Former T-Wolf Matt Bourdeau goes pro

His former coach proudly described him as being just a step and a half away from the NHL, and that's the best way to describe the current state of Matt Bourdeau's hockey career.
Capping off his junior career with the Miramichi Timberwolves, Bourdeau is moving to Oklahoma to continue playing the sport with the Central Hockey League's Tulsa Oilers.
The Oilers put Bourdeau just a stepping stone away from the American Hockey League's Oklahoma City Barons, the new AHL team for the 2010-11 season and affiliate team for the Edmonton Oilers.
Bourdeau, of Northampton, Mass. signed a contract with the team about three weeks ago for the upcoming season.
"I think it's very good. I'll be one of the younger guys in the league and it's professional hockey, so I feel it's a really great opportunity for myself and there's been a lot of people along the way who have helped me out," he said. "Obviously it's going to be a jump, there's no question about it."
Bourdeau's season with the T-Wolves gave him four goals and 20 points in 33 regular season games, and hit the back of the net twice during the team's seven- game series against the Summerside Western Capitals.
"It was great, the coaching staff was really, really great," he said on his season in Miramichi. "I learned a lot of good things from the coaching staff. Billy (McGuigan) was great to me. The Timberwolves, they welcomed me with open arms. It was definitely a great stepping stone for me personally ... My time in Miramichi was great. The people were great, the coaching staff. It was great, I really enjoyed my year there. I hope that they continue the tradition there."
Bourdeau, a 6-1, 225-pound power forward, is known for making his presence on the ice known.
"I want the defenceman to literally be scared to go by their net. I want them to be looking over their shoulder."
Bourdeau has run on hard times in his career. While playing with the Lewiston MAINEiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as a 19-year-old, he hurt his shoulder.
But Bourdeau said the injury didn't concern him.
"I was like a third-liner in the Q, so I knew I would have had to fight for it anyway. But I feel like probably going to the Maritimes, I really got to develop my game," he said. "I've got all my strength back. I've been in the weight room all summer, I feel really, really strong."
The 21-year-old former assistant captain for the T-Wolves said he aims to bring his leadership qualities to the pro ranks.
He said his season with the T-Wolves was his first in a leadership position, and there he "learned some responsibility."
"I got a lot of hockey ahead of me and I've been training really hard this summer."
McGuigan, the T-Wolves head coach and general manager said Bourdeau wasn't a player who put up big offensive numbers but had the imperative duty of forechecking.
"He was certainly a tank for us down the second half of the season in the playoffs. He finished checks and he understood the game, and he was a big powerful player for us," he said. "Matt was an unbelievable kid, never had any off-ice problems with him. He followed every rule and was just a super young guy. I'm very excited and happy that he's getting the chance at the next level."
McGuigan said it's not going to be easy to fill Bourdeau's spot on the team, pointing to his checking abilities, and said anytime Bourdeau was on the ice in last year's playoff series, "the other team understood that if you were playing D and Matt Bourdeau dumps the puck in behind you, there's a pretty good chance you're going to get run over."
McGuigan said this step means Bourdeau has once again taken the next step in hockey and success in the CHL means a potential spot in the AHL. "From the American Hockey League there's only one more hurdle, and that's the NHL."
The signing is yet another success for players from the Timberwolves program.
Five former T-Wolves players went on to Canadian Interuniveristy Sport, including Andrew White, who won a national championship, and last year's Chris Owens and Nick Croft have made commitments to university hockey.