Marcus Antonelli
Merrimack’s star man Matt Copponi is on Cloud 9 right now. The kid from Mansfield, Massachusetts is living out the dream of every hockey player, seeing his name on an NHL team’s selection at the NHL Draft. Copponi is now officially a member of the Edmonton Oilers organization as they selected him with their 7th-round pick at #216. This makes Copponi the 27th player in the Merrimack Hockey program to be selected in the NHL Draft.
Without a doubt, the Oilers got a steal in Copponi. He finished his sophomore year with 29 points in 37 games for Merrimack. Oil Country gets a fearless forward that is automatic when he has the puck in the slot and makes the best of every shift.
Along with that, he will forever be in Warrior folklore as the OT hero in the Hockey East semis, as he scored the game-winner against UMass Lowell that sent Merrimack to their first Hockey East Championship appearance since 2011 (second in program history).
Throughout Merrimack’s magical campaign, Copponi received an abundance of NHL attention from many teams and scouts. “A lot of teams were coming to the games throughout the year, some more than others,” says Copponi, “There was a bunch of interest for me and it was pretty prominent in my life this past year.”
For many analysts, Matt Copponi was a mid-sixth-round pick, projected at roughly around the 180-190 pick range. However, he found himself unselected as the seventh round approached. “There was some doubt leading up to the draft that I wasn’t gonna get selected,” tells Copponi, “but I stuck with it saying ‘whatever happens, happens,’ and I kept watching. It was a long day but we got it done.” Luckily for Matt, the Oilers liked what we as Merrimack fans saw all year.
When his name popped up on the screen, it was a “whole world moment” for him. “This is a moment I’ve sacrificed and worked so hard to get,” Copponi expressed, “it was something we, my family sacrificed for. I’m thankful for the Oilers to pick me, such a great organization that’s had a lot of success.”
Edmonton is a long way from home. Copponi has played and lived in Massachusetts his whole life. But the change will be more exciting than anything else. “It’ll be interesting to get into town and see what the city is all about. I think being prepared to accommodate myself quickly is something that I’m striving for, just making sure I’m ready to go.”
Copponi is set to begin development camp soon at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The plane ride won’t be long, as Copponi shared that he is finishing up Designated Survivor and is just getting into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All in all, Warrior Nation is wishing him the best of luck for rookie camp!
