The Scouting Report:
Mathieu Cataford from Chateauguay, Quebec, Canada, born on March 1st, 2005, is a top prospect in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and eligible for the 2023 NHL entry draft. Standing at 5’11” and 187 pounds, Cataford has been a steady winger for the Halifax Mooseheads for the past two seasons. Across two seasons, Cataford has played 130 games for the Mooseheads, posting a stat line of 48 goals and 73 assists for 121 points. Complimenting this offensive dominance, Cataford also posted a plus/minus of plus 38 and 96 PIMS across the two seasons.
Ranked #70 by Inside The Rink
Ranked #36 by NHL Central Scouting (NASkaters)
Ranked #47 by TSN/Craig Button
Ranked #51 by Draft Prospects Hockey
Ranked #58 by Daily Faceoff
Ranked #45 by TSN/Bob McKenzie
Conrad Jack of Inside the Rink has Mathieu Cataford projected at 43rd overall.
This is a solid second-round pick for any team that is looking for a player that plays with a lot of meat and potatoes when on the ice. Mathieu Cataford isn’t afraid to mix it up and be a thorn in your side, but he is incredibly disciplined on the ice and doesn’t take many bad penalties.
Diving Deeper:
Mathieu Cataford has all of the tools to be an incredible bottom-six forward and can be a solid addition to anyone’s roster. Let’s take a deeper dive into Mathieu Cataford’s attributes.
Compete Level & Consistency:
Mathieu Cataford is one of the most competitive and consistent players I have watched in a long time. He is always on the ice in high-danger situations and is not afraid to go to battle for his teammates when needed. These kinds of players are rare to find, Cataford uses his incredible discipline to dare other players into taking unnecessary and costly penalties. However, Cataford does find himself giving the other team a reason to try and take him off of the ice.
“Cataford might not have the flash and dash that his linemate Jordan Dumais has, but he uses his well-rounded skillset to be an impactful member of one of the QMJHL’s most dangerous units. His combination of intelligence and work ethic put him in the right place at the right time with consistency, and he processes the game at a high level, allowing him to execute under pressure and with pace.”
Nick Richard – Dobber Prospects – Dec. 14th 2022
Defensive Game:
Mathieu Cataford is a strong penalty killer, and his skating ability to go from the offensive zone all the way back to the defensive zone is unmatched. Cataford excels and seeks opportunities to engage in physical play and uses his intelligent nature and good positioning to support his teammates defensively.
Related Post: 2023 NHL Draft – Nashville
On-Ice Abilities:
One of the best things about Mathieu Cataford is the fact that he is incredibly coachable. Cataford is incredibly effective both offensively and defensively, especially with 31 goals and 44 assists for 75 points in 68 games. Though, Cataford compliments with an incredible plus/minus of plus 33. Cataford is almost always helping change the pace of play and attempts to create chances to set his teammates up for success.
Final Thoughts:
I can definitely see Mathieu Cataford being drafted in the early first round, a team would gladly trade up to get the guy they want, and we’ve seen this happen many times in previous years. Cataford isn’t a flashy player, though he makes up for that by his other attributes. This is a player teams are likely going to build a line around, if paired with a relatively flashy forward and a power forward, Mathieu Cataford will excel at the NHL level.
Stats via Elite Prospects
Highlights via MyNHLDraft.com
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