Prospect Scouting Report: Matteo Stefano (RW)

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Player Name: Matteo Stefano
Position: RW
Height: 5' 5"
Weight: 180 lb.
Age: 22
Current Team: Mississauga Hounds
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario

 

Pros

Speed: Stefano uses his speed to his advantage. He can open up the ice to get better vision of the openings and his teammates around him. He continues to improve on his speed and looks to be one of the fastest forwards in the league.
Passing: Stefano is a playmaker a heart. He understands the importance of moving the puck efficiently down the ice to create scoring opportunities. He sees passing as a way to control the pace of play and keep the puck on the stick of his teammates to ensure offensive production.
Defensive-minded: Stefano is a defense-first winger. If he is keeping the puck out of his net, he is making a difference. Plus/minus is the stat that Stefano feels is most important. Combining his defensive mentality with his passing ability allows Stefano and his team to limit the time spent in their own zone.
Work Ethic: Since coming into the VHLM, Stefano has seen great improvement. He joined just under halfway through the S93 season and has become the most improved player in April. If he can keep this up, he has a good chance of reaching the first round of the S94 VHLM Dispersal Draft.

 

Cons

Size: Stefano stands at only 5'5", making him one of the shortest prospects in VHL history. Though his positivity and work ethic make him seem like a larger-than-life player, he is still physically small. He is at a disadvantage in may physical battles.
Strength: In conjunction with his size, Stefano's strength can also be of concern. He has stated in the past that he is focusing on his strength to allow himself more opportunities. Prospects are still not seeing this progress as much as they would like and will continue to make note of how this changes in the future.
Scoring Ability: Stefano may be too focused on passing and "being selfless". His scoring ability has taken a hit because of this. He has great vision of the ice, but when given opportunities to shoot, he seem reluctant. I would like to see more shots come from Stefano to boost his confidence and make him more of a complete player.

 

Final Thoughts
Matteo Stefano still has some work to do, but he looks to understand what it takes to be a top VHL player. He sets reasonable goals and is doing well to attain those. It is important to continue assessing Stefano as the Hounds enter the playoffs and make their run for the Founder's Cup.