Rated as the top prospect available for the Quebec League draft this past summer, Matheson visited both Baie-Comeau and Halifax (the teams with the first two picks), but also made it clear to everyone when the time came that he had made a decision to follow the NCAA route.
“I didn’t make a decision until two weeks before the draft,” Matheson said. “We didn’t hide anything. They knew for sure I wasn’t coming, every team knew.”
Which is why Matheson ended up as Shawinigan’s second round pick, 27th overall. Not that he was swayed. The young blueliner has narrowed his choice of schools down to four suitors – Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern and Vermont. Geographically, the three Boston schools and UVM all keep him fairly close to home, while offering a top-notch program where he can hone his game.
“Hockey-wise, it takes longer for defensemen to develop,” Matheson said. “With college there’s fewer games, more practice time, more time for sure in the gym to develop my body and give it time to mature.”
At 6-foot-1 and 169 pounds, Matheson has a great frame to build on and the reigning Quebec midget AAA rookie of the year is proving he can put up numbers on a consistent basis. The Lions stalwart is leading the league in scoring by a defenseman with nine goals and 26 points in 19 games. But once again, his success isn’t limited to sublime skill.
