A Familiar Face Returns: A Chat With Jon Matsumoto

  

  Jon Matsumoto has played over 500 games as a professional hockey player. Even though only 45 of those have been played in a Rampage uniform, Matsumoto still holds a special place in the collective hearts of the Rampage faithful. He arrived at a desperate time in 2012 and played a vital part in leading the Rampage to their first ever playoff series win, a five game slugfest versus the Chicago Wolves.

  In January of 2012, the Rampage were playing .500 hockey and struggling offensively. Seeing a need to inject some speed and skill into the lineup, Mike Santos swung the deal that would be the turning point of that season. Acquired from Charlotte for underachieving Evgenii Dadonov and AJ Jenks, Matsumoto instantly became the most skilled forward on the offensively challenged Rampage squad.

  In 35 regular season games, Matsumoto scored 10 goals and added 16 assists. More importantly, he made the power play a legitimate threat. In the playoffs, Matsumoto was even more effective scoring 13 points (4-9) in 10 games, including the biggest assist in Rampage history, setting up Roman Derlyuk for the 2OT winner in game 5 of the first round.


   After a lackluster 2012-13 season, splitting time between Worcester and Chicago, Matsumoto returns to the Silver & Black for another go. Sharpied into the top 6, Matsumoto will be a fantastic addition to the Rampage, both for his ability to score and to mentor the youngsters coming through the system.

I caught up with Jon before he left for Panthers training camp.


On re-signing with the Panthers:

"Well, it was kind of a tough year for me and Florida was one of the teams that offered. I had some experience with San Antonio. I really enjoyed playing here, I really enjoyed the city, and its really nice to live here. There's so many pluses for this city and this organization, it was really a no-brainer to come back"

On playing in a "non-traditional" hockey city:

"Your not really playing in front of sold out crowds, regardless of where your playing, unless your in Hershey or....well really only Hershey actually. There's not really hockey all around the city, but its fun though...I mean you can't beat the weather here. The market's good though. San Antonio's usually in the top five every year attendance wise (ed note: top 7), so I'm not really sure you could call San Antonio a 'non-traditional' market. Maybe NHL wise, but with the fan support here, you wouldn't think its a non-traditional market."

On Peter Horacheck:

"I know very little about him. I know he was in Nashville and I assume that Milwaukee probably played a similar style. They were really up-tempo when we played them. They finished their checks and were physical. They were always a tough team to compete against and I'm guessing that's probably what he's going to bring to the table here."

On the possibility of moving to the wing (due to organizational depth):

"I really haven't talked to anyone in the organization about what my role is going to be yet. I ended up playing a little bit of wing last year and I was actually really comfortable playing wing so if I have to play wing, I'm not going to mind it at all. Anywhere I need to go, anywhere I need to play, I'll play there."

On his personal goals for the upcoming season:

" I guess it depends on where I end up. If its San Antonio, we'd like to make the playoffs again. Obviously, they haven't had a lot of success reaching the playoffs over the course of the team's history, but judging by what we have on paper, I think we have a really strong team I think we'll be competing for the division title this year."

On which Florida "kid" he's most excited to play with:

"I don't know if he's still considered a prospect or a Florida player now, but I'm still pretty high on Markstrom. Playing with him a couple years ago it was really exciting to see the things he can do."

On how he prepared for this season:

" I felt that going into last year, I was a little bit too strong, too bulky. This year I kind of re-focused on speed and quickness so every workout this year had some kind of aspect to speed, quickness, and agility. I think I'm a little bit less strong this year but more quick. There's trade-off's everywhere and that's one of them, if you're going to get really strong, you're going to lose some speed. I'm really looking forward to the start of the season because I think this year I'm a little more prepared than last year."

On "The Goal":

"If I remember correctly, we were leading 2-1 and they scored a goal with two minutes left , I think it went off of Haydar (ed note: yes it did and of course it did). I can't remember exactly, but we got there on a Sunday, had games on Tuesday/Wednesday and we were all pretty tired. The first OT went by and Markstrom made a couple of great saves, I don't think we were playing too well. In between the first and second overtimes, I was cramping really bad, and I ended up drinking a Pepsi or two just to try to get some energy back. I think it was my first or second shift that we scored and I was just trying to get off the ice because my legs were cramping up so bad I think I was using one of my sticks as a crutch. It was a great feeling though. You can't beat 'sudden death'. I mean, that's playoff hockey."


For the record, Jon Matsumoto with severe leg cramps can get more air on hockey skates than 98% of the world's population on two good legs. Evidence (#10):

 He also has a heck of a memory. Damn you, Darren Haydar!


Training camp is less than three weeks away. Preseason game is in nine days and the opener is in 23 days. Almost there, Rampage fans. My spidey hockey senses are starting to tingle.

Thank you to Jon and thank you to the  San Antonio Rampage staff for giving me the access to the team I need to make this blog work. I'm really looking forward to another season of bringing hockey insight and snark to the Rampage fans.