Seattle Thunderbirds hockey fans can expect to see a young and rising star in center Mathew Barzal this season with the Kent-based team.
Colin Campbell, T-Birds vice president and assistant general manager, didn’t hesitate to hype the 16-year-old at a meeting last week of the Public Facilties District board, which helps oversee operations of the city-owned ShoWare Center.
“He’s a special player that only comes along once in a while,” said Campbell who expects the team to build upon last year’s Western Hockey League playoff berth after missing the playoffs three straight years. “He’s rated to be the top one or two draft pick in the NHL in a couple of years. He will be an impact player the next couple of years.”
Seattle opens training camp Aug. 22 at the ShoWare Center. The T-Birds open the regular season Sept. 21 against the Portland Winterhawks at the ShoWare Center.
The T-Birds took Barzal with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 Bantam Draft.
“Mathew has true star potential and will be a very exciting player for our fans to watch develop,” T-Birds General Manager Russ Farwell said after the draft. “He has a style all his own and plays the game at a pace that is truly fun to watch. He has been a dominant player for a number of years and his package of skill and winning attitude will have a tremendous influence on our team from top to bottom.”
Barzal, of Coquitlam, British Columbia, had 103 points on 29 goals and 74 assists last year for the Vancouver NE Chiefs in the British Columbia Major Midget League. He set the league record for assists in a season. He played for the Burnaby Winter Club Bantam 1A team in 2011-12. He had 107 points on 39 goals and 68 assists in 35 games.
At last year’s training camp, Barzal, then only 15, scored more goals than any other player, Campbell said. Barzal became eligible this year to play in the WHL.
Campbell also has high hopes for the T-Birds because of the return of a strong defensive group, including Shea Theodore. Theodore was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round, 26th overall, at the 2013 NHL Draft in June.
Fans seemed to be pumped about the T-Birds as well. Campbell said the team so far had an 82 percent renewal rate on season tickets.
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