminent.

Besides that little bit of buzz in the air, racing was exciting and some of the winners were well touted and good bets! A horse from Tampa Bay won paying a respectable $40.  Horses who got their starts at Woodbine also had a particularly good day winning in several races. The feature race of the day was won by Molinaro Warrior, and this horse absolutely loves the Fort Erie dirt and is bound to be tough every start at the track this year.  Definitely keep an eye on him!

Another horse with a very impressive win was Nick Gonzalez’s, Worth A Punt. What impressed me the most was his sprinting ability.  Keep a look-out for this guy next time in the entries as he will likely stretch-out.  After that performance he will very likely win right back.

If you are interested, check out the track’s official page, www.forterieracing.com/racing/live/news to stay on top of what’s going on.

 

…and that is the last word.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #35: Tim Bozon

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 64th Overall by the Montreal Canadiens

After being selected in the first round (27th overall) of the 2011 CHL Import Draft, Tim (Timothé) Bozon burst onto the scene with 36 goals and 71 points in 71 games this season for the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. His performance earned him the Western Conference nomination for WHL Rookie of the Year.  He stands a good chance to win the league award to be handed out after the WHL final.  Bozon was born in St. Louis, Missouri but grew up spending his winters in Lugano, Switzerland and his summers in France.  Bozon has already declared that he wishes to play international hockey for the French national team.  He is the son of former St. Louis Blues winger Phillipe Bozon, joining Griffin Reinhart, Henrik Samuelsson, and Stefan Matteau as draft prospects who are the sons of former NHL prospects.

Left Wing/Right Wing
Born Mar 24 1994 — St. Louis, Missouri/Lugano, Switzerland
Height 6.01 — Weight 178 — Shoots Left

After coming over from Swiss team HC Lugano, Bozon adapted incredibly quickly to the North American style game.  He is a natural goal scorer with an excellent wrist shot and a quick, deceptive release.  Bozon is also a talented playmaker, as he possesses good stickhandling and puck control, good vision, and the ability to thread a pass through the eye of a needle.  He’s a hard worker who gets in quickly on the forecheck and is effective in doing so.  He has a bit of grit and physicality to his game, but isn’t what we would a “power forward”, however he’s not soft either.

Bozon possesses excellent skating which he uses to beat defenders on the rush and create offense.  He has excellent acceleration and changes gears quickly.  He also has good agility.  Bozon could stand to work on his balance however, as he sometimes can get knocked off the puck.  Increased muscle on his frame may go a long way to solving this issue.

Bozon is a decent defensive player.  He works hard on the backcheck and plays an effective positional game.  Bozon is good at pressuring the puck carrier in the defensive zone and at keeping his man to the outside.  He cuts down passing and shooting lanes effectively.  Bozon is able to use his skating ability to stay with and check almost any opponent.

We’d compare Bozon’s potential to be an effective 2nd line forward similar to Kris Versteeg of the Florida Panthers.  His defensive game is such that he can develop into a player capable of playing in all situations.

.. and thats the Last Word.

2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship’s Legacy Around the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Posted on by Dom Egloff
World Championship 2012 in Helsinki and Stockholm

This year, the IIHF Men’s World Championship takes place in Finland and Sweden between May 4 and 20, 2012. As the world’s best 16 countries compete for the title of world champion, every year we are without some of the best players of the world. After every European country has crowned a champion, the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) starts its tournament. Unfortunately there are still eight NHL teams left in the fight for the Stanley Cup.

This setup gives teams with only a few NHL players a disadvantage as the players still have to play for their North American franchises, but are desperately needed to play for their country. NHL players from teams that lose in the 1st round are able to play, but Belarus could certainly use Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn, who are still playing for Nashville, and Roman Josi, also under contract with Nashville, would strengthen Switzerland as would Boedker in Phoenix for Denmark. Some players will be called upon during the World Championship to adapt and strengthen the teams, mostly with players who lost their 2nd playoff round in the NHL. At the same time, NHL franchises with many national team players can argue that they have a disadvantage as risk of injury and possible distraction arises.

2014 Olympics seeding
An important fact is that the IIHF world ranking is used for the Olympics seeding and qualification. After the 2012 IIHF World Championship, the nine highest ranked teams will qualify for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. The remaining three spots will be up for grabs by everyone else. So even though not all hockey players are able to play in the World Championship if they are still competing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, its outcome will influence the groups in the Olympics. Yet the NHL interrupts its regular season schedule, enabling all players to compete in the Olympics. The NHL started interrupting games for the 1998 Olympics in Nagano but is currently considering going back to its archaic state of ignoring international competition. But that is a whole new topic (and comments are welcome about the NHL’s tendencies).

Ranking prior the 2012 World Championship

  1. Finland                                 2245 Points
  2. Sweden                                 2240
  3. Russia                                   2225
  4. Czech Republic                   2210
  5. Canada                                 2195
  6. USA                                       2045
  7. Switzerland                         1990
  8. Germany                              1985
  9. Norway                                 1960
  10. Slovakia                                1940
  11. Belarus                                 1845
  12. Denmark                              1830
  13. Latvia                                   1825
  14. France                                  1700
  15. Austria                                 1685
  16. Kazakhstan                         1620

To give you a sense of the point distribution, the winner of the 2012 tournament will get an additional 1200 points and the 16th placed team 820. This is due to having 47 countries involved in WC, WCIA, WCIB, WCIIA, WCIIB and WCIII, including the United Arab Emirates as currently last in the ranking.

From www.iihf.com: “In the 2012 Pre-Championship report, the values of the 2011, 2010 and 2009 IIHF tournaments (World Championships and Olympics) are reduced by 25 percent compared to the 2011 Final Ranking and only the points of the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship need to be added to get the final 2012 IIHF Men’s World Ranking.”

As you can see the top countries are quite close point-wise. And every point will count to determine the seeding for Sochi 2014.

I remember when the Czech Republic team won their first Olympic gold medal in 1998… who would have guessed! Prior to the tournament, the media only talked about who would win the final, Canada or the USA, because of all the participating NHL players.
That is why I would like to see the best players of the world competing every four years. It’s not as clear as it appears. And in all fairness, the NHL players must play on a bigger rink at IIHF tournaments than they are used to in their league. At the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, Canada and the USA met in the final… on NHL rinks.

…and that is the last word.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #34: Dalton Thrower

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 51st Overall by the Montreal Canadiens.

Dalton Thrower has really come out of nowhere this season and shot up draft boards by showing great progression in all aspects of his game.  The Saskatoon Blades defenceman has attracted the attention of scouts and become one of the most improved players in the WHL.  Thrower really showed his worth late in the season with Saskatoon, as due to injuries to other Blades blueliners the team was often forced to play with just four regular defencemen.  Thrower was playing over 30 minutes per game, in all situations, and some say he even outperformed 2011 draftee Duncan Siemens.  Thrower joins an impressive crop of WHL defencemen including Ryan Murray, Matt Dumba, Morgan Rielly, Griffin Reinhart, and Derrick Pouliot, in this years draft class.

Defense
Born Dec 20 1993 — North Vancouver, BC
Height 6.00 — Weight 195 — Shoots Right

2009-10 Saskatoon Blades WHL 55 0 7 7 61 2 8 0 1 1 2
2010-11 Saskatoon Blades WHL 68 6 14 20 91 14 10 2 1 3 11
2011-12 Saskatoon Blades WHL 66 18 36 54 103 -4 4 0 1 1 4

Thrower is a solid all around defenceman who does it all for the Blades.  He is used in all situations, with tough matchups at even-strength, top power play unit time, and penalty killing work.  Thrower took this responsibility and really excelled this season.  In fact it seemed like the more minutes he was given, the better he played.  Thrower is a hard-nosed physical player, who enjoys playing a style of “old-time” hockey.

Thrower’s biggest improvement this season has come in the offensive end of the ice.  He tripled his goal total over last season, and nearly tripled his point output.  Thrower has an absolute cannon of a slap shot, and is excellent at firing a one timer on net.  He understands how to keep his slapper low and accurate which leads to tip ins and rebounds for his Saskatoon Teammates.  Thrower is also shown good passing ability and is very poised with the puck on his stick.  He has good hockey sense and vision and often makes the smart pass in the offensive zone.  We have seen Thrower skate with the puck and lead the rush on occasion, but he much prefers to use his passing skills to start the Blades transition game, he makes a good first pass out of the zone.

Defensively Thrower is a very physical player.  He just loves to catch a forward coming in on him with his head down and throw a huge body check.  Thrower plays the game with an edge, he is willing to use any means necessary, including some nasty stickwork to keep the front of his net clear, and to win battles along the boards.  Thrower makes life miserable for any forward who tries to come near the Blades net, as he can often be found in the middle of any scrum.

Thrower’s physical game extends to dropping the gloves.  He turned a lot of heads at the CHL Top Prospects game when he fought Tom Wilson, despite a huge size disadvantage.  Thrower held his own against the much larger Wilson, while he didn’t win the fight, he did do much better than expected.  He has shown this fighting ability on a number of occasions with Saskatoon this season.

We’d compare Thrower’s potential to become a defenceman similar to Kevin Bieksa of the Vancouver Canucks.  Thrower will be a key piece for the Saskatoon Blades next year as they try to win the Memorial Cup in their own rink.

.. and thats the Last Word.

Forget Hartnell Down… How About Giroux Out!

Posted on by Grant Alexander

With what has been a bizarre playoffs so far in regards to player safety and the controversial manner of discipline, now sees its leading scorer join the list of offenders.

Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers delivered what appeared to be an illegal check to New Jersey Devils player Dainius Zubrus during game four of their second round matchup. The hit was reviewed by Senior Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan, and was deemed an illegal check to the head. Giroux was subsequently suspended for one game. Shanahan’s breakdown of the suspension underlined three key factors – One, the head was the principal point of contact making it a reckless and illegal hit. Two, Zubrus was shaken up on the play, but ultimately suffered no apparent injury. Three, Giroux has no prior history of suspension or fines. One game seemed right on the money based on Shanahan’s breakdown, and what we’ve seen from him during the playoffs so far. So there are really only two questions to ask yourself; do you agree that it was an illegal hit? And do you agree with the verdict of a one game suspension?

Here is the link to Shanahan’s explanation

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=176718&cmpid=embed-share-video

Was it an illegal hit?

When I was first watching the game and I saw the hit live, and then replayed it several times, I didn’t think the hit warranted a suspension. I thought there could have been a slashing penalty against Giroux, but I didn’t think the hit was illegal. It looked to me like Zubrus was skating with his head down, and when he saw Giroux coming toward him, he tried to juke to the left at the last second to avoid the hit.  This is similar to how forwards try to get around defenseman on a dump-in. However, I changed my mind about the hit when I watched Shanahan break it down in slow motion. Giroux was previously upset on the play, and, while that should have no bearing on the review, it does show the frustration that led to the reckless hit. Under normal circumstances Giroux would have just slashed the stick the way he did, and then taken off in pursuit of the puck. But he was angry and frustrated, and when I watched the hit again with the aid of slow motion, he throws his shoulder towards Zubrus without looking. He was not looking at his target.  He threw a blind hit, and unfortunately Zubrus was in a low and very vulnerable position. It definitely wasn’t an intent to injure, but like an accidental high stick, you have to be in control of your actions at all times.

Was a one game suspension a fair verdict?

Once I had determined that the hit was illegal, and did warrant supplemental discipline, a one game suspension was the obvious outcome. It is congruent with what we have seen from Shanahan so far this playoffs (with exception to Torres), and I think, right or wrong, consistency is the key. Some people might have a problem with Torres getting 25 games, and then Giroux, a superstar in the league only getting one game. But I don’t think there was any superstar leniency here. This is Giroux’s first infraction, there was no injury on the play, and it is consistent with other rulings.

This is, however, a huge blow to the Philadelphia Flyers. They are facing elimination tonight against the Devils, and Giroux is by far their best player. He has a veteran presence on the bench and in the locker room, and leads the team by example on the ice. He is also currently leading the playoffs in scoring with 17 points. That is five points more than teammate Daniel Briere, who currently sits in second. Needless to say this will be a big loss for the Flyers.

Philadelphia isn’t the first team to go into battle without their leading scorer this playoffs, and in other instances it has proved to be a rallying point for the team. Radulov had missed game three for the Predators, and Kovalchuk missed game four for the Devils. Both teams were victorious without their star, as the rest of their teammates dug deep in their absence. But I’m sure despite the positive results, Philly would like to have their leading scorer in the game tonight. Now only time will tell if Claude Giroux has laced up his skates for the last time this season.

…and that is the last word.

Everything Will Be Decided on Sunday in the English Premier League

Posted on by Jack Stone

It’s the always entertaining, heart-breaking, never-dull week 38, the final week, of the English Premiership season.  This week decides four things – league champions, the four teams that will represent England in next year’s Champions League, the three teams that will be relegated down a division, and the one spot reserved for the Europa League.   All games will be played Sunday, May 13, at 10:00 am EST.

The race to become league champions has been a two-horse race between Manchester City and Manchester United for many weeks.  Both teams have 86 points, but Manchester City hold the tie-breaker with their 8 goal lead on differential.  Therefore, Manchester City will be crowned if they claim victory at home against Queens Park Rangers,  while Manchester United visit Sunderland to play for whatever hope they can muster.  Basically, they need a City loss with a draw or victory of their own.

For the relegation stage, Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers are automatically being sent down, while the third spot has yet to be decided.  One of either Queens Park Rangers or Bolton will leave the dance.  QPR has a two-point lead on the table and a commanding  lead in goal differential.  With a win or draw, or a Bolton draw or loss, the Rangers would be safe and sleep soundly, while Bolton would be relegated.  However, QPR play Manchester City in a must-win situation, while Bolton have a much easier task as they travel to Stoke City.

And then there is the battle for the Champions League spots, which is a bit messy to say the least.  Currently, there are three teams chasing two spots – Arsenal, Tottenham, and Newcastle, with one point separating 3rd – 4th, and 4th – 5th.

2 Man City 37 63 86
1 Man United 37 55 86
3 Arsenal 37 24 67
4 Spurs 37 23 66
5 Newcastle 37 7 65

Arsenal, who are in third position, have fate in their hand, and can seal their trip to CL 2013 with a win at West Brom.  They can also advance if either Newcastle or Spurs fail to win.  Tottenham can wrap-up a trip to the Champions League with a win or a Newcastle tie or draw, or Arsenal loss.  Newcastle, however, need some help by way of an Arsenal or Tottenham loss, combined with a win of their own.  Confused yet?  Yeah, no kidding!  Newcastle and Tottenham have stiffer competition in Everton and Fulham, though the Baggies are no pushovers at home vs. the Gunners.

Now, just so I can confuse you further, there is one more team that has a shot at Champions League action – Chelsea.  Chelsea play in the 2012 Champions League final versus Bayern Munich thanks to an unbelievable dark horse win versus Barcelona.  If they win, they will automatically secure the fourth CL spot for 2013 despite not being in good form at the club level. In the event Chelsea wins, only one of Arsenal, Tottenham or Newcastle would join them and the two teams from Manchester in representing the EPL.  Whichever team manages a fifth place spot will grab the Europa spot.

There you have it.  The season comes down to Sunday, and the greatest two hours of the season.

…and that is the last word.

 

Can Life Possibly Be Any Sweeter in Phoenix Right Now?

Posted on by Grant Alexander

The Phoenix Coyotes have done the impossible! They have knocked off the heavily favoured Nashville Predators, and now find themselves in the Conference Championships for the first time in history! Led by the stellar play of goaltender Mike Smith this team looks hungry and focused, and wants nothing else but to bring the Stanley Cup back to the Desert. The only problem is they may be facing their toughest opponent yet.

The Los Angeles Kings are the team to beat right now. They have knocked off the number one and two seeds in stunning fashion, and hold an 8-1 record thus far. They are also the favorite to win the Cup now, and seem determined to do so. I wouldn’t write Phoenix out of this series though as they have a lot of similarities with the Kings, and a lot of momentum as well. Their goaltending is pretty much a wash, as Smith and Quick have both been stellar. Both teams have also been great on D in their own zone, and have had key goals coming from all four lines. They were also both underdogs in their first two series, and won both without needing seventh games.

There’s no question that this will be the toughest challenge yet for the desert dogs, but having already exceeded expectations they really have nothing to lose. Because of that, they are playing loose, light, and enjoying themselves, and that can be a deadly combination. But whatever happens in the next round and going forward, the Phoenix Coyotes have made franchise history this season, and nobody can take that away from them!

The other great news for the fans and residents of Glendale, Arizona, is their beloved Phoenix Coyotes might once again become permanent residents themselves. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Monday that the league has reached a preliminary agreement to sell the team to a group headed by former San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison. Bettman and Jamison both held press conferences to discuss the proposed sale, but it is still in it’s infancy, so only time will tell if this is the deal that finally goes through and keeps the Coyotes in Phoenix for long term. Jamison is also currently in negotiations with the city of Glendale over a new lease on the arena. Both the sale and the arena lease will probably take a few months to negotiate and complete, so don’t expect anything further to be announced until this season is at an end. So as it stands, it might still be Gary Bettman on the ice raising the Cup as the “owner” of the Phoenix Coyotes…

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #33: Stefan Matteau

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 29th overall by the New Jersey Devils.

If the name Stefan Matteau is familiar to hockey fans, it should be.  Stefan is the son of former NHLer Stephane Matteau who scored the famous Game 7 OT goal for the New York Rangers in the 1994 Conference Final victory over the New Jersey Devils en route to winning the Stanley Cup.   Matteau joins Griffin Reinhart, and Henrik Samuelsson as prospects who are sons of former NHLers in this year’s entry draft.

Left Wing
Born Feb 23 1994 — Chicago, IL
Height 6.01 — Weight 207

2010-11 U.S. National Development Team USHL 28 4 5 9 47 0
2011-12 U.S. National Development Team USHL 18 6 4 10 93 4

Matteau was born in Chicago during his father’s time with the Chicago Blackhawks.  He has spent the last two years playing for the US NTDP. Matteau had hoped to play for the US in the recent IIHF Under 18 World Hockey Championships but was ruled ineligible due to a little known IIHF rule which requires a player to play 3 seasons after the age of 10 in the country who he wishes to compete for.  Matteau was declared ineligible as he has been playing hockey in Canada except for these last 2 years.  Matteau was originally committed to play NCAA hockey at the University of North Dakota, but has since dropped out of that commitment and announced he will be joining the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL.

When you watch young Stefan Matteau, you can definetely see the influence that his father has had on his son’s game.  Like his father, Matteau is a gritty, hard working, winger who is capable in all three zones.  Matteau seems to relish playing a physical game, is effective on the boards winning battles, and protecting the puck in the cycle game.  He is more likely to bull through a defender than to go around them.  Matteau has a hard, heavy wrist shot and a decent release.  When Matteau doesn’t have the puck in the offensive zone, you can find him near the opponents crease.  He gets to the front of the net and causes havoc when he’s there attempting to screen the goalie, tip in goals, and bang in rebounds.  Matteau just loves initiating contact and is a very physical player.  He’s also likely to be found right in the middle of any after the whistle scrums.  His offensive game is a little limited by his average passing skills and vision, and his average hands making moves in tight to the goal, and around defenders.

Matteau is a smart defensive player.  He has very good positioning and is active in the defensive zone.  He is often used in a penalty killing role for the US-NTDP team.  He uses his stick to effectively cut down on passing and shooting lanes, and uses his physical game as effectively in the defensive zone as he does in the offensive zone.  He can however sometimes have issues with especially quick opponents.

Matteau’s skating is a bit of a work in progress.  He has decent top end speed, but he needs serious work on his first step quickness and his acceleration.  He is however very strong on his skates and has great balance.  Its very difficult to knock Matteau off the puck, and he has a powerful stride when he gets going which helps him to charge the net effectively.

Matteau also needs to work on his discipline.  He has a tendency to take bad penalties at key times, and has even been suspended on occassion, causing him to miss games.  Learning how to play a physical game without going over the edge will be his next challenge.

Matteau has the potential to be a top 6 winger in the NHL, but he will need to continue to work on his game to get there.  We’d compare his maximum potential to be a cross between his father and Tomas Holmstrom of the Detroit Red Wings.

… and thats the Last Word.