Matt Copponi was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in Round 7 and 216th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Since he was drafted so far and deep in the draft, a lot of Oiler fans most likely don’t even know this kid plays within their team’s rights. He is currently making a name for himself in the NCAA Hockey East League. Now, he is a double overager in the league but there is no denying the talent he has and why he was drafted.
What Copponi has to offer
Copponi missed his whole draft season due to COVID-19 restrictions and he was never selected. Then, he went the entire 2022 Draft without getting drafted. So, this pick was looking like just a random pick by the Oilers scouts. But, based on how Copponi has been playing, it is looking much more different now. He took a big step forward in production as a 19-year-old, and appears to have taken another step forward this year at age 20. Due to this increase in his production, Copponi is being ranked as one of the most improving young prospects in the organization’s pipeline.
In terms of the skill and play that Copponi was scouted for and for what he brings to Merrimack (his college team), this little video below will show you the sizzling skill he presents:
What I’ve seen so far from this kid is deking at a high level while going very fast, a player who finishes his checks with a very high motor, an unselfish player who is also responsible in his own zone and, to be quiet honest, a player who will help you in all facets of the game. There is no denying the kids hockey IQ because he is a very quick thinker on the ice.
From what I have gauged so far, I see a player who will make the NHL as a bottom-six centre or winger and someone who still has a high enough ceiling to gain a role in the top six as a complimentary centre/winger. I see him in the same mould as Derek Ryan, Warren Foegele, and a smaller sized Nick Paul. Here is a list of the development Copponi has shown in the NCAA when it comes to point totals:
Forwards
| Player | Position | GP | G | A | P | P/GP | PIM | NHLe | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Berglund | C/RW | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.33 | 0 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Maxim Beryozkin | LW/RW | 31 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 0.42 | 11 | EDM | Yaroslavl Lokomitiv | KHL |
| Xavier Bourgault | C | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.5 | 4 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Jake Chiasson | C/RW | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.57 | 4 | EDM | Fort Wayne Comets | ECHL |
| Matt Copponi | C | 11 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 0.85 | 21 | EDM | Merrimack College | NCAA |
| Maxim Denezhkin | C | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.25 | 2 | EDM | Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg | KHL |
| Gornyak Uchaly | VHL | |||||||||
| Jayden Grubbe | C | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.20 | 6 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| James Hamblin | C/LW | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.14 | 0 | EDM | Edmonton Oilers | NHL |
| Shane Lachance | LW | 12 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0.67 | 0 | EDM | Boston University | H-East |
| Raphael Lavoie | C/RW | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0.71 | 17 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Edmonton Oilers | NHL | |||||||||
| Jeremias Lindewall | RW/LW | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.17 | 0 | EDM | Kalmar HC | HockeyAllsvenskan |
| Tomas Mazura | C | 12 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0.83 | 4 | EDM | St. Lawrence University | NCAA |
| Joel Maatta | C | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.22 | 8 | EDM | University of Vermont | NCAA |
| Matvei Petrov | RW/LW | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.10 | 2 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Carter Savoie | LW | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.22 | 2 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Brady Stonehouse | RW | 19 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 1.27 | 12 | EDM | Ottawa 67’s | OHL |
| Tyler Tullio | C/RW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
Defenders
| Player | GP | G | A | P | P/GP | PIM | NHLe | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beau Akey | 14 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 0.64 | 30 | EDM | Barrie Colts | OHL |
| Philip Broberg | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Edmonton Oilers | NHL | ||||||||
| Cam Dineen | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.30 | 8 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Benjamin Gleason | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.56 | 7 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Noel Hoefenmayer | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.50 | 25 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Philip Kemp | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.10 | 7 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Luca Munzenberger | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 | EDM | University of Vermont | NCAA |
| Markus Niemelainen | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Maximus Wanner | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.20 | 4 | EDM | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Nikita Yevseyev | 19 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.16 | 7 | EDM | Bars Kazan | VHL |
Goalies
| Player | GP | GAA | SV% | Record | SO | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel Day | 17 | 3.93 | 0.867 | 7-8-1 | 0 | Flint Firebirds | OHL |
| Samuel Jonsson | 3 | 3.75 | 0.884 | 0-3-0 | 0 | BIK Karlskoga | HockeyAllsvenskan |
| Strmsbro IF | HockeyEttan | ||||||
| Olivier Rodrigue | 3 | 2.00 | 0.942 | 2-1-0 | 0 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
| Ryan Fanti | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL |
