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Islanders May Have Potential Steal in Matthew Maggio

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Nick Rizzo | Last updated 7/27/23

It’s a name that if you are a fan of the New York Islanders, you should start to take notice of. Matthew Maggio, of the Windsor Spitfires, was drafted by the Islanders in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft. He had an outstanding season for the Spitfires, leading the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in goals and points. He also won the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player Award when he finished the season with 111 points. On May 1, general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello rewarded the young forward by signing him to a three-year, entry-level contract.

“He’s got all the tools,” Marc Savard, Maggio’s coach with the Spitfires, told The New York Post. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a great training camp and has the opportunity to make the Islanders” (from ‘Matt Maggio the closest of Islanders’ 2022 draft picks to making NHL leap’, NY Post, 6/26/23). He will likely begin the season with the Islanders’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders. After his season ended with the Spitfires, he spent three games with Bridgeport and recorded two points. Although he is unlikely to see any time with the big club this season, he has the chance to showcase his talent come training camp. He is known as a goal scorer and that is something the Islanders are severely lacking on their roster.

Growing His Game

Maggio had a memorable season for the Spitfires. The Windsor native has established himself as one of the top prospects for the Islanders. During the 2021-22 season, he had another big year offensively with 85 points in only 66 games. He also contributed 17 points in 25 playoff games the same season. Not only has he established himself as an elite scorer in the OHL, but he is also working to improve his two-way game to prepare for NHL action.

“I know that in the NHL you have to be so responsible defensively and good with the puck,” he said. “and really manage the puck and be good on the wall in your own end and block shots and do all the little things that maybe you don’t notice watching the game, but they’re so good at. I think it’s kind of just little things that I’m trying to hone in my game to make me ready to play in the NHL.”

Considering the style the Islanders play, those words are music to the ears of the coaching staff. They try to develop their prospects into two-way players who can be trusted with their play away from the puck. Maggio has all of the tools to develop into a successful NHL player. He also is going to have a chip on his shoulder considering he was passed over in the entire 2021 NHL Entry Draft before the Islanders selected him in 2022. Not only is he an effective player on the ice, but he was also the captain of the Spitfires, which shows he is a high-character player with leadership abilities. He has taken a big leap this past season with his play and it will be an interesting training camp to see if he can take that next step and get closer to playing with the big club.

Player Comparables

Often, with prospects like Maggio, you try and find some future player comparables around the league. His former coach had one name in mind for the style he plays and he compared him to Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars. Savard also said he has some similarities to Islanders star Mathew Barzal because of his skating ability.

“We changed [him] from being kind of an outside player to taking pucks to the net more, creating more from those opportunities and then his statistics took off,” Savard said. “Always been a great skater. Powerful. “He skates a lot like Barzal in that sense, they’ve got a lot of similarities in their skating and the puck control.” The Islanders desperately need speed in their lineup and hopefully, Maggio can join them in the next few seasons.

Maggio definitely appreciates that his former coach compared him to Barzal. “I do try to play like him,” said Maggio. “He’s so electric and his edges are so good. He creates time and space with his skating and I think I try to do that too. Being an Islanders draft pick and watching their games this year, Barzal is always the guy I have my eye on. He’s a guy that can dictate the flow of the game.” If Maggio is anything like the player Barzal is, the Islanders have a lot to be hopeful for.

The prospect pool is very shallow for the Islanders considering Lamoriello has dealt his last four first-round picks. They really need Maggio to develop into a regular NHL player. Looking at his past season in Windsor, there is a lot to look forward to in the future. They could potentially have a goal scorer, great skater, and high-character player that develops for this organization. He will have the opportunity this season to showcase his talent for Bridgeport and may get a potential call-up depending on injuries to the big club. Going into this season, you have to believe he has been elevated to the top of the list for Islanders prospects and is deserving of that after being the OHL’s Player of the Year.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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