USHL: QA with Taylor Matson

The Des Moines Buccaneers' 2007-08 had its fair share of tumult, what with a 14-40-6 record, the sale of the team, and the subsequent resignation of general manager and head coach Regg Simon Feb. 28, but one constant for the Bucs was the exemplary effort of forward Taylor Matson. A sixth round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Matson led Des Moines in scoring with a modest 13 goals and 24 assists in 55 games, but his relentless pursuit of the puck made a statement every night.

McKeen's recently had the opportunity to interview Matson prior to the end of his USHL season. The Vancouver Canucks prospect talks about his 2007-08 season, his high school hockey with Holy Angels, his commitment to the University of Minnesota, his draft selection by the Canucks, and his game in general.

McKeen's: Some of the biggest news around the Buccaneers lately has been the team being sold and Regg Simon resigning as head coach and general manager. What was your reaction when coach Simon told the team and how do you feel things have been going since then?

Matson: We came to practice one day and it was really sudden, no warning about it at all. I love the coach and he's one of the greatest coaches I've had. It was kind of random. We thought it had something to do with the owner, but none of us know really. There was no sign of it, but other than that coach Knott has been great for us. We won our first game with him. We're doing really good with him. So, he's a great coach.

McKeen's: Obviously, over the course of the season, things have not quite gone how the team would have wanted, but you personally have been doing pretty well, leading the team in scoring. How do you feel your season has been going overall?

Matson: Actually, it's been kind of a good year for me just to lead a team, because this is the first time in my life really. Yeah, I'm just trying to get points and keep playing well, keep working on my game and helping the team out. Hopefully, we'll have a good rest of the year.

McKeen's: You mentioned working on your game. What are some of the areas of your game that you have been focusing on improving this year heading into Minnesota next year?

Matson: Definitely, I've been using my speed. I use that as my power point now, and just trying to really work on that, go wide, drive guys wide and drive to the net, because I know that'll work really well at college.

McKeen's: What do you feel are some of the strengths of your game already?

Matson: I think I'm a really hard worker and I'm going to give it my all every shift. I'm just going to work the other team down and work them down.

McKeen's: I would concur with that notion. At what point in your career did you acquire that work ethic that you demonstrate on a nightly basis?

Matson: Basically, in high school everyone was telling me that, "Matson, you're crazy. You are crazy and it's unbelievable." Everyone told me that that's what makes me stand out from everyone else. So, I kept it in my head and kept going.

McKeen's: You played with the Bucs at the end of last season and in the playoffs. Tell me about coming here after your senior season with Holy Angels and what are some of the things that you learned being here.

Matson: I just came here after high school and played 10 games and five games in playoffs. It taught me a lot to play with older guys and how juniors really is. It was awesome. I learned a lot from the guys on how to play almost college hockey.

McKeen's: What were some of the biggest adjustments you have faced then and then this year in the USHL?

Matson: Oh, it's so much faster and physical, the puck movement, everything is better. It's just that faster, and college is two steps faster than this, so.

McKeen's: Last year, I was looking at your stats, and you were limited to 19 games with Holy Angels. What limited your number of games and how did your season go, in general, last year in high school?

Matson: Well, I broke my ankle, probably, 10 games into it.

McKeen's: Ah, that will do it.

Matson: Yeah, so it was kind of disappointing for my senior year, because I was really looking forward to it. I kind of stayed home for high school instead of coming here last year. But, it was a really good season last year for us. We didn't lose a game all the way until semifinals. It was a good season. I just came back for the last game of the season. It was fun to be with my buddies all year.

McKeen's: How did that injury happen exactly?

Matson: I had a little game out in Shakopee, and it's not a very good high school team, so there was a lot of grabbing and shoving. I just got into a freak accident, went into the boards, and broke my ankle. I was on crutches and everything. I was out for a while.

McKeen's: Despite that injury, last summer you were drafted by the Vancouver Canucks. How did you learn you were drafted, if you weren't there, and what was your reaction to that news?

Matson: My reaction was, "Unbelievable!" I couldn't afford to go there, so I was on the computer pushing "refresh" and waiting to see what happens. Actually, I'd never talked to them before. They called me probably two minutes after and told me "congratulations" and "welcome aboard." It's an unbelievable feeling, and it's what I've been working my whole life for.

McKeen's: During the summer, were you able to skate at any summer camps for the Canucks?

Matson: I'm going to go this summer, because we have to pay our own way if we're college students. It's a long way. It's in Vancouver, so it's a lot of money. I'm just trying to save up for it.

McKeen's: But you weren't able to make it last summer?

Matson: No, I was not able to make it last year.

McKeen's: It's hard for a lot of the newly drafted players, because there's quite the turnaround from getting drafted and they say, "Yeah, we have this summer camp in a few days."

Matson: Yeah, be in Vancouver if you can, alright.

McKeen's: How much have you been in contact with the Canucks during this season?

Matson: Yeah, we talk quite a bit. They've been to a few of my games and they say I'm playing really well and they're impressed and everything. It's great to hear that from them and just keep playing my game, because it's obviously working.

McKeen's: What were some of the parts of your game that they told you that they liked when they drafted you?

Matson: They told me one of the main things was hard work. Once again, it's all about that, and intensity, and jump and everything.

McKeen's: During 2005-06 you finished 12th in the state of Minnesota in scoring, which is pretty good. Tell me about that season and what helped you put up those numbers?

Matson: That was a great season. Me and Jay Barriball, from Minnesota, we'd been together for three years. That was his last year and we really put it together and had a really great year. It was unbelievable. I've never played with anybody that well. It was awesome. We ended up getting stumped again in the semifinals. It was kind of a bummer. We were ranked number one all year, but... (pauses), it was fun.

McKeen's: Barriball was a Sharks draft pick, and now his rights are with the St. Louis Blues organization, tell me about his game.

Matson: He's unbelievable. He actually hurt his ankle this year. I know he's down a little bit this year, but hopefully we'll get a chance to play with each other next year.

McKeen's: Also, during 2005-06 you committed to Minnesota. At what point did you start talking with coach [Don] Lucia and his staff and what was the recruiting process like and, while this is obvious on its face for a Minnesota kid, what made you choose Minnesota?

Matson: Obviously, when I was a little kid I went to the arena. Every Friday and Saturday, that's where you'd be. I just love the organization and the coaches. It just seemed right when I was there. When I visited, I took an unofficial visit, and they show you around and I went to a game and I was like, "I just want to play here." Then I committed, but I was also talking to North Dakota and Wisconsin. They just kind of keep in touch with you, they're watching your games, calling you, go to a visit, and they kind of give offers out, and you just kind of pick what you want.

McKeen's: At what point did you start talking with Minnesota?

Matson: Probably my sophomore year of high school and up to my junior year, and that's when I committed.

McKeen's: What were some of the other schools? I know you mentioned North Dakota and Wisconsin, but others?

Matson: Yeah, St. Cloud, Colorado College, all the WCHA teams, pretty much. That's where I wanted to go, somewhere in there.

McKeen's: Prior to 2005-06, you played for Team USA at the Under 18 Junior World Cup, what is now the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. What was it like to be selected to that team and playing there?

Matson: It was unbelievable. I didn't even think I was going to, I didn't even have that good of a tournament, but I guess I played well enough and made it. Actually, one of my buddies from high school came with me. It was kind of nice to go on the trip with him over there, because my parents were, obviously, a little worried about me going to Slovakia. But, it was awesome. A bunch of the guys are in the USHL and college. It's a great experience to play internationally and know what the rest of the world has to offer.

McKeen's: Who was that teammate of yours that went there with you?

Matson: Cameron Cooper, he plays with Tri-City.

McKeen's: Oh, he is a good player. I have always kind of felt he was a little underrated.

Matson: Yeah, a little underrated. He actually made it. It was kind of fun. We hung out a lot over there and we were best buddies in high school, so it was kind of fun.

McKeen's: What was your role on that Team USA?

Matson: Basically, it was the same. I was on the top line and playing with Kyle Okposo and Mike Forney, so it was pretty fun.

McKeen's: Two good players…

Matson: Yeah, not bad. Just hard work again, drive to the net, get pucks to the net, shots.

McKeen's: Who have been some of the people that have been the most important to you in your career in developing you?

Matson: Definitely, I'd say coach Simon this year. Also my coach from high school, Greg Trebil. He was a great influence on me and taught me a lot about the game. Also my dad, he's always been talking to me, not chewing me after games, but telling me what I needed to work on. Especially my dad, he's been a really big influence.

McKeen's: Did your dad have a history with hockey?

Matson: He's never played hockey. We grew up in Minnesota, so he just decided to put me on skates. We live on a lake over in Minnesota, so it was kind of the thing to do. We made a rink every year.

McKeen's: At what age did you start skating and at what age did you start playing hockey?

Matson: Probably at age three I started skating and took it from there. I'd skate with my dad. He knew a little bit how to skate, but not much. I just skated a lot on the rink everyday. Yeah, I started at three and played ever since.

McKeen's: What were all the organizations you skated for coming up?

Matson: I grew up in Mound, Minnesota, and there's Orono High School right there. So I grew up in Orono, Minnesota, youth hockey. I played my freshman year there of high school, we got second place in State. We lost 12 seniors off that team, so I decided, "Well, if I really want to get serious about hockey I should make a decision." I kind of wanted to stay in high school. I could have probably gone to Ann Arbor or here, but I decided I wanted to stay and I went to Holy Angels. I took a visit and I liked it. Then I played there and now I'm here and Minnesota next year.

McKeen's: What made you decide Holy Angels was the right place for and did you look at any other private schools?

Matson: I kind of looked at Benilde, too, Benilde-St. Margeret's. I had a bunch of buddies at Holy Angels that I knew from summer league. I toured with one of the buddies and it's a really good academic school, too, so I knew that'd help me out just besides hockey.

McKeen's: There's always a steady stream of players from Holy Angels.

Matson: Erik Johnson, Mike Carman, all those guys, and in the USHL too.

McKeen's: Lastly, who was your favorite player, or maybe players, growing up and why?

Matson: I always looked up to Mike Modano, just because he's a U.S. guy and a pretty big goal scorer for the U.S. I looked up to him and also Peter Forsberg. They're just great players and they just work so hard. I kind of like to model my game after them. Peter Forsberg is really the guy you hate to play against. I kind of like that mentality and try to play after him.