New beginning for former NHL prospect now Nipissing Laker (Video)

Matt Lahey still has a lot to prove.

The former highly regarded NHL prospect just signed on with the Nipissing Lakers Hockey team in early June where he’s expected to be a top six forward.

Head coach Mike McParland is expecting big things from the 20-year-old forward from Oshawa who just completed his overage season with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL.

“If he was that high – a top 10 in OHL draft - and went undrafted, perhaps he leads us to some success and maybe he can catch on somewhere and I’m sure that’s what his dreams are still,” said McParland.

The Oshawa, Ontario product was taken 10th overall in 2004 by the Ottawa 67’s in the annual OHL minor midget draft.

The expectations were high, and two seasons later he was on the radar screen of all sorts of NHL scouts along with his budding star teammate Logan Couture.

He was rated in the top 50 in North America by both the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and the International Scouting Service in their mid-term rankings and 76th in North America in the CSS final rankings in April of 2007.

Lahey didn’t see his name drafted that year and that’s when the injury bug hit Lahey big time.

After playing 61 games in his draft year, Lahey was only able to play 52 over the final two years of Junior Hockey as he sustained 3 knee serious knee injuries and a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder.

“This is a whole new chapter of my life and I hope the injury plagued years are behind me,” admitted Lahey.

“I’m coming in with a whole new attitude and hopefully I stay healthy. The bad things are behind me and have made me better. I believe whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger,” he said.

“I’m looking forward and not looking back.”

New Beginning

Lahey is hoping to find that new identity with the Lakers this fall. He felt playing alongside former Ottawa 67’s teammates Sean Ryan and Brodie Beard was appealing but he also likes the idea of playing for a team that he will be relying on him right away.

“We don’t want to be like a typical expansion team,” he said.

“We really want to make the playoffs in our first season - 7th or 8th spot - we’ll be happy with that.”

Lahey can speak from underdog experience. He was part of the 2004 Ottawa 67’s team that finished 6th in the Eastern Conference and made it all the way to the OHL finals along with a birth into the Memorial Cup with the host London Knights.

He hopes that experience will rub off on his new team and his new home in North Bay.

“North Bay looks like a small town that’s crazy about hockey – one of the original hockeyville’s - people seem to be very friendly so I’m really excited and hope we have a really good year and make the school proud.”

Click HERE to view a scouting video of Matt Lahey prepared by Dawstar Video Scouting Services for the International Scouting Services 2007 Draft Prospect videos.

Photo courtesy Moncton Wildcats