Matvei Gridin

April 2024 – Continually frustrating, Gridin’s not really 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 really pretty too. And he’s got a quick release to mix in as a changeup, diversifying the ways he can beat you. But the issues are nagging, he’s still not really creating his own chances or active in his own end, or taking advantage of his large frame to battle for pucks. Too often, Gridin will just skate into people expecting the turnover to materialize just to get blown past. I really 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 bonafide triple-threat, Gridin is a monster in the offensive zone and his highlight reel is nothing to scoff at. Few players have the skill and intelligence to pull off the plays he does, which makes his fluctuant 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