Southey product and Broncos forward, Matthew Van Blaricom, is one of 15 Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) players on the National Hockey League Central Scouting (NHLCS)'s ‘Players to Watch’ list ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft. Only a week following this photo from the 2022-2023 season, the the 16-year-old committed to the NCAA Div. I Michigan Tech. (Submitted photo/Becky Zimmer)

By Becky Zimmer

NHL Potential

Broncos forward lone SJHL player on NHL watch list

Oct 26, 2023 | 6:00 AM

Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) fans will see a familiar name on the National Hockey League Central Scouting (NHLCS) preliminary ‘Players to Watch’ list.

Matthew Van Blaricom of the Humboldt Broncos has been given a ‘W’ rating as a possible sixth or seventh-round pick in the upcoming 2024 NHL draft.

While he can’t help being excited by the news, the 17-year-old Southey product said he’s going to continue playing the game his way, no matter who is watching or where he’s headed.

“I just got to stick to my game, just play basic, just play my way…just focus on every shift at a time and just keep my game simple and just play my game.”

From behind the bench and in the dressing room, Broncos assistant coach Carter Hansen has watched how Van Blaricom has improved coming into his second season. He’s got a long way to go, he said, and hopefully, Van Blaricom will just keep getting better from here.

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“He’s made jumps and leaps on his skill level and bringing his competitiveness up every single night. He just has to keep getting better, keep working hard, and he’s been rewarded so far which is being named on that list.”

Starting with the Broncos back in the 2022-2023 season, Van Blaricom earned 13 goals and 12 assists in 33 games after donning the green and gold jersey back in November. By February 2023, at the age of 16, Van Blaricom was already committing to the NCAA Div. I Michigan Tech.

With nine goals and four assists so far in his first eight games, Van Blaricom is already on the league’s top 20 skaters list along with fellow Broncos Connor Thue and captain Cage Newans.

The full list was released on Oct. 25 with 15 Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) players named; three named as potential fourth or fifth-round selections and 12 listed as potential sixth or seventh-round picks. Van Blaricom was the only pick from the SJHL.

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becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim