Matej Beres

Player Overview Matej Beres is an 18-year-old Slovak defenseman developing within HC Slovan Bratislava's system, one of Slovakia's top professional clubs, giving him exposure to competitive senior-level hockey ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Current Production Over his last 10 games, Beres has recorded 0 goals and 2 assists for 2 points alongside a minus-5 rating, numbers that indicate limited offensive involvement and notable defensive-zone struggles at the senior Slovak level.

Key Attributes Based on available data, Beres is generating his production entirely through distribution rather than shooting, suggesting his primary value may lie in puck movement and read-and-react playmaking from the blue line. His willingness to log minutes against professional competition in Slovakia as an 18-year-old demonstrates a baseline compete level and physical readiness worth monitoring. However, the minus-5 differential over a 10-game sample raises questions about his defensive structure and decision-making under pressure against experienced forwards.

2026 Draft Outlook Given the limited offensive output and negative possession indicators, Beres projects as a late-round or undrafted candidate at this stage unless additional scouting reveals attributes not reflected in the boxscore. His most pressing development priority before June is improving his defensive-zone coverage and reducing the turnover or positioning errors that are likely contributing to his poor plus/minus figure.