Player of the Month for January
Presents Game On Magazine ’ s
Player of the Month for January
How Matt Calvert Single-Handedly Propelled the Blue Jackets ’ Winning Streak
By Carter Brooks Photo by James Carey Lauder
Over the years , Brandon has put itself on the map as a factory for high-end hockey players . From Ron Hextall to Glen Hanlon to Joel Edmundson , the Wheat City just keeps on producing outstanding players . However , the toughest of those prairie boys just might be Matt Calvert .
The 2016-17 season has already been one heck of a ride for the 27-year-old . His Columbus Blue Jackets – a team that finished the 2015-16 season in 26th place in the NHL – were not off to a good start and rumours were spreading that a shakeup could be on its way .
Unfortunately for Matt Calvert and his face , that shakeup came in the form of a Nick Holden slap-shot to the forehead .
It was a gruesome injury that required 36 stitches , but in true Brandon form , Calvert came right back out onto the ice , bandage and all , and scored the game-winning-goal for the Blue Jackets . It can be argued that it was in that moment of sacrifice that Columbus turned its season around .
Winning six of their next nine games , the Blue Jackets began a streak of 16 straight games with a win , one short of the NHL record . When asked about the shot to the forehead , all Calvert could say was that it might have knocked some sense into him .
The Brandon product recently found himself in Winnipeg as the Jets played host to the Blue Jackets . For Calvert , the experience of playing this close to home is one that never gets old .
“ It ’ s awesome coming back to Manitoba ,” he said . “ It ’ s a lot of fun . I got to see my family who live here , and I even got to have dinner with them . Manitoba is all I knew growing up . Being from Brandon , Winnipeg was my biggest rival , so it ’ s always fun doing it again – I ’ m just a bit older this time around . As a kid I dreamed of being in the NHL , so to be able to live out your childhood dream , it ’ s pretty special .”
Growing up in Brandon , Calvert had a lot of opportunities to hone his hockey skills , but for him the biggest contributor to his success was the time he got to spend outdoors .
“ I lived at the outdoor rink ,” he said . “ Every time I got home from school as a kid , I would head there for three or four hours and just play by myself , or with whomever was there . That was definitely my childhood thing , and something that I want my son to grow up doing as well .”
Although raising a son in Columbus , Ohio would provide all sorts of wonderful possibilities , growing up on an outdoor rink would probably not be one of them . n
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2016 - 17 ROSTER DEADLINE EDITION GAME ON 7