Matvei Gridin

June 2025 – Gridin’s first season and possibly only season in the QMJHL with the Shawinigan Cataractes was a success. He ran away with the QMJHL scoring race, scoring 79 points (36 goals and 43 assists) in 56 regular-season games. He added 17 points (eight goals and nine assists) in 17 playoff games with the Cataractes. He also led rookies in game-winning goals with five, 15 power play assists, and four shorthanded goals. Showing he can contribute in all situations. He won the Sidney Crosby Trophy as the QMJHL’s top rookie for the 2024-25 season. Gridin was drafted to the QMJHL out of the USHL; therefore, he is eligible to play in the American Hockey League with the Calgary Wranglers in 2025-26 if the Calgary Flames choose to go that route with him. He is already under contract, as he signed a three-year, entry-level deal in July 2024. Mark Henry

June 2024 – Gridin was selected 28th overall by the Flames. Pat Quinn

April 2024 – Continually frustrating, Gridin’s not shaken things up much this year. Still the ever-impressive playmaker, Gridin’s passing game is deep and complex, with a wide repertoire to account for his good sense of timing. He’s got the skill to make it look pretty, too. And he’s got a quick release to mix in as a changeup, diversifying the ways he can beat you. However, the issues persist; he’s still not creating his chances or being active in his end, nor is he taking advantage of his large frame to battle for pucks. Too often, Gridin will skate into people, expecting the turnover to materialize, just to get blown past. I want to believe in Gridin’s skill, as there’s a lot to like, but he’s got to be even if just a little more engaged shift-to-shift and at 5v5. You can trust the numbers and you can trust the profile, but I don’t know if you trust the player – David Saad

April Rankings: 67th

February 2024 – A bona fide triple-threat, Gridin is a monster in the offensive zone, and his highlight reel is nothing to scoff at. Few players possess the skill and intelligence to execute the plays he does, which makes his fluctuating engagement all the more frustrating. He tends to shy away from the physical side of the game and, despite his above-average size, creates a lot of his work through the perimeter and power-play. How effective he will be as a 5v5 forward and if his current style is at all translatable is up for debate. Still, the temptation of one of the best DY scorers in recent USHL history at a pro-ready size is one bet many would gladly take. – David Saad

February Rankings: 61st