all right we'll get back down to Elliott in just a matter of moments but Nashville's on the clock yeah you see David Coyle making that long walk for the final time and the crowd is electric here in Nashville in anticipation of the Predators latest pick and again just like Pittsburgh just like Washington this is a rare form for them to not be a playoff team so they're going to be you know turning the make the corner turn quickly here Carl turns it over to trots gives him 13 picks in this draft he
re hit the ground running seven in the top 83. really impressive stuff yeah and they were trying feverishly to move up but they don't but here they are with the 15th pick here we go smashville from the University of Connecticut Matthew Wood [Applause] [Music] [Applause] and there it is Matthew Wood from Uconn and from let's Bridge selected 15th overall father Jamie mother Carrie and a great moment for that family three of the four BC boys who hung out as youngsters Matthew Wood at nine years old
lived with Connor Bedard and then of course they've got their buddy in the middle but all Zach Benson now they're all waiting on Andrew Crystal to be picked but this group of players grew up playing together they pushed one another wood decided against going to the Regina patch to play with Bedard in the seat out because he wanted to carve his own path by going to UConn he went to UConn after being named the bchl rookie of the year but almost a point per game up and really exceeded all expectat
ions playing for Mike Cavanaugh who by the way is the same coach that Tage Thompson had it was a slow burn for Tage Thompson to get to where he is Paige Thompson is a National Hockey League start and the Nashville Predators are hoping the very same thing is going to happen here with Matthew Wood and there it is uh again it's been this nice run of Western Canadians coming now in the last few picks and out of Uconn uh 35 games and as you said modest numbers like 11 goals uh modest numbers but here
's a guy who could do a lot of different things and uh really an exceptional exceptional young man yeah and you have to love the fact that he was the youngest player in the NCAA this year so you walk in as a freshman you know and you're looking around wide-eyed and it didn't get off to a great start for him but it didn't take him very long to acclimate himself and next thing you know the point per game numbers Mike Kavanaugh saying I have to keep playing I'm playing them more and more and more H
igh leverage situations because he's been so good for us I think it's the shot that really speaks volumes about his game at the end of the year at the under 18s he started the show a little bit more grit some compete that final game for Canada in the bronze he was excellent there and that is part of why that recency bias allowed him to be picked 15th overall so Matthew Wood 15th overall and he's rocking that Jersey and he looks excited and there's a guy Canadian Roots but played down in the ncaa
s yeah let's talk a little bit about what this guy's abilities are yeah it's on and off the stick in a hurry right shot there he goes and now he gets a chance to work off the half ball brings it to the middle of the ice hole it looks a little bit like Conor Bedard little curl and drag let's take this thing to the top shelf yeah okay I'm gonna head to the pack a little bit no way you're stopping me I'm gonna go low glove so wood is the type of guy who's got an excellent shot we look at Tage Thomp
son compared with Matthew Wood over the course of their draft eligible Seasons very very similar [Music]
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