The Maturation of Matt Frattin

Matt Frattin was a fourth round draft pick, 99th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2007. He was coming off a rookie of the year performance in the Alberta Junior League, scoring 83 points for Fort Saskatchewan. Frattin progressed through his first two years at the University of North Dakota collecting 15 and 25 points. Prior to his third year with the Fighting Sioux Frattin had two run-ins with the law. In July of 2009, he and a friend were arrested for throwing various items from the roof of a house. One month later, just before the school year began, he received a DWI. UND suspended Frattin and he went home to Edmonton to face his parents and friends. He got a job pouring concrete and took advice from family members and friends. He went back to North Dakota in December without his scholarship and had to earn his way back on the hockey team. His teammates, and more importantly his coach saw a change in him and accepted him back into the fold. Frattin scored 11 goals and 19 points in the second half of the season and came back even stronger this year after the charges against him were eventually dropped. With 36 goals in 43 games, Matt Frattin topped the entire NCAA and his 60 points were good for second. He was named WCHA MVP and is now a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as top player in the nation. Frattin and the Fighting Sioux are finalists in the Frozen Four final and once their season is complete Toronto will be able to sign him to a pro contract. If not signed by Aug 15 Frattin who turned 23 in January becomes a UFA and one would think there will be multiple suitors.

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