Do you remember the show, Reading Rainbow? It featured LeVar Burton, formerly of Star Trek fame, and ran on PBS from 1983 to 2006. Here, you could delve into a world of curiosity and imagination with a book.
Personally, I'm reading Seven Habits of Highly Effective People as a means of improving myself. That way, I can become more efficient in different facets of my life.
It seems that Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford is also on his way to greatness. This time, he showcased his abilities in school. How, you ask?
By winning the CHL's Scholastic Player of the Year Award, of course. The award combines a player's excellence on the ice with his successes in school. While he isn't reviving the Reading Rainbow franchise, this is the next best thing.
"It shows that the efforts I put in paid off, and I think that it's something I'm really proud of, it's a huge honor obviously. I think there are a lot of people behind the scenes, my teachers, my school advisors and Halifax, Rimouski and my parents who taught me the importance of always putting a lot of effort into education."Mathieu Cataford
That award can sit next to his QMJHL MVP trophy that he won last season. Here, he scored 40 goals and 50 assists in 65 games with the Halifax Mooseheads. He even played four games with the Henderson Silver Knights, scoring two assists.
Mathieu Cataford continues excelling for the Vegas Golden Knights
This past season saw Cataford continue his successes from 2023-24. He scored 19 goals and 45 assists in 54 games with Rimouski Oceanic and even played in the World Junior Championship (20 years old).
Yeah, he might've scored one goal for Team Canada in five games. However, that doesn't discount the fact that he's starting to get recognized on a national level. After all, he did have a plus/minus rating of 3.
He's also got a QMJHL All-Rookie Team nomination and a QMJHL First All-Star Team nomination to his name. Add a Hlinka Gretzky Cup gold medal to the mix and you have a promising player for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Sure, a book might not seem like much to the average person. However, it's a promising sign that the Golden Knights have a player of high character. Combine that with giving the right players second chances (see Trevor Connelly) and Vegas has a brighter future than people realize.
Of course, you don't have to take my word for it.