UAA Seawolves 09-10 recruit Matt Bailey (6'1" 185lbs) has 9 goals and 14 assists in 54 games (4 games remaining) for the Tri-City Storm in the USHL.The Storm are in last place overall in the 12 team league with 23 points on 11 wins.
Matt is still 17 years old (turns 18 on April 5th). Originally, he committed for the 10-11 season but has shown enough in his 2nd year of Junior A for the Seawolves staff to bring him in a year early.
As a true freshman Matt will perhaps have the biggest challenge in adapting to the WCHA game. I've greatly anticipated Matt's arrival since Heisenberg first announced it.
I'd classify Matt as an overlooked gem. He was selected to the Canada West U-17 squad and his numbers at Neepawa as a rookie were pretty nice. His coach at Tri-City said,
"Matt is a strong power forward that skates very well and is good along the walls"When UAA announced his LOI signing Coach Shyiak said,
“Matt is a typical forward we like to recruit here at UAA. He has good size, can skate, and really hounds the puck. He is one of the younger players in the USHL and has demonstrated good offensive abilities. We think he has very good top-end potential and will develop into a solid two-way player for us.”Playing as a 17 year old in a league loaded with 20 year olds and getting good comments like that encourage me to belive that Matt could adapt fairly quickly to the WCHA.
11 comments:
Bailey is and has always been a 2010-11 recruit. He is a good player but will benefit from one more year in Jr.
Bailey has had a really good year this year for the Storm--- tough team to play on but he has shown a lot of good things... he should have a solid impact on the team next year.
UAA announced Bailey is an 09-10 recruit in a release on 11/19/08 titled "Shyiak add three skaters to 09-10 roster" ...
Kevin Clark came in when he was only 18, he improved every year. Matt is from Manitoba, where Kids start playing hockey at four years old. He will be fine, great opportunity for him.
All the best matt.
Fan
Colin Wilson, toews, gregoire, let's go after as many top end players form Manitoba we can get.
Tell clarkie to put matt bailey on his summer team, with wilson and gregoire.
Fan
Yeah he was included on that press release but he is a 2010-11 recruit. Just check Heisenberg's List, he is listed as a 2010 recruit. Heisenberg's list is pretty reliable.
Chris Heisenberg tracks about 400 players ... Dave Shyiak just has to track 5 or 6.
If the school says a kid is coming in 09-10 in a press release then I have to give them the nod.
Ok well Heisenberg is usually dead on. Just don't be too surprised or hard on the coaching staff when Bailey plays another year of Jr like the original plan.
Anon:
If you have some information then rather than arguing with me here (where I've presented the basis for my stance) then perhaps you'd email me and share.
Otherwise, as I've said ... I'm going with the press release.
There are a few other Seawolf players who have done fine coming in to college hockey at 18 years old.
How about that picture is not even matt bailey
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