MATTHEW A TIMELY ADDITION TO BLAZERS
By Marty Hastings
Find Marty on Twitter @MartheReporter or via email at [email protected]
Former Denver commit Matthew a timely addition to Blazers
Kai Matthew is an early Christmas gift for the Kamloops Blazers.
“You just don’t get this type of player very often — period,” Blazers’ head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston said. “It’s very timely.”
Matthew, an 18-year-old forward from Edmonton, de-committed from the University of Denver Pioneers and signed with the Kamloops Blazers on Nov. 27, making the decision during his 18-year-old campaign to play in the Western Hockey League.
“Opportunity to play was definitely a selling factor and just the chance to play in the WHL against the best of the best and with some of the best,” said Matthew, a left-shot forward who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 175 pounds. “I’m pretty confident I made a good decision.”
Kamloops brass — including former GM Matt Bardsley and then-director of player personnel Robbie Sandland — took a calculated risk in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, nabbing Matthew in Round 5.
Matthew was pegged by some to have Round 1 pedigree, but was an NCAA-committed player who may never play in the WHL.
“You’ve got to remember Denver came knocking before the draft, right?” Matthew said. “We just thought it was the best option for me at the time. The No. 1 thing was to have options.”
Opportunity to woo prospects went begging during the pandemic, which wiped out multiple Blazers’ camps, but the club continued pursuing Matthew.
“Kamloops has always respected my boundaries, but also has done a really good job of letting me know over the years that they’re still very interested,” Matthew said.
“Just subtle things, like happy birthdays and congrats on certain stuff. And then just kind of checking in, whether it’s at the start or end of the season, just to let me know this is still an option.”
Matthew toiled for the Northern Alberta Xtreme Hockey program in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 before joining the Alberta Junior Hockey League ranks in 2021-2022.
“That’s some really good feedback, that a happy birthday on social media or one of our scouts stopping by and watching the game and saying hello — those things all add up and count,” said Clouston, noting he likes Matthew’s quick-release shot, jump, skill and energy.
“It’s a real challenging line to walk. There is a point where it’s obvious the player has made a decision and decided to go down the other road, but you want to make sure the player understands there are still opportunities if things change.”
After one season with the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Matthew joined the Drumheller Dragons and recorded nine goals and 20 points in 43 games during his 17-year-old campaign in 2022-2023.
Clouston said Matthew’s camp made contact earlier this season to spur conversation.
Blazers’ director of player personnel Aaron Keller made a trip to Alberta and reported back to Kamloops with a positive review of player and person.
“He talked about energy and we’re big on that,” Clouston said. “We want guys that are excited to come to the rink, enjoy the grind and enjoy playing hockey. He’s a talkative guy. He’s an outgoing guy. Those things are important, as well as his on-ice [ability].”
Matthew said a phone call with Clouston was key to making the difficult call to leave Drumheller teammates, to whom he felt a great deal of loyalty.
“It was kind of a now-or-never decision,” said Matthew, who saw opportunity to snare a top-six role on a rebuilding team with a dearth of 2005-born forwards. “I want to have a chance to drive the culture over the next couple of years.”
Matthew and Blazers’ forward Shea Van Olm have a relationship that stems from a stint together with NAX, a friendship that was valuable during the recruiting process, said Clouston.
The Blazers (7-16-3-2) are last in Western Conference standings and preparing for a five-game tour of the East Division that starts on Friday, Dec. 8, in Regina.
Matthew will make the trip despite a ruptured ear drum, an injury suffered when a Victoria Royals’ point shot was deflected toward his head on Friday, Dec. 1, at Sandman Centre.
“I looked down and saw a bunch of blood coming out of my ear, so I immediately got off the ice,” said Matthew, who was back in the lineup on Sunday, Dec. 3, and registered his first WHL goal in a 6-3 loss to visiting Victoria. “I’m going to see a specialist [on Tuesday, Dec. 5]. I think they’ve just got to drain all the blood that kind of clotted up in there.”
Matthew said hearing in his right ear is far from 100 per cent, but doctors told him it should return in the next couple of weeks.
The Blazers and their recent addition will play next at home on Wednesday, Dec. 27, when the Kelowna Rockets come to town for a 7 p.m. start at Sandman Centre.
“When they looked at everything and looked at opportunity and development and scholarships, they quickly got to the decision that the timing was right,” Clouston said. “It was very timely and definitely helps heading into this tough stretch of games on the road, and then we come back for the second half and make a push for the playoffs.”
HOCKEY IN THE BLOOD
Matthew grew up in a hockey family.
His sister, 16-year-old Layla, recently committed to play for the NCAA Division One Clarkson Knights of Potsdam, New York.
“My older brother [Elijah, 21] kind of started us all off,” Matthew said. “He was the first to lace them up and we kind of just followed in his footsteps. It’s kind of ironic how he’s the one not playing now.
“It was definitely really competitive growing up, with battles in the basement and the garage. My brother still gets in there with us.”
