Marc Crawford thinks Swiss league is 'perfect training ground' for Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews is a big deal and he may be taking his game to Switzerland.
The potential No.1 selection in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft is still weighing his options about where he would like to play next season and Marc Crawford is making a pitch to have him play in the Swiss League.
The former NHL bench boss - who won the Jack Adams Award in 1995 and a Stanley Cup in 1996 - is the current head coach of the ZSC Lions and told Sean Tierney of Today's Slapshot that Matthews would grow substantially in the Swiss League:
Auston Matthews is an outstanding young hockey player and everyone involved with the ZSC Lions is so excited about seeing him play in Zurich.
There is no doubt that he can play and excel in the Swiss NLA and I believe it is the perfect training ground for young athletes. He will be coached by an NHL coach he will be challenged by playing against men in a fast skating, highly skilled league. He will learn what it is like to play the systems that will be utilized as he continues to rise up the hockey ranks.
He is a wonderful young man who wants to improve and we have an excellent record of development.
Ron Kenins developed with us and this year Jonas Siegenthaler and Denis Malgin both will get drafted because of our program.
The 17-year-old Matthews spent 2014-15 with the U.S. National Under-18 team, scoring 20 goals and adding 28 assists in 24 games.