The Nashville Predators picked Matthew Wood with the 15th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Matthew Wood
Position: Right wing
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 193 lbs
Shoots: Right
Age: 18
Club: University of Connecticut (NCAA)
Nationality: 🇨🇦
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 4th among North American skaters
2022-23 stats
| GP | G | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | 35 | 11 | 23 |
| U18 Worlds | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Wood impressed as the youngest player in college hockey this season, leading Connecticut with 34 points in 35 contests.
After firing away at a near-point-per-game rate as a freshman, Wood rocketed up draft boards everywhere. He placed eighth among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings, but he jumped up four places in the final edition to trail only Will Smith, Adam Fantilli, and Connor Bedard.
What put Wood on the map was his 2021-22 campaign with the British Columbia Hockey League's Victoria Grizzlies, where he erupted for 45 goals and 85 points in 46 games as a 16-year-old rookie. Those eye-popping numbers didn't just lead first-year players; he paced the entire league by five tallies and five points. Wood was named Rookie of the Year for his efforts.
Wood was selected by the Regina Pats in the second round of the 2020 WHL bantam draft. He could've opted to play alongside friend and phenom Bedard but chose to work out his own path in the NCAA instead.
"I know Regina is a great place to play, and Connor is ridiculously good at hockey, but I just felt like the extra time, extra workouts in college would benefit me," Wood told NHL.com's Mike Morreale in November. "I feel college hockey is a bit higher pace, and that's what I wanted to continue to try and work on."
What they're saying
"Wood is a very gifted offensive player. ... He has the ability to hold onto pucks for an extra second and knows how to beat defenders with skill," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in May. "He also has an excellent wrist shot and one-timer, making him a major asset on the power play. ... However, his skating is an issue as he lacks the ability to separate, and the pace of the NHL will challenge him."
"Wood is a rangy, goal-scoring forward who has silky hands for his size, a marksman's shot inside the offensive zone, and a sixth sense for arriving around the net/slot at the right time," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler said. "He protects the puck so, so well. ... Though he still needs to get a little quicker from a standstill, his skating isn't an issue for me on the whole."
Click here to watch Wood's highlights.
