Matthew Wood tours the Nashville Predators dressing room shortly after being drafted by the team on Wednesday night. (Nashville Predators)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

draft day

Nanaimo’s Matthew Wood selected 15th in 2023 NHL Entry Draft

Jun 28, 2023 | 7:43 PM

NANAIMO — “Here we go Smashville,” David Poile, general manager of the Nashville Predators simply stated before he announced Matthew Wood as the team’s first round selection.

From Nanaimo, Wood was taken 15th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft on Wednesday, June 28 joining the Predators who hosted this year’s event.

Wood joins the Predators organization after his freshman year at the University of Connecticut, where he led the team in scoring with 34 points in 35 games.

Prior, Wood spent a season and a half with the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies, scoring 50 goals and 48 assists in just 64 games.

He was named the BCHL Rookie of the Year in 2022.

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The Chicago Blackhawks selected Connor Bedard with the first pick in the draft on Wednesday night, kick-starting a hopeful new era with a highly skilled offensive forward who’s drawn comparisons to Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.

Bedard became the second No. 1 pick in Blackhawks history, joining Patrick Kane, who went first overall in 2007 and helped form the core of a team that won three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015.

The Vancouver Canucks selected Tom Willander with the No. 11 pick.

Willander, a six-foot-one, 180-pound defenceman, had 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) in 39 games for Rogle BK’s under-20 team in Sweden.

The 18-year-old Swede grew up a Canucks fan thanks to countrymen Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

Willander has committed to join the NCAA’s Boston University as a freshman next season.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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