Shawinigan forward taking huge steps in development as QMJHL rookie

By Adam Kimelman

@NHLAdamK NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

November 16, 2024

Future NHL stars are developing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Each week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

Matvei Gridin was committed to play this season at the University of Michigan. But not long after the Calgary Flames selected the 18-year-old forward with the No. 28 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Gridin changed his mind, eventually landing with Shawinigan of the QMJHL.

What happened?

“Biggest part of the choice was Calgary offered me a contract two days after the draft,” he said. “It was tough to not accept that.”

Gridin signed with the Flames on July 5. He had been selected by Val-d’Or of the QMJHL with the No. 1 pick of the 2024 CHL Import Draft two days earlier, and then had his rights traded to Shawinigan on Sept. 20.

The transition has been a successful one so far. He's second among QMJHL rookies with 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 18 games, and had his first hat trick in the league in a 5-2 win at Rimouski on Nov. 3.

“I would not say that it's a really good start,” said Gridin, who had played the previous two seasons with Muskegon of the United States Hockey League. “It's a fine start, but I can do better. Still adapting to the league. It's a little bit different than USHL, and still need some time for that.”

Calgary had little input in Gridin’s decision, but Flames director of player development Ray Edwards said the 68-game schedule Gridin will play in the QMJHL compared to the 35-40 he would have played at Michigan is a tremendous development advantage.

“I think the big thing is just more games played,” Edwards said. “He’s going to get a ton of reps. As much as you love players in NCAA because of the ability to train and build their bodies, one of the things with Matvei is … getting as many reps as he can at that level to prepare for the next level. It's one of the things we always talked about with Mat was, it's really hard to develop when you're only playing 34 games.

“I think that was a big thing for Matvei too, just continue to play a bunch of games, learn the pro schedule, learn how to adjust mid-week, mid-game, be able to learn from a game, get to work the next day on it, and then be better the next game. It's really hard to do that when you have a whole week off and you sort of have to reset every week. We just thought for Matvei it was very good to be able to play in the CHL.”

The other benefit was Gridin being able to attend Flames training camp.

“That was a great experience,” he said. “First couple days I just stared at guys. Can't believe you're practicing with these guys like [center Jonathan] Huberdeau, [forward Andrei] Kuzmenko, [center Yegor] Sharangovich, [center Nazem] Kadri, all those guys. After a couple days, you get used to it and start focusing yourself.”

He was able to play in two preseason games before being sent to the QMJHL, and left a strong impression.

“I think the big thing that we came away with was we loved his competitiveness in the games that we saw,” Edwards said. “And that’s what we’re focusing on moving on now from watching him in junior, making sure he's got a first effort, but also a second or third effort in terms of getting pucks back and being good in the forecheck and tracking, and in turning pucks over, using his stick to create loose pucks and being able to get pucks back so he can get on the offense.

"So we love the way he competed, the way he went to the net. Obviously you see that high skill level. And you could tell when he played with NHL players, it just worked. It was smooth. It was easy. He sees the game at a high level.”

Gridin feels confident where his game is at offensively, but understands to reach the next level, it’s his play away from the puck that needs to be developed.

“[The Flames] want to focus me on my game without the puck,” he said. “They say, 'We can see all the skills and the shot and you're dangerous when you’ve got the puck. We want you to be harder on the puck so you have the puck more.' They want me to play good without the puck to get the puck back more.

“I think Calgary and all the staff doesn't care if I'm the points leader in the 'Q' or not. If I score 120 points and still play bad without the puck, it's not going to help me play in the NHL.”

OTHERS TO WATCH

Sam Dickinson, D, London: The San Jose Sharks prospect had four assists in a 5-3 win against Sarnia on Friday to give the 18-year-old 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) during a nine -game point streak. That includes his second hat trick of the season, against North Bay on Nov. 8, one of seven multipoint games during his streak. Selected by the Sharks with the No. 11 pick in the 2024 draft, Dickinson leads London scorers with 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 16 games this season.

Ethan Gauthier, RW, Drummondville: The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect had 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) during an 11-game point streak that ended Wednesday. The 19-year-old, selected by the Lightning in the second round (No. 37) of the 2023 NHL Draft, has 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 15 games this season.

Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George: During his current six-game goal and point streak (12 goals, two assists), the Los Angeles Kings prospect has four multigoal games, including two hat tricks. And in his past nine games, the 19-year-old has 19 points (15 goals, four assists), with seven multipoint games and five multigoal games. Selected in the third round (No. 78) of the 2023 draft, Ziemmer has 25 points (18 goals, seven assists) in 14 games this season.