Top draft prospect Auston Matthews impressing Zurich coach
Auston Matthews' decision to play his draft year overseas is paying early dividends.
The 18-year-old decided to suit up for Zurich of the Swiss league in lieu of the WHL or NCAA, and recorded three goals and two assists in his first four pro games.
Related: Top draft prospect Auston Matthews scores 1st goal in Swiss League debut
Head coach Marc Crawford, who boasts 1,151 games of NHL coaching experience and a Stanley Cup, is impressed by Matthews' play.
"He's been phenomenal. You would be hard-pressed to come to our game and not notice him," Crawford told Michael Traikos of the National Post.
As for Matthews himself, he isn't trying to reinvent the wheel with the unorthodox decision.
Spoke w/ top prospect Auston Matthews on playing in Swiss: "I didn't make the decision to be a trailblazer. Just wanted to challenge myself"
— Michael Traikos (@Michael_Traikos) October 1, 2015
Matthews remains the front-runner to be named the first overall pick at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.