Over the past few seasons, the Arizona Coyotes’ scouting department and management have done well at recent drafts. Daniil But, Dmitriy Simashev, Dylan Guenther, and Maveric Lamoureux are a few names that have been added to the pipeline. The Coyotes’ prospect pool is the deepest in years, and the future looks promising.
Prospect Miko Matikka, a 6-foot-3 and 200-pound right winger, comes with a lot of tools. He is with the University of Denver Pioneers of the NCAA at the moment. He is scoreless in four games but has four penalty minutes, as the 20-year-old from Helinski, Finland has been playing in the middle six.
Related: Coyotes Draft Matikka in Second Round
The 67th pick of the 2022 NHL Draft by Arizona has proven that he has the offensive skill to be a productive player, averaging a point-per-game over his career. Last season, Matikka played for the Madison Capitols and Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and the Finnish U20 team in the 2022 Four Nations Tournament in Rovaniemi, Finland.
While with Madison, he contributed 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points and 29 penalty minutes in 28 games. Playing in Waterloo, he played in 30 games, registering 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points and 10 penalty minutes. For the Finnish U20 team, he had three assists and two penalty minutes in three games.
Matikka Needs More Attention
Matikka is not talked about enough when it comes to Arizona prospects, but he is one of the more skilled players in the system. He is a big body that plays a big game, yet is smooth in everything he does on the ice. He is an excellent passer, sees the ice well, and is two steps ahead of the play in all three zones.
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With his size, he plays a power-forward role but skates flawlessly. Matikka’s game is about grit and physical play, but he can score beautiful goals too. His best shot is his one-timer on his off-wing, and his wrist shot compares to that of Wendell Clark: deadly and heavy. Not only does he have an arsenal of shots, but every one of them is pinpoint accurate.
Matikka gets his teammates involved in the play through his offensive awareness and winning board battles, freeing up space in the offensive zone. He uses his size to his advantage, coming in handy as one of the bigger forward prospects in the pipeline.
The forward group of prospects for the Coyotes organization is filled with talented young players. However, the right-wing position could use an upgrade, and that is where Matikka comes in. He is still a few years away from the NHL but has grown into his role quite well and is making a strong case for a full-time position on the Coyotes roster sooner than later.
One issue with him grabbing an NHL spot could be the prospects in front of him. Although Matikka is filled with talent and offensive skill, Daniil But, Ilya Fedotov, and Julian Lutz are higher on the depth chart. Several things could impact his rise to the top, including trades or someone dropping off dramatically, but Matikka is showing that he could push one of these young players out of their spots.
Matikka should be mentioned in the forward group, which could make a difference shortly. He has the potential to be a force on a team that is going through a rebuild. He would fit nicely in that middle six of players on the roster and on special teams. The power play could be his biggest strength, using his size to screen the goaltender, creating space for more offensively gifted players, or winning battles down low and in front of the net.
Matikka Compares to Lawson Crouse
Matikka is a younger, more physical Lawson Crouse who has become a household name on the Coyotes. Crouse does everything well and is a success without putting up elite offensive numbers. Matikka is the same type of player and has a more impressive shot in his arsenal. Aside from a few prospects, there is a path for him to be a dominant player as he continues to develop. Development camp over the next few seasons should be fun to watch him battle among his peers in competing for a spot on the roster. He could be a top-tier prospect after this season.
Time will tell how he looks after he leaves the University of Denver. Will he be ready for the American Hockey League and the Tucson Roadrunners? Will he be impressive enough in training camp and earn a spot on the Coyotes roster? Or will the organization take their time with him and let him develop in the NCAA for another year? He may be closer than some think, but time is of the essence when it comes to prospects and a player like Matikka.
