After a slow start to his first major junior season, Calgary Flames prospect Matvei Gridin has settled into a very nice rhythm over the last few weeks.

Gridin, who the Flames selected with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, has at least one point in eight of his last nine games with the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes. He’s now up to 14 goals and 31 points in 26 games this season.

In those most recent nine contests, Gridin has racked up seven goals, 13 points, and — most impressive of all — 34 shots on goal. The 6’2″ winger has yet to record fewer than two shots in any one of his games with Shawinigan.

Gridin had the best game of his young QMJHL career on Friday against the Drummondville Voltigeurs, hoisting the entire Cataractes team onto his back to help them overcome a late 4-2 deficit and win in a shootout.

Just over a minute after Drummondville doubled their lead in the opening stages of the third period, Gridin managed to find some open space in front of the net and hammered a one-timer home to bring the Cataractes back within a goal.

Nearly seven minutes later, Gridin picked off an ill-advised pass through the middle of the ice and out-waited Voltigeurs goaltender Riley Mercer before depositing his game-high seventh shot of regulation time to tie the score at four.

Naturally, Gridin wasn’t quite done making his mark on Friday. With the game on his stick in the third round of the shootout, Gridin weaved his way into the offensive zone before unleashing a dart of a shot that bested Mercer yet again. Game, set, match.

Gridin’s third goal of Friday’s game may not have counted toward his total on the season, but it certainly helped his case to be included among the game’s three stars. In the end, he was named the first. He now leads all QMJHL rookies in goals and is second in points.

The Flames drafted Gridin after he led the entire USHL with 83 points in 60 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the 2023-24 season. Initially committed to the University of Michigan, Gridin ended up changing paths and signed his entry-level deal with the Flames in July.

After being selected first overall by the Val-d’Or Foreurs in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, Gridin ended up being traded to Shawinigan in September and made his debut just over a week later, scoring his first goal in his first game.

But it took some time for Gridin to truly find his form in the QMJHL. He managed seven points in his first nine games with the Cataractes, which would be fine production in most circumstances but seemed a little underwhelming for a high pick in his first post-draft season. The shots have always been there, but the points are only just starting to come.

Gridin would be a shoo-in to represent Russia at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship if not for the current geopolitical circumstances. He’d probably even play on their top line. There aren’t too many 2006-born Russian forwards with Gridin’s blend of size, speed, and shooting ability. He’s an extremely gifted offensive player.

With a few more games like the one he had on Friday, Gridin will be an NHLer in no time.