By Dan Marshall

Hockey Dreams

Nanaimo prospect one step closer to junior hockey dream

Apr 30, 2020 | 8:06 PM

NANAIMO — Matt Wood’s aspirations of playing junior hockey took a giant leap forward in April with his selection in the Western Hockey League bantam draft.

The 15-year-old was picked in the second round, 41st overall by the Regina Pats after having a stellar season for his West Vancouver Academy team with 71 points in 30 games.

Wood relishes the chance to one day play in the WHL.

“It was a great experience being picked by Regina. It’s a dream of mine and the WHL is a great league. It’s a huge opportunity for me and I’m glad it happened.”

Wood’s father coached college hockey so he spent the first few years of his life moving around Canada and the US.

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In Grade 4, Wood came to Nanaimo and moved up the ranks of the Nanaimo Minor Hockey system until he made the move to West Vancouver in 2019.

He’ll be playing hockey at home in Nanaimo for the upcoming season in the BC Major Midget League.

“I’m going to be playing with the North Island Silvertips,” Wood told NanaimoNewsNOW. “I haven’t looked too far past that yet, I’m just going to see what happens next year and take it one day at a time.”

Wood said he has spoken with staff in Regina but those discussions have only been preliminary and not focused on a timeline of when he might don a Pats jersey.

The bantam draft was also special for Wood because the first overall pick was from his billet family.

Connor Bedard was selected first overall, also by Regina.

“I billeted with him and his family this year so he’s like a brother to me. He’s a great kid and he deserves everything that he gets.”

Even though Bedard and Wood both played for West Van Academy, they didn’t play together.

Bedard, who is the just the seventh 15-year-old to be granted exceptional status to play in the CHL, played up with the midget prep team while Wood skated for the bantam squad.

“I got to go and practice with him a few times, it’s just fun to be on the ice with him.”

There were three other players connected to Nanaimo or the North Island Silvertips who were chosen in the bantam draft.

Goalie Joey Rocha was a fifth round selection while Caden Tremblay and Randy McLaughlin were picked in the eighth round.

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77