When Mike Matheson went to see Ivan Demidov and his spouse on the team’s plane on Saturday evening, he wanted to be reassuring and welcome him.
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The 31 -year -old veteran is, in the company of David Savard and Brendan Gallagher, the one who plays the role of a big brother and he is perfect for doing so.
Matheson has more than 600 experienced games in the NHL, he wants to make sure that Demidov, who is only 19 years old, arrives in the right way in the circuit and that he feels comfortable quickly.
“You just have to tell him that he is here for a reason and at the same time, it’s just another hockey match. There may be more people in the tarrades and it may be faster, but there is no reason to be nervous. ”
Funny reception
It decides with Matheson’s first match on February 20, 2016, with the Florida Panthers.
“I was really nervous and I don’t know if he will really like it, but [Roberto] Luongo was part of the team and, as a Montreal guy, I was really nervous to play with him.
“He came to see me before the match and I thought he was going to tell me something special, but he said to me:” You’re going to see and tell the other guys when I get out of my net to play the puck, I do blackoutsI don’t see anything and it could happen anywhere. “
To date, Matheson still does not know if Luongo wanted to make him a joke or if he was serious. The goalkeeper from Saint-Léonard is recognized for his playful side.
“I don’t know if he just told me that to make me a joke so that I relax, but it helped me,” said Matheson, laughing.
