Projection: Middle Six Upside

Tools: Pace, Creativity, Playmaking

Development Opportunities: Strength, Consistent Forechecking

Taylor is one of my favourite players in the class. He plays with tons of pace, constantly buzzing all over the ice and dictating the flow of the game, especially in transition. Shift after shift, Matthew is going, pushing defenders back on their heels, weaving in and out of checks, and creating plenty of scoring chances. There is a solid blend of creativity, handling, and a clever passing game that make him a constant threat with the puck, often finding crafty ways to get pucks to the interior. Package all of that with his motor and you have a really exciting player who has dominated the OMHA East this season.

The projection is an upside bet on a smaller player, and I think that's the right way to frame it. If he adds some strength and grows a bit more, I think there's a real chance he develops into a fun, energetic winger who can make an impact up in a lineup. The combination of pace and skill are near the top of the class, and at this stage of the draft where we start getting into the "what if" bets, Taylor is near the top of that list for me. It will be an uphill battle to prove he can hang at the OHL level, but the boom potential is real for whoever is willing to take the swing.

Taylor was Taylor in this game. Playing with tons of pace and energy, buzzing up and down the ice, and dictating the tempo. As always, he was using his quickness to gain steps on defenders, enter the offensive third with control, and dictate the flow of the game. It didn’t result in anything on the scoresheet, but I felt he was the consistent drive for the Raiders, helping them transition pucks and generate offensive zone time. His explosive skating won him a race to a puck and led to a penalty shot after being hauled down, but Taylor couldn’t bury on his premium opportunity.

Taylor was the top performer on this Ajax squad. Matthew was buzzing all game long, playing with pace all over the ice, and gaining steps on defenders with his quickness. He was zooming through the neutral zone, pushing defenders on their heels, and constantly making things happen thanks to the space he was creating with his explosivity. Within the offensive zone, I thought he showed some solid flashes as a puck manager, using delays to the wall to buy-time, allow plays to develop and move pucks to the slot for teammates in scoring position. Three of his passes from the wall to the interior sparked goals, making him the easy choice for the game’s first star.