It’d be hard for anybody to stand out in comparison to a prospect like Zayne Parekh, but Matvei Gridin has already demonstrated exactly why the Calgary Flames leapt at the chance to snag him with their other first-round pick at the 2024 NHL Draft.

Selected first overall in the QMJHL Import Draft mere weeks after the Flames snagged him at No. 28, Gridin has more than lived up to his pedigree with the Shawinigan Cataractes this season. Despite missing half of February’s games due to an injury, Gridin was still named the QMJHL’s rookie of the month after collecting 11 points in just six appearances.

After leading the entire USHL in scoring during his draft year with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, Gridin now leads all first-year QMJHL players in scoring by a wide margin and ranks eighth in the league with 1.37 points per game. On top of his 32 goals and 71 points, Gridin also has 214 shots through 52 games — a staggering total, especially for a rookie.

It’s that potent (and prolific) shot that has enabled Gridin to become one of the Flames’ top forward prospects over such a short period of time. The 6’1″, 190-pound winger has a release that would make even Matt Coronato stop and take notice. It’s smooth, quick, and powerful, enabling him to consistently beat goaltenders from all corners of the offensive zone.

Gridin signed his entry-level contract with the Flames at the team’s prospect development camp in July 2024; however, as a 2006-born player, he’ll only be able to play full-time in the NHL or QMJHL next year. He won’t be eligible to join the Calgary Wranglers on a full-time basis until the 2026-27 season.

Fortunately, the Flames have plenty of other wing prospects who are a lot closer to making their NHL debuts (or getting their next chances), meaning Gridin will have plenty of time to develop his game before the Flames come calling. Between William Stromgren, Rory Kerins, Sam Honzek, and Aydar Suniev, the Flames shouldn’t have any trouble filling out their lineup with youngsters until Gridin is ready.

That said, considering how little time Gridin has needed to adjust from the USHL to the QMJHL, he might need less time to acclimate to the pro ranks than initially expected. He’s already grown so much as a player since the start of the 2024-25 season. After recording 19 points in his first 18 games, Gridin has 52 in his last 34 contests.

Just check out Gridin’s speed, finish, and celebration on this play from Saturday and then picture how seamlessly he might fit in as the successor to Yegor Sharangovich or Joel Farabee in a few years’ time:

The Flames knocked it out of the park with their 2024 NHL Draft class. If you read this site, you undoubtedly know all about the year Zayne Parekh is having; Jacob Battaglia, Henry Mews, Trevor Hoskin, Luke Misa, and Hunter Laing have all had impressive years in their own right. Really, only Andrew Basha has come in below expectations, and that’s largely due to a major injury he sustained in December.

Conversely, Gridin has flown a little bit under the radar — especially in comparison to Parekh, who has had a record-breaking season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. Similarly, not many outlets had Gridin ranked as highly relative to the rest of the 2024 class as the Flames did. Over at TSN, Bob McKenzie had Gridin at No. 37 while Craig Button ranked him one spot higher; Daily Faceoff‘s Steven Ellis slotted him in at No. 52; the Elite Prospects crew put him all the way down at No. 91.

But here we are, nine months after the draft, and it’s looking like Gridin might’ve had a chance to surpass his league-leading USHL numbers as a QMJHL rookie had he managed to stay healthy throughout February. As it stands, he’s one of the top offensive drivers on a Shawinigan team that will enter the playoffs as one of the top seeds in the Western Conference.

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