Matt Hatch 4th Dutchman To Turn Pro

It appears winning the NCAA Frozen Four championship has it’s advantages for players hoping to turn pro after their college days. Senior Union forward Matt Hatch has become the fourth member of the Championship winning dutchmen to turn pro since their championship.

Hatch joins Shayne Gostisbehere, Mat Bodie and Daniel Carr as other Dutchmen who have moved on and are now battling for NHL futures either in the AHL or NHL.

The latest Dutchmen, Hatch has signed a free-agent contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. Which means he could be reunited with teammate Shayne Gostisbehere in the AHL next season. 

Hatch was just one of three players to appear in all 40 games for the Dutchman this season and recorded 22 points, including a career high 13 goals. Throughout Matt Hatch’s four years he played in 148 total and racked up 73 total points and was a member of the winningest senior class in school history with a four-year record of 104-37-20.

Hatch went un-drafted and comes in at 5-foot-11 and 185-pound, slightly small for an NHL forward, however a good year with the Flyers AHL squad could do wonders for his career. His chances of making the NHL might not be the greatest right now but never count a determined hockey player out.