Prospect Info: Matteo Costantini C (2020 5th Rd #131) Western Michigan (NCAA)

[Zman5778]

Can the title be changed to North Dakota vice Notre Dame

................they're both ND. (whoops)

 

[joshjull]

 

[Woodhouse]

Netted his first collegiate goal tonight.

 

[Fjordy]

Netted his first collegiate goal tonight.

Good for kid

 

[Woodhouse]

Has picked up a pair of goals through four periods vs DU this weekend:

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Let him marinate at a quality program and hopefully he'll at least turn out to be a tweener which isn't bad for a late round pick

 

[The Blunder Years]

Has a good collegiate stat line for a late round 19 year old

 

[Chainshot]

Has a good collegiate stat line for a late round 19 year old

He's certainly put North Dakota games back on my watch list.

 

[Burgmania]

Matteo's got a work ethic like few I've seen in my time in hockey. If he keeps this up . . .

 

[Chainshot]

Matteo's got a work ethic like few I've seen in my time in hockey. If he keeps this up . . .

Have you had a chance to see him up with North Dakota yet? Of anyone here, you've got the most views of him prior to that, certainly.

 

[cybresabre]

Matteo's got a work ethic like few I've seen in my time in hockey. If he keeps this up . . .

Important qualifier...

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Burgmania]

Have you had a chance to see him up with North Dakota yet? Of anyone here, you've got the most views of him prior to that, certainly.

I've not had a chance to watch full games - just the highlights of his scoring. His first point was a fantastic assist - found the trailer at the top of the circle from the left wing half-wall. His first goal was pure effort - stripped the puck on the LW side of the neutral zone, had space to walk in and got his shot through.

Yes, he's ten games into his freshman season. Will there be ups & downs? In the words of Frank Sinatra, "That's Life." I know it might sound stupid & somewhat biased from having worked with him personally, but I believe in the kid. After the draft, Patrick Kaleta (now the Jr. Sabres president) said he'll "do whatever it takes to make the NHL."

 

[Chainshot]

Two primary helpers so far tonight, playing top line LW for North Dakota.

 

[Chainshot]

And now a 2ndary to put them up 4-0 on St. Cloud State.

 

[Chainshot]

He should've had another one - absolutely sets the table and Ford misses the absolutely yawning cage. What a night for Costantini.

 

[Chainshot]

Third primary and fourth assist of the night... it's 7-1.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Slow cooking in a great environment, couldn't be happier for a late pick

 

[Chainshot]

Slow cooking in a great environment, couldn't be happier for a late pick

Same.

He could've had 6 assists tonight with some of the plays he created.

 

[Jim Bob]

Same.

He could've had 6 assists tonight with some of the plays he created.

Sanderson looked like another #26 on that GTG.

 

[Chainshot]

Sanderson looked like another #26 on that GTG.

That was from the second game - Matteo didn't register any points in the second one.

 

[Dingo44]

Wheeler has Costantini as the Sabres #16 prospect in his annual ranking of NHL prospect pools (Sabres are #1)

Wheeler’s 2022 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres – The Athletic

16. Matteo Costantini, C/LW, 19 (University of North Dakota)
Costantini plays a quick-in-bursts game that flashed real skill in the OJHL in his draft year (as an August birthday, too), that I liked better than his production and role indicated in the USHL last season. He is off to a nice start to his collegiate career this season, clicking at about three-quarters of a point per game with a team-best goal differential results at five-on-five. Costantini’s work ethic keeps him in the guts of the ice so that he can hop on loose pucks and passes. His game offensively is built around soft hands, a quick-release wrist shot, good playmaking instincts, and tempo. He processes the game at a high level and while he’s likely going to be a four-year college player there’s no rush because of his age. I’m not sure he’s quite talented enough to emerge as more than a top-of-the-lineup college forward (he has already played in stretches on UND’s first line as a freshman), but I wouldn’t be surprised if he became a good enough one to get signed and then try to climb up through the AHL.

 

[Fezzy126]

Pretty nasty snipe by Matteo

 

[Chainshot]

Pretty nasty snipe by Matteo

I missed that one by a few minutes - had the Gopher dismantling of OSU on and it was 1-0 when I left off the NoDak game. He, like Huglen, has started to have that transition from being freshman to being bigger contributors. What's the old quote, after Christmas, no one is a freshman any more? Seems apt. The kid's got some game.

 

[Fjordy]

Looks promising