Despite bumping up checking and strength from 40 to 75 during the offseason and early stretch of S68, Matthew Materazo still has trouble throwing the body around. Whether it's a mentality thing, or a physical thing, we don't know.
Materazo has only 18 hits and 13 blocked shots this year, both of which are projected to be well short of career highs. His first season in Malmo was his best in terms of hits and blocked shots, with a career high 64 hits and 39 blocked shots. Materazo is projected to finish with 36 hits and 26 blocked shots this year, despite having far better stats in checking, strength, and defense.
One person who will not have these troubles is his son Xander Hughes, who is projected as the next big defenseman in the VHL. The league is going through a transitional period for defensemen per say, as no defenseman at this point look to be Hall of Famers. Smitty Werbenjagermanjenson may have something to say about that though. Xander has been scouted by NHL scouts, and some say he is 'too good' for the VHL. If he decides to come to the VHL, he would be poised to enter the draft in S72.