Matthew Wood

April 2026 – Although concerns over skating had Wood pegged for AHL minutes in 2025-26, he has only played in five games for the Admirals because he has been playing regularly for the Predators to the tune of 27 points in 63 NHL games. What is more remarkable than his ability to overcome his skating limitations is that Wood is tied for the fifth highest plus/minus on the Predators as of this writing. He is displaying that he can use his smarts and hands to keep up with NHL competition and looks primed to become a top six forward for Nashville in 2026-27. Ioan Gheordanescu

September 2025 – September 2025 – Wood suited up for six games to end the season with Nashville. Playing fourth-line minutes gave him a chance to experience NHL pace and play firsthand. Wood is the crown jewel of a Nashville prospect system that is in an awkward spot. The Predators appear determined to compete, and although the disastrous 2024-25 season was worse than the team deserved, it is hard to envision them as anything more than a wildcard team; a change in attitude from the top brass seems unlikely. That puts Wood in a difficult position, as he likely will not get a favorable deployment in the NHL unless he proves he can handle it. Wood will likely spend time in the AHL and, depending on how the season unfolds, could get called up toward the end. He is a near-complete player with both skill and frame, but his Achilles heel remains his skating. If Wood can improve his skating to an NHL standard, he has the potential to become a dominant top-line player for the Predators for many years. – Markus R

March 2025 – The Nashville Predators signed Wood to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2024-25 season. Mark Henry

July 2023 – GM Barry Trotz clearly communicated to his amateur scouting staff for the 2023 draft: swing for the fences. Indeed, they did with Matthew Wood. He is a highly skilled shooter and scorer with solid playmaking tendencies but flawed skating mechanics and questionable tenacity. He had made noticeable improvements to his skating by the U-18 tournament, so there is still hope he can become an NHL average skater to pair with his other high-end skills. This was backed up by 13 points in seven games at the U-18s, good for second on the team behind phenom Macklin Celebrini. Nashville will likely send him back to UConn for his second season, and they likely plan on giving him as much time as needed to develop. If all breaks right, we could see a point-per-game player with a spot on 1PP when Nashville is ready to contend. Jeff Grybel

June 2023 – Wood has been selected 15th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2023 NHL Draft. Curtis Rines

April 2023 – Wood was the youngest player in the NCAA this season after joining UConn as a 17-year-old. Despite being the youngest player, Wood certainly does not look like it, nor did he play like it. Wood is the biggest player on the ice in every game he plays. He seems even more significant than the 6-3, 190 pounds he’s listed at. He boasts an excellent shot and a nose for a net, which allows him to score from both range and from in tight. He put up 34 points in 35 games with the Huskies, which is absurd for a player his age. Despite his success, major question marks surrounding his skating, compete level, and lackadaisical handling of the puck exist and present real risk as to whether he will ever reach his fullest potential. Jordan Harris

September 2022 – 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.

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. He has a long reach and a good active stick and can find passing and shooting lanes well, but he must 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, so it’ll be necessary to keep expectations at a reasonable level. Evan Pace