Victoria, BC ~ The Victoria Grizzlies could not be more excited to announce that alumni Matthew Wood has signed a three year entry level deal with the Nashville Predators.
Matthew, a native of Nanaimo, BC, was a Grizzly for the 2021-22 season while appearing in 18 games during the 2020-21 BCHL Pod Season. Wood had quite the effect on the Grizzlies and the BCHL as he took home the Brett Hull Trophy (BCHL Scoring Champion) and Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy (BCHL Rookie of the Year) at the end of the 2021-22 campaign. The year saw him score at nearly a goal per game pace with 45 markers in 46 games while putting up a ridiculous 85 points.
As a 17 year old, Wood moved to the NCAA where he was lights out with the University of Connecticut as a freshman. Wood put up 11 goals and 34 points in 35 games and that was enough to see him get drafted 15th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Level Draft by the Nashville Predators. Wood followed that up with a 16 goal and 28 point season with UConn in 2023-24 before transferring to the University of Minnesota for his junior year. Wood put on a clinic this year with 17 goals and 39 points in 39 games for the Golden Gophers.
Wood has also been active with team Canada as he has presented our country at the U-18 World Championships, Hrlinka Gretzky Cup and at the World Junior Championships.
The Grizzlies would like to congratulate Matthew on signing his deal with Nashville and wish him the best of luck as he reports to the team in the next few days.
