The Forecheck: Matthew Wood "leaning towards two more years" at UConn

Welcome to the UConn Hockey Hub newsletter, which catches you up on all the stories, trends, and anything else you might have missed, along with some quick takes and leftover notes from the weekend.

Matthew Wood doesn’t want to “rush” out of college

Barring a draft night surprise, Matthew Wood will be the highest NHL Draft pick in UConn men’s hockey’s history. Every reputable mock draft has him going well ahead of 26th overall, where the St. Louis Blues took Tage Thompson back in 2016.

When the Huskies decided to bring Wood in a year earlier than expected, they did so to maximize his time in Storrs before he inevitably signed an NHL contract. Part of that thinking was influenced by Thompson, who left after just two seasons at UConn and one after being drafted.

If Wood follows the same path, he’ll play this upcoming season with the Huskies before turning pro. However, the rising sophomore isn’t opposed to staying around longer if needed.

"I don't want to rush myself out of college by any means," he told NHL.com. "No team ever said that they left a kid in college too long. Whether it's one or two more years, I think that's probably my timeline in college. I'm probably leaning towards two more years at this point, but you never know what's going to happen."

It helps that Wood is regarded as a raw prospect who needs time to develop in order to become an NHL contributor. Even after leading the Huskies in points as the youngest player in college hockey this past season, his strength, physicality, and skating all need work before he’s ready to make a jump to the pros, let alone the NHL.

The experience of UConn’s other first-rounder in Thompson — who Wood is frequently (and unnecessarily) compared to as a prospect — could aid his future decision as well.

“Looking back, I probably could’ve used another year at college,” Thompson said on a podcast in March. “Definitely wouldn’t have hurt.”

Of course, a lot can change over the course of a year and whichever team selects Wood will play a major role in when he leaves UConn. Still, the fact that he’s “leaning towards” another two seasons is great news for the Huskies.

Recent coverage

From the UConn Hockey Hub:

• Aidan Metcalfe leaving team to focus on school

• The numbers that defined UConn's 2022-23 season

Last Forecheck:

• The Forecheck: Gatcomb, Kinal both earn AHL contracts

Best of social media