5th round: Eriks Mateiko, LW, Latvia
Eriks Mateiko definitely brings size to the NHL as he stands at 6-foot-4, and weighs a solid 210 pounds. He’s another guy the Colorado Avalanche can take a chance at on the left side of their lineup, whichever line they see fit.
Mateiko had 23 goals and 20 assists in 49 regular season games for the Sea Dogs just last season alone, which is pretty good, especially for a young player. His size allows him to not only be fearless in the offensive zone, but he can also play a strong defensive game.
He is very good at the little things, as some scouts have stated. The Colorado Avalanche made plenty of their own “little mistakes” last year, particularly in the defensive game. Perhaps Mateiko could be a player that helps the team quit being lazy with the puck.
Perhaps we could see Mateiko have plenty of shots in the middle, as he’s said to like to bring the puck out into that area of the ice. We need to see more opportunities on net.