A couple years ago, aspiring young hockey players from Arizona would have had to dig pretty deep to find proof that guys from their state could make it at the highest level.
Then, Auston Matthews came along and changed everything.
These days, the No. 1 draft pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft serves not only as an inspiration for Arizona’s hockey community, but also as a template for how a kid from Scottsdale can work his way up to superstardom.
Matthews played youth hockey for the Arizona Bobcats – including at the midget level – and his presence looms large for the team that’s in Calgary for this week’s Mac’s AAA Midget Hockey Tournament.