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Matt Moulson: Media Darling |
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It’s been a rough ride to the NHL for Mighty Matt as he is called by one of my Twitterverse friends. But within only a few weeks he’s gone from Matt “Who?" to the Islanders’ leading point scorer and best interview. Being friends with John Tavares doesn’t hurt, but he also isn’t languishing in JT’s shadow. He is making quite a name for himself in the media as they rush in to speak to him after each game or practice.
Yesterday Matt made the NHL radio big time as he was a guest on NHL Live with EJ Rhadek and Deb Placey. Okay, sadly it was a phone interview because he had work to do at Iceworks yesterday. I think he would have had a great time going into the NHL store in the city and getting the full video treatment. Tavares may be the newest face of the franchise, but Matt could certainly end up being the spokesman.
“It’s not been an easy trip for you to make it to the National Hockey League. Cut from the USHL, cut from various teams when you were a kid…” Deb Placey said to Matt on the phone. That made him chuckle. “I did see that Cornell was the one team that called you, and you didn’t even realize that they were an Ivy League school. You didn’t know too much about them.”
You could tell by Matt’s voice that he was smiling and thinking about how to answer without sounding like a dolt. His answer was deliberate. “Yes. It’s been a very interesting road that’s led me to Long Island. I still remember when I was playing in the infamous GTHL when I was younger. I think I was cut from every single team. I went to every single try out. I ended up playing double A. I was real fortunate when I was 16 I played for a coach…” There was a long pause as it seemed Matt tried to remember the name. Hey, he just turned 26, it happens.
He continued as he thought, “….who was great to me.” The light bulb went off. “His name was Jim McGuire. That kind of was a turning point in my career, when I played double A that year. I got back to having fun. When I was having trouble playing hockey, I played Lacrosse as well. So I always had Lacrosse to kind of fall back on. I ended up going from playing double A to Junior B. Then ended up, like you said, I went to the USHL tryouts; I went to the BCHL tryouts and didn’t make any of those teams. So I went back and played my second year of Junior B and ended up going to Cornell. I think they were the only team that offered me a spot. They called me up one day and said they’d like to offer me a spot and I told them I’d talk it over with my Dad. So I called my Dad right away and said Cornell called and offered me a spot.”
Matt is a good son, but his father was surprised he didn’t jump at the opportunity immediately. When Matt called Cornell back to accept the offer, they realized they hadn’t finalized research into his marks or his financial aid situation. “I said, ‘ah, that’s alright. I’m still coming.’ And I forced my way in there. It was a great four years.”
Yes, Moulson, unlike some other NHL newbies, already has his four year degree, and from CORNELL no less. As EJ said, that’s pretty special. So is the fact that he outlasted all those that made the teams he was cut from.
“It was definitely a long road. I remember all the great players I grew up playing with. They went first and second round in the OHL draft. I was kind of a late bloomer.”
The good thing about “late bloomers” is they usually grow a little stronger. “I kept my nose down and kept working. I still remember my Dad driving me to Vaughn to go to hockey school every Friday and Saturday night. It was just a long, long process. I know a lot of fathers and mothers think their kids have to be the best in the nation when they are nine or ten years old, but it’s a long road and it’s different for everyone.”
Matt did play 29 NHL games with the Kings while spending most of his recent professional career in the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs. EJ asked him “What was it like playing your first NHL game with the Kings? What do you remember from that night?”
“I think I remember everything leading up to that game. The day before I was getting ready to leave the rink in Manchester and my coach called me in his office and I thought he was going to yell at me. But he said ‘Matt! You’re going up.’ At first I thought he was joking. But he said ‘No. You’re playing tomorrow.’ It was in San Jose and it was actually my birthday as well. I ended up flying to San Jose. I got into the room probably at 11 o’clock at night and we played San Jose the next night. My first shift, we started against Joe Thorton’s line and we were in our zone for a minute and a half. I thought this is going to be a long game if this is what every shift is like. I ended up getting a couple of shots and ended up scoring in the second period. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled so wide in my life.”
A goal in his first NHL game was the perfect birthday present for the future surprise star of the NY Islanders.
The inevitable questions about playing with John Tavares popped up. I’ve noticed that Matt likes to tell you that he’s answered these questions before. He’s done that to me twice already. I think he’s challenging me to ask something no one else has yet. But Deb asked if he knew why he has such good chemistry with JT and Matt answered.
“A lot of people asked us those questions, and I think we’re always learning every game. I think we both consider ourselves students of the game. I think Johnny especially. I remember when he was probably ten or eleven years old, he was in the back of his van watching his Uncle play Lacrosse and trying to learn things from him. We’re always trying to learn and talking about plays and talking about games so we can recognize them in the next game or shift. I think we’re on the same page. We’re thinking out there. Johnny told me today that I need to get him the puck a little more.” Deb chuckled which made Matt do the same as he was giving up info on the NHL’s most watched 2009 draft pick.
“But other than that, I think we fit pretty well. It’s worked out so far. We’re able to read off each other. Hopefully that continues.”
I can’t imagine that it won’t. As both Tavares and Moulson are tied for points, I can foresee this being a season of friendly competition for the two room mates living in Doug Weight’s guest house. Matt likes the arrangement and even admits that while he’s already 26, he let’s Mrs. Weight act as a surrogate mother. Like most young men, he’ll never turn down a home cooked meal or clean laundry.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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