Waiting almost over as former Grizzlies star Wood set to go in first round of NHL draft

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Nanaimo product ranked in top 15 for Wednesday’s draft

Matthew Wood of Nanaimo won’t have to do that for much longer as his pro hockey fate will be known Wednesday when he will be selected in the first round of the 2023 NHL draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

“I don’t really look at the ­articles or media stuff,” said the former Victoria Grizzlies ­forward, before leaving for Nashville with his family.He could be headed to play in the NHL anywhere from Canada to the U.S. sun belt. But that won’t be next season as the ­six-foot-three Harbour City product is considered in the longer range of the ­developmental scale. He was the youngest player in NCAA Div.

“I think the smart play with Wood would be to keep him in college at least another year and have him continue to develop. If he goes from point A to point B in Year 1 and does the same growth in Year 2, you’re looking at a very special player.”“It’s going to be a fun week in Nashville, with a lot of people to thank for it, but right after that I am going to be more focused on my first shift next season at Connecticut after having a good freshman season to build off of.

It isn’t lost on anybody, meanwhile, that Wood falls directly in the range of the home-province Vancouver Canucks, who select Wednesday at 11th overall. Wood was among the players the Canucks interviewed this month during the NHL combine in ­Buffalo.But this lottery, like all lotteries, is out of his hands. The only thing that is certain is that the Chicago Blackhawks will take prodigy Connor Bedard first overall Wednesday.

 

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