Spokane Chiefs forward Mathis Preston was quick to shrug off a recent NHL mock draft that saw TSN analyst Craig Button compare him to Canadian hockey legend Joe Sakic.
"It's awesome to see it, but you just got to take it with a grain of salt and keep working toward being a star in the NHL, which is my goal," said Preston, a born-and-raised Pentictonite who has been with the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Chiefs since 2023.
Before jolting into the national spotlight as a coveted future NHL prospect, the now 16-year-old spent his winters throwing on a Penticton Minor Hockey Association (PMHA) sweater at the city's Memorial Arena.
Those memories still stick with him today, as he stars for Spokane and garners attention from the aforementioned TV personality ahead of the 2026 NHL draft.
"I feel like I haven't accomplished much, as I'm still super young," Preston said. "I think it's been about maturing my game, that's been the biggest thing for me, and getting better every day."
“Lightning-fast hands, lightning-quick mind, offensive instincts off the charts," Button said of Preston to TSN in November 2024, after pegging the Penticton product at No. 2 overall in next year's NHL draft.
"He reminds me of Joe Sakic."
Preston has 14 goals and 34 points in 40 games this season with the Chiefs, who comfortably sit near the top of the Western Conference standings.
This marks Preston's second campaign in the WHL after he was selected third overall by Spokane in the 2023 draft.
As a 15-year-old last season, the 5'11", 168-pound forward posted four points in just five games.
"I'm more comfortable in the league this year and feel like I can play my game," Preston said of his year-to-year improvement.
Preston's season has also been highlighted by success on the international stage.
Scoring a tournament-high six goals, the Penticton product led Canada to a gold medal at the U17 World Challenge in Sarnia, Ont. in November 2024.
Preston first suited up for PMHA at Memorial Arena when he was seven years old. It was there, at the age of 11, when he started working with Penticton-based development coach Matt Fraser.
"When it comes to Mathis, I think about two things: passion for the game and relentless determination," Fraser said. "I worked with so many kids in athletics over the years and I don't think I know anyone that's quite as obsessed with improvement in becoming a better athlete than he is."
Fraser also worked with Preston at the Okanagan Hockey Academy and the two still spend time on the ice together during the offseason, the development coach said.
"We still pretty much talk after every single game he plays," the local trainer added. "He's very competitive. If he has a three-goal night, he's going to be thinking about the fourth opportunity he missed.
"Being a 16-year-old playing in the WHL..that's a very challenging thing to do."
The PMHA alumni's journey to the WHL was celebrated on Jan. 15, when around 20 of his closest friends and family members drove up Highway 97 to watch the Chiefs take on the Kelowna Rockets at Prospera Place.
Preston scored the game's opening goal and added an assist, en route to helping lead Spokane to a 10-0 thumping of Kelowna.
"It was amazing and definitely like a homecoming game," Preston said. "Super fun to have (friends and family) there watching me."
Preston's lifelong connection with Penticton also shone south of the border this season, following a Chiefs' home game.
Members of PMHA's U11 development team, while attending a tournament in Washington, were paid a special visit from the WHL star in December 2024 at the Chiefs' home arena.
Preston greeted the minor hockey team and signed the kids' autographs.
"It was awesome to see the kids as they chase their dreams," the Chiefs forward recalled. "They're kids who love the game, just like I was (with PMHA)."
