With the 28th pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Calgary Flames have selected Matvei Gridin from the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL)
About Matvei Gridin
Matvei Gridin, who scored 38 goals and 45 assists for 83 points in 60 games, led the USHL in points in 2023-24. For reference, he had the exact same points and games played totals as Jaden Schwartz in 2009-10, tying him for the third-highest point mark among age-17 players in league history.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
Gridin processes the game extremely well for his age. While it’s true that the USHL isn’t as fierce as a professional league, he was always making the right plays at the right time. He doesn’t seem to have any standout traits per se, but his mind combined with his skill set can potentially allow him to blossom into a middle-six winger someday.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“There are moments where Matvei Griden appears to go through the motions, but he reads and reacts to plays as well as anyone in the draft. He has proven that he can beat goalies in the USHL from anywhere in the offensive zone with an outstanding snapshot. He’s a strong playmaker and finisher who can generate a lot of offense, but he can play on the perimeter too much, which is the main concern on how his game will fare at higher levels.
“A player with sound hockey IQ, Gridin is a good skater but not a pure burner on open ice. His offensive skill set is equal parts goal-scorer and playmaker. His assists come from extending plays more than from creating off the rush. He regularly tries and pulls off difficult, clever little moments on the ice to worm his way out of trouble, play pucks through, or past defenders.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
“Due to his good size, he plays a heavy style. Gridin is hard to defend around the crease and always seems to find pucks around the net. However, he tends to follow the game too often, so he needs to get out of his comfort zone and attack more.
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Flames’ Plans
Amid a rebuild, the Flames are trying to get all of the help that they can. Having traded Andrew Mangiapane and potentially dealing a player like Nazem Kadri, Calgary will want some offensive pieces to work with as they build up their roster. Gridin is a great selection who could potentially be a second-line player. He’s not a direct comparison, but he has Mangiapane upside in a sense in terms of the type of usage and production he could have.
Calgary is building up their prospect core, and they started out great in this draft with Zayne Parekh. Perhaps, this might be the start of something special for them. Only time will tell, of course, but their direction seems to be promising for the future.