(East Meadow, NY) -- New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio is no longer the new kid on the block.
By Stefen Rosner, The Hockey News
In this exclusive interview, New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio spoke about his first season in the AHL, what he learned, and how Mathew Barzal has taken him under his wing.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, the former Windsor Spitfires captain and 21-year-old has taken more of a leadership role at his third rookie camp.
"I think coming back a third year now, you're kind of one of the guys that knows the systems, knows what they want from everyone in camp. You're comfortable," Maggio told The Hockey News on Thursday. "Obviously, you're not too comfortable. You're still a rookie, and stuff like that. But I think just understanding the guys and the staff kind of lets you take a nerve off and just know what they want and expect.
"They just want your effort. They want 100% of your effort. They want to look for the guys that are rushing back to the bench and being vocal, finishing out the drills, and stuff like that. So I think knowing all that going in, you can just play your game and focus on what you want to focus on."
Last rookie camp, Maggio came to Long Island fresh off his best season, winning OHL MVP after scoring 54 goals with 57 assists for 111 points in 66 games.
You could see it on the ice and hear the desire in his voice about how much he wanted to find a way to crack the NHL roster or at least put his name in the back of management's mind as a future call-up option.
Unfortunately for Maggio, he never heard his name called during his first professional season, one that was a tale of two halves for the youngster who was just trying to find his way.
"It kind of felt like a tale of two seasons," Maggio said, scoring 16 goals with 11 assists for 27 points in 61 games. "My first half, I struggled. I felt it. I knew it. It wasn't even just the numbers, but I don't think my game was there, and the coaching staff was really good with me. They talked me through other young guys they've coached over the years and how it's taken them time to get used to the AHL.
"It's a tough jump going from junior to the A. Around the 30-game mark, the 35-game mark, they kept saying, you'll start to figure it out. It'll get there, and you'll start understanding the league better. And I think that happened."
Maggio only lit the lamp four times through his first 30 games, with three assists.
He did have a setback in his development due to an upper-body injury.
"I got hurt around Christmas and came back. And I think just being able to watch games from up top, I started to understand how I needed to play and how I needed to simplify my game, forecheck hard, and cause defensive turnovers, and that's how I'm going to get my opportunities," Maggio said. "The opportunities were not going to come from coasting around and waiting for the puck to get on my stick. You have to make things happen. So yeah, that second half was obviously great. I got to play with Iskhakov, which was obviously super fun there, and he's super creative, so just being able to form a little chemistry with him was amazing for me."
In the final 31 games of the season, Maggio scored 12 goals with seven assists and was arguably Bridgeport's best forward in the second half, outside of Iskhakov.
Entering the summer on a good note certainly impacted Maggio's belief in himself, as that fire to get better and better was only getting stronger.
This summer's training was a bit different than in years past, thanks to a tremendous opportunity spearheaded by Islanders forward Matthew Barzal.
Maggio, who flew across the continent to visit his girlfriend in Vancouver, hit the ice with Barzal, a few other NHL studs, and top prospects.
"When you're on the ice with guys like Bedard, Celebrini, Kerfoot, and Barzal, you're just learning how they handle stuff," Maggio said. "They're at dinner, they're ordering the right food, they're counting everything. They're just so dialed in on the weekends. They're going on bike rides, going on hikes, stuff like that. So I think just learning their habits away from the rink, and then you're skating with them, and it's full-blown competition in the middle of July."
That last line is the standout, as informal skates, while productive, don't usually mimic NHL games. But it seems as if Patrick Roy's mindset that every practice should be game-like has worn off on Barzal and, in part, anyone on the ice with him.
"So you're out there, it's a summer skate, but guys are out there trying to win, and it's like a game-like mindset," Maggio said. "And, yeah, I think just being able to learn and grow with them was super cool and helped me, for sure."
Barzal seems to have taken Maggio under his wing, and the prospect has enjoyed building a relationship with the face of the Islanders franchise.
"He's a leader here. He's a great guy, and he's so good with the young guys," Maggio said. "Being able to skate with him and just see how hard he tries in every skate in the summer and how competitive he is rubs off on you. That's a guy that you look up to."
"He's a role model for, I think, everyone in this organization, and it's not just him. I think there's a ton of guys here that everyone looks up to, so anytime you get a chance to skate with them, you're just trying to pick up on little things that they do and implement it into your game."
Entering what will be his second season under Bridgeport head coach Rick Kowalsky, with Bridgeport's leading scorer, Ruslan Iskahkov, now in the KHL, Maggio will be relied on a bit more for offense.
There's no question that Maggio has the offensive skills to be a consistent scorer in the A, and his work ethic is second to none.
Under Roy, the Islanders are likely moving away from the bottom six having to be defensive and physical on every shift.
This philosophy change should allow some younger guys to fill into the lineup and just play their game regardless of whether they are on the first or fourth line.
One thing you notice in Maggio's game is that he can adapt to any role, regardless of who he plays with or what line he plays on.
He can shoot, score, and pass, but what will earn him minutes is his understanding of how to play in all three zones and his ability to read the ice quickly and make the right play.
Cracking the Islanders' roster after camp will be a tough challenge, with the odds not in his favor due to a lack of roster spots.
However, as we saw with Kyle MacLean at last year's camp, this is a vital opportunity to impress management and rise up the call-up depth charts.
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