It’s almost certain that Sackville’s Matteo Mann will be one of the 217 young hockey players drafted into the NHL this year, but Mann himself is not counting his chickens before they’re hatched.
18-year-old Mann just finished his third season with Les Sageuenéens in Chicoutimi, part of the Quebec Major Junior League, also known as the Q, one of the big three major junior leagues in the country. And now he’s being written about as an NHL draft prospect for 2023.
CHMA spoke to Mann last week from Ottawa, where he was starting his training in preparation for the NHL Combine, the big draft event that takes place in June.
Now that his season is over, Mann’s attitude is calm and even keeled. “Where I go, or if I go, is kind of out of my hands at this point,” says Mann. “Whatever happens, I’m kind of just waiting for the next steps, really.”
Yanick Jean says it’s almost certain Mann will be drafted this year. The head coach and general manager of Les Saguenéens says Mann is the type of player sought after by the NHL in recent years.
Jean describes Mann as a “big, stay-home defenseman, who is really efficient when he gets physical… He’s a good skater for a big guy, and this is what a lot of the NHL teams are looking for,” says Mann. “NHL teams want bigger guys playing on defense. And Matteo fits that perfectly.”
Getting drafted is a big step on the long road that could lead Mann to playing in the NHL eventually. Once drafted, he will get the benefit of training and advice from an NHL operation, while playing at least one more season in the Q. He can be signed to a contract at any time, and at age 20, can start to play in the American League, a development ground for the NHL. He’s also eligible to play an additional year in the Q as a 20-year-old.
‘Good memories’ from Sackville Minor Hockey
It’s all a long way from his early years in Sackville, where he started skating on an outdoor rink in his backyard when he was around three or four years old. “I remember being out there as much as I could,” says Mann. But he also recalls that when he started playing hockey with the Sackville Minor Hockey club, “I really wasn’t the best player… I think I just watched the game go by me,” he says with a laugh. “There’s definitely good memories. I’m grateful I have those memories, and look back on them, especially at this point in time.”
Pierre Arsenault is former Athletic Director at Mount Allison, and now CEO of USports, the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Arsenault coached Mann along with his own son during their early years with Sackville Minor Hockey. “He certainly showed potential and ability at a young age,” recalls Arsenault. “And when the opportunity came to be able to make a AAA team in Moncton, he was able to do so and continue on in that system from there.”
Front row left to right: Hannah O’Neal, Ben Weir, Sophia Estabrooks, Aaron Litvak, Jack Arsenault, Miriam Hicks, Emma Lloyd. Middle row left to right: Sebastien Kelly-Ayer, Lauren Gautreau, Jesse Estabrooks, Abbey Morice, Matteo Mann, Emma Vogels, Alexa Estabrooks. Back row left to right: Asst Coach David Weir, Head Coach Matt Estabrooks, Asst Coach Mike Hicks. Missing: Asst Coaches Pierre Arsenault and Bruno Gautreau. Photo: contributed
Mann says making it to the NHL has always been a dream, but one that grew over time along with his commitment. He recalls starting to take hockey more seriously at age 10 or 11, right before he moved to a AAA league.
“I was definitely fortunate,” says Mann. “From a young age my parents supported me and kind of allowed me to have those opportunities.”
Hockey in the family
Matteo’s father Trent Mann is no stranger to the NHL. He’s worked for the Ottawa Senators since 2010, becoming the NHL team’s lead amateur scout in 2016. Last summer he was promoted to Assistant General Manager of the Ottawa Senators.
But that kind of hockey success in the family doesn’t translate to a high pressure environment. Matteo says his parents didn’t place expectations on him, and he continues that practice with himself. “I’m not gonna sit here and say, ‘I need to go to this team, I need to do this,’” says Mann. “For me, it’s always just been about putting work in, because I enjoy it and I have passion for it.”
It’s the same attitude he brings this summer, as he prepares for the NHL draft. He knows he’s worked hard, and so is ready to take whatever comes.
It’s also a philosophy he shares with younger Sackville players whenever he gets a chance.
Sackville Minor Hockey president and coach Matt Estabrooks says Mann has continually given back to his home club over the years. During his visits home Mann “always makes an effort to get out on the ice with Sackville Minor Hockey teams and share some skills,” says Estabrooks.
Mann says he’s just paying it forward, as he recalls visits from older players like Ethan Crossman and Kyle Ward, both Sackville players who went on to play in the Q.
Seeing players from your own small town move up to a higher level of hockey is, “pretty cool when you’re a kid,” recalls Mann. Now that he’s in the same position he’s happy to meet young players, and remind them to go easy on themselves. “As long as you’re putting in the effort, and you love to do it, that’s pretty much all you can really ask of yourself,” says Mann.
Sackville’s long list of hockey success
Matt Estabrooks has been involved with Sackville Minor Hockey since 1992, and CHMA asked him to recall some of the other local players who have gone on to higher levels of the game:
Ethan Crossman played in the QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) for the Moncton Wildcats, Quebec Remparts, Acadie-Bathurst Titan, Baie-Comeau Drakkar, Chicoutimi Saguenéens and the Charlottetown Islanders. Ethan won the Memorial Cup with Acadie-Bathurst and went on to be selected for a training camp with NHL team Carolina Hurricanes. He currently plays for the St. FX University program.
Kyle Ward played in the QMJHL for the Saint John Sea Dogs and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
Liam Conrad played in the BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League) for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs and then in the QMJHL for the St John Sea Dogs. Also played for the Amherst Junior A Ramblers in the MJAHL.
Will Lafford played in the MJAHL (Maritimes Junior Hockey League) for the Dieppe Commandos and for the Amherst Ramblers.
Colby Ward played in the QMJHL for the Moncton Wildcats.
Conrad Allen won the Telus Cup with the U18 AAA Moncton Flyers and now is playing in the MJAHL for the Amherst Junior A Ramblers.
Coen Strang played in the QMJHL for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and now is playing in the MJAHL for the Amherst Junior A Ramblers.
Jamie Arsenault is currently playing her second year for Stanstead College Varsity in Quebec. She was selected to compete in the Canada Winter Games representing Team NB.
Rebecca Fahey played for the Canadian National Women’s hockey team.
Former director of Mount Allison athletics and Sackville Minor Hockey president Jack Drover also recalled a number of Sackville players who went on to play for the Mounties:
Chris Gilmour
Steven Bowes
Brad DeVarrennes
Eric Sloan
Malcolm Cole
Peter Hazlehurst
John Moore
John Lafford
Drover coached the men’s hockey Mounties from 1974 to 1989, and the women’s Mounties from their start-up in 1991 to his retirement in 2009.
Notice someone missing? Please get in touch with news@chmafm.com with any names you think might be missing from this list.