Auston Matthews has decided to take his talents overseas for the upcoming 2015-16 season, his draft-eligible campaign.
Guess who’s coming to Zurich? #greatnews @A_Matthews34 pic.twitter.com/xdDwnq3Ii4
— ZSC Lions (@zsclions) August 7, 2015
Projected already to be the top of his class, Matthews has spent the last two seasons in the US National Team Development Program, developing nicely as he progresses in age level. This past season with U-18 team, he scored 20 goals and 48 points in 24 games.
Rather than play in the junior leagues in North America, the Scottsdale, Arizona native likely wanted to play against players above his age group to get him prepared for what he would see in the National Hockey League when he is drafted in Buffalo next summer.
It speaks to how the game has grown in the US to see a top prospect like Matthews born in Arizona growing up a Coyotes fan in a market that is quite scarce like its cool temperatures in the desert.
Here is LWOS’s own Ben Kerr with his analysis of the newest Zurich Lion:
“Auston Matthews spent last season with the US NTDP U-18. A late 1997 birthday, he was born just two days too late to be eligible for the 2015 NHL Draft. If he was those couple of days older he would have challenged Jack Eichel for the second overall spot, he’s that talented. Matthews broke many of the records set by Patrick Kane during his time with the US NTDP. The Arizona native has made the unprecedented decision to go play pro hockey in Switzerland during his draft year, rather than heading for the NCAA or CHL.
Matthews has very good size. He is an exceptional skater, who has the stickhandling ability to make plays at top speed and the vision and passing ability to be a dynamic playmaker. Add in good hockey sense and a decent shot, with a quick release and its easy to see that he has all the attributes to be a top line offensive centre in time. His defensive game could use a little bit of work, but this is a minor quibble for a player with the high end offensive potential of Matthews. A good coach can teach him defense, but the offensive instincts, vision and playmaking ability he has can not be learned.”
For a Top 15 Prospect Outlook for the rest of Matthews’s class, check out LWOS’s own Ben Kerr’s list and evaluations.
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