Nashville Predators Sign 2023 First-Round Pick Matthew Wood to Entry-Level Contract
Wood's junior season of collegiate hockey came to an end Thursday when the University of Minnesota fell to UMass Amherst in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He is now expected to report to Nashville to join the Predators in the coming days.
Wood recorded career highs in goals (17) and points (39) in 39 games for the Golden Gophers, who earned a share of the Big Ten regular-season title in 2024-25. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors after recording 12 multi-point efforts this season and closing out the campaign with points in each of his last five games (5 goals, 1 assist).
Wood recorded 101 points (44 goals, 57 assists) in 109 games during his NCAA career. He spent his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Connecticut, where he was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team as a freshman.
Before college, Wood posted 98 points (50 goals, 48 assists) in 64 games over two seasons with the BCHL's Victoria Grizzlies from 2020-22. During his final season in Victoria, Wood was named the BCHL Rookie of the Year, recipient of the Brett Hull Trophy as the league's leading scorer and was a BCHL First Team All-Star selection after recording 45 goals and 85 points.
Wood – who was born in Lethbridge, Alta., but grew up in Nanaimo, B.C. – represented Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship, where he recorded four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in five games. He also tallied 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in 11 games for Canada en route to a bronze medal finish at the 2023 U-18 World Championship.
Wood also won gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with fellow Predators prospect and 2023 first-round pick Tanner Molendyk. Molendyk, who has already signed his entry-level contract, is eligible to turn pro once his season with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers comes to an end.
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