Barrie Colts 2019 Draft Prospect: Mathew Hill #OHL #NHLDraft

Mathew Hill is currently unranked by NHL Central Scouting heading into the 2019 NHL Draft.

Hill was drafted by the Barrie Colts 61st overall at the 2017 OHL Priority Selection. He joined the Colts in the 2017-18 season where he would total 1 goal and 3 assists through 30 games. He didn't overwhelm Dale Hawerchuk and the coaching staff with skill, but they liked having his size and physicality. They saw the potential he had.

Coming into the 2018-19 campaign it was evident that Barrie was going to utilize Hill more. He came to camp and was noticeably bigger. The OHL still has him listed at 6'3", but I am confident that is not correct. At the combine, I'd be surprised if he isn't measured closer to 6'5.5". I spoke with Hill early in the season and he said he had worked hard on his skating. He admitted at times he struggled to keep up with guys. It was clear that that was no longer an issue for him as he was noticeably quicker, having worked on skating in the offseason.

(Jeff Bothwright/ Cheap Seats Productions)

The 2018-19 season saw the team depend more on Hill, having him play in 65 games. Hill was able to post a couple of goals and 11 assists in that time. He was very strong for the Colts defensively, concluding the season with a +/- of 7. Not overwhelming, however, it was the highest on the team tied with Buffalo Sabres prospect Matej Pekar. Hill really stood out defensively and was a physical threat. He was aggressive but was able to play disciplined and stay out of the penalty box which was a struggle for the team overall.

With the progress he made last summer, I expect him to be bigger and better coming to this year's camp. He'd hoped to improve on his offence last year, and though he didn't generate a bunch of points he showed significant growth. Very reliable in his zone and has the ability to slow the game down and make good choices to clear the zone. Hill was very tough to play against below the dots and punished opponents trying to work the puck deep in the zone. He also has decent hands and did an excellent job of stealing the puck from opponents.

(Jeff Bothwright/Cheap Seats Productions)

One area I'd like to see him work on would be just trying to generate more shots from the point. He has a decent shot and doing so would easily improve his point production. His 40 shots this season was one of the lowest totals on the Colts last season.

If Hill can improve his offensive game, he could become a top defenceman in the OHL level. With his size and potential, I expect to see him get selected at the NHL Draft by a team that did their homework, despite going unnoticed by Central Scouting. As he continues to develop, I believe he has all the tools to become a solid NHL player.