After much speculation, Auston Matthews, Morgan Burnett Jersey the top 2016 NHL Draft prospect, is , the Swi s league club ZSC Lions of Zurich confirmed Friday.Matthews, a center, is projected to go No. 1 overall next year. He will spend his draft-eligible season playing for the Swi s team rather than playing junior hockey for WHL Everett.MORE: | | Gue s who's coming to Zurich? ZSC Lions (@zsclions) Though the financial details of his one-year contract were not disclosed, Matthews reportedly could receive up to $500,000 playing in Europe."Not every day you get a po sibility to sign a 17-year-old," Lions GM Edgar Salis told The Canadian Pre s. "After we saw him in Zug, we didnt care about the age at the end." Chris Hubbard Jersey It's an unusual move. European players often switch to North American juniors leagues to acclimate to the game here, including smaller ice surfaces. U.S. and Canadian players usually stay home, playing in juniors or college.A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Matthews spent the past two seasons with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich., and dominated with a record-breaking 2014-15 season.Matthews, 17, mi sed the cutoff for the 2015 Draft by two days. He has been compared to No. 2 overall Joe Schobert Jersey pick Jack Eichel. He helped Team USA win the world under-18 gold medal in April with eight goals and seven a sists.Last season, Matthews had 55 goals and 117 points in 60 games to set records in both categories and crush Patrick Kanes mark of 102 points in a season.He will play for Marc Crawford, a long-time NHL coach who won the Stanley Cup in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche.At 6-2, 194 pounds, Matthews is a load and already drawing comparisons to standout players."The two players who come to mind when comparing Matthews would be Jonathan Toews and Sidney Crosby because of the components those guys bring Terrance Mitchell Jersey to the table," U.S. Development Team coach in June. "Their commitment to winning, drive to win and the skill set; those are the attributes that are common threads."Auston wants to challenge himself, and that's why he's had the thought of going overseas," Granato said.The analysis from Switzerland? "He is something special," Salis told the CP. "He has good speed, good skill the whole package. We have good players, and with his hockey IQ I think he can feed our guys and fit the team. He brings everything. That was why we jumped on him."Other top prospects for 2016's Draft include Matthew Tkachuk, an OHL London player and the son of former NHL star Keith Tkachuk. Sweden Larry Ogunjobi Jersey 's Je se Puljujarvi is being compared to Teemu Selanne.
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