Sapovaliv learned from Jagr, excelled in OHL ahead of 2022 NHL Draft

The 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held at Bell Centre in Montreal on July 7-8. NHL.com is counting down to the draft with profiles and other features. Today, a look at center Matyas Sapovaliv with Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

Matyas Sapovaliv just wanted to play hockey, and that's why he chose Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League over
Jaromir Jagr
.
The decision turned out to be right one for the forward, who had 52 points (18 goals, 34 assists) in 68 games this season and is No. 23 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters for the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
Last season Sapovaliv played for Kladno in the Czech Republic second division, where one of his teammates was Jagr, the future Hockey Hall of Famer.
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"He's a special guy," Sapovaliv said of Jagr. "He's like the big boss. Sometimes he's a bit scary on the ice. If he yelled to me or something, it's a bit scary, but he tried to help me and I think he taught me so many things."
Sapovaliv said Jagr's work ethic made the biggest impression.
"He's such a hard worker," he said. "He's 50 years old and he's still hard working like 18-, 20-year-old players. He knows practices are an important part of hockey and he knows it's good for him."
However, Sapovaliv received minimal ice time in his 12 games with Kladno, and with his NHL draft season approaching felt a change was needed.
Saginaw general manager Dave Drinkill learned Sapovaliv was interested in coming to North America, and after watching video and meeting with him on video chats, felt the forward would be a good fit.
"We knew we didn't have a team that was going to make a championship run this season so there was going to be a lot of opportunity for ice time on all sides of the puck," he said. "No. 1 center job was up for grabs if he could take it, which he did.

"He did his homework and thought it was a great spot to play junior hockey and I know he didn't regret it."
Saginaw selected Sapovaliv with the No. 15 pick in the 2021 Canadian Hockey League import draft. He finished fourth in scoring among OHL rookies and scouts were impressed by his 200-foot game and high hockey IQ.
"He's got good habits, he comes back all the way deep, helps his [defensemen]," Central Scouting's Joey Tenute said. "And when he gets the puck, he transports the puck well up-ice, distributes the puck well to both sides, on his forehand or his backhand. Puts his wingers in good situations. He's got very soft hands. For a big guy (6-foot-3, 182 pounds) like that he's got soft hands, makes really smart plays with the puck. Can feather passes, good playmaking ability. When he gets the puck in the house there, I've seen him rip it. He's got a really good shot, goal scoring ability as well.
"For a guy like that, the size, skill, hockey IQ, and just the fact that ... a lot of Europeans you don't know what you're going to get with them coming over because it is a big jump, it is a big adjustment. Some highs and lows, but he's a guy that was very consistent this year."
A visa issue delayed Sapovaliv's arrival in Saginaw and he missed most of training camp, but he didn't need long to grasp the puck-possession style run by coach Chris Lazary.
"The way our coaching staff lays it out, it's like a step process," Drinkill said. "This week we're going to learn this step, adjust this way, and you build up until the regular season starts. He missed all those steps. Was Chris sending him video and communicating through text? Yes, all of that was happening. But you're not physically there to go through it.

"It's a lot to learn in a short amount of time, but he picked up on it quick and that's why he's going to be an elite player."
Also helping Sapovaliv adjust was teammate Pavel Mintyukov. Sapovaliv and Mintyukov share an agent, and Mintyukov, a defenseman who is No. 6 in the final ranking, spent last season in Saginaw.
"I talked with him more and more and he helped me with English and with everything, how it worked in Saginaw, how practices are, how to get to the rink, everything," Sapovaliv said.
Drinkill said Sapovaliv's quick-burst skating and ability to play in traffic on smaller ice improved as the season went on, and he'd still like to see Sapovaliv have more of a shoot-first mentality. But the two-way skill set reminds him of Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar.
"Is he going to put up 140 points in the NHL? Maybe not," Drinkill said. "But he's going to be a point a game player who can be a real dependable player late in games, use him in all situations. He's 6-3 right now, he's going to fill out, he'll probably end up being 6-4, 210, 215 pounds] when he plays pro. … He's got the frame that he can put on more weight. I think he's that type of player and that's who I envision when I see him play."
*Photos: Eric Young, Saginaw Spirit*
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