Claimed: Matt Denning

[jvd 50]

Matt Denning

Right Wing

Height: 6'1"

Weight 199lbs

Hometown: Victoria, BC

Birthday: July 31st, 1997 

 

Matt grew up in the small Vancouver Island Community of Cobble Hill, playing every sport he could find. Athletics certainly didn't run in the family and his parents, who couldn't keep up with a dozen practices and game per week, asked him to narrow it to two. Matt stuck with soccer and hockey. While he loves the game, his soccer coaches said he had two left feet and couldn't shoot to save his life. However, he could run, check, and block shots like mad so he carved out a role for himself as a sweeper. When asked recently why he chose to pursue hockey over soccer at professional level, he cheekily responded "too much running and not enough money in North American soccer." Matt likes to credit his experience as pure defensive player on the soccer pitch for his two-way game and strong play without the puck on the ice. As a youngster, his defensive play was quite adept: In midget and Bantaam hockey his coaches would often use him as a defencemen, pairing him with Keaton Louth (who would later become a team-mate again in Las Vegas. Unlike soccer, however, Matt actually could score while on the ice, so his position as a winger was eventually solidified. 

 

When he wasn't on the field or in the rink, Denning always took the books seriously. An 'A' student throughout high-school, he was originally planning on using hockey as a method pay for an Ivy League education. Though the Denning household certainly lived comfortably, a $100 grand per year college bill was out of the question without significant sports scholarships. At 16, with his mind made up on college, Matt opted out of the WHL entry draft in order to retain his NCAA eligibility and made his way onto the BCHL's Chilliwack Chiefs. At this point in his life, Denning didn't really consider a professional hockey career an option, he knew he would be good enough for the NCAA, but the VHL seemed a little out of reach.  

 

 

 

 

Matt made an immediate impact with the Chiefs, putting up 22 goals (matching his jersey number) and being leaned on to kill penalties in his rookie season. Though he'd never admit it at the time, Matt now says it was a difficult adjustment to leave home at 16, and it might have affected his focus. Returning for his sophomore season with the Chiefs a more comfortable and bigger (now nearly at his current playing height)  Denning was ready to take the next step in the BCHL. Off to a hot start, Matt eclipsed his goal and point totals from his rookie season by January and was looking like a lock for a full scholarship, until a concussion abruptly ended his season in early February. Recovery was slow, he was suffering from head-aches, light sensitivity, and even had trouble reading. This of course took a toll on his grades too, and his dreams of Harvard seemed to be slipping away. Matt managed to get his academics back on track before the school year ended but couldn't return to his team and was passed over by his targeted schools.

 

Now a fresh high-school graduate, Matt elected to return to the chiefs to try to garner the attention of scouts who overlooked him last year. Without having to split his attention between hockey and school, Matt improved in all aspects of the game. It wasn't until this season that Matt thought being a pro hockey player for a career was a real possibility. He was relied on in all situations and led the team in scoring, propelling the Chiefs on a deep play-off run. Though they came up short in the finals, Denning's individual performance was spectacular, he was used as a top penalty killer, power-play triggerman, and a 5 on 5 play driver. Not only did this get the so desired attention of NCAA scouts and coaches, the Las Vegas Aces of the VHLM offered Denning a contract as a late-season addition to bolster their scoring depth for the play-offs.

 

(Matt signing his first pro contract with Las Vegas of the VHLM)

 

After taking a couple games to get used to the pace of VHLM hockey, Denning was a solid contributor for the Aces through their surprise run to the finals. Reunited with childhood team mate Keaton Louth, his transition to the VHLM was smooth. Though, for the second time this year, Denning's team couldn't come out on top in the finals, no one would call Las Vegas' season a disappointment. To cap off the busiest hockey year of his life, Denning also suited up for Canada in the the World Junior Championship tournament.

Unfortunately Canada had a poor showing at the tournament, when asked by VHLM reporters about what when wrong, Denning answered:

"They brought me there to score and I didn't deliver. I let my teammates and my country down."

"Was fatigue a factor? the WJC and the VHLM playoffs coincided." The reporter continued.

"That's a poor excuse, everyone at the tournament was in the same position." Denning responded.

 

Clearly peeved by his lack of production and success at the WJC, Denning took a short break leading up the the VHLM draft. His plan now is to focus on training and preparing for the next VHLM season, wherever he ends up.  

 

TRIVA:

Favourite exercise: Deadlift

Favourite cheat meal: Pizza or ice cream sandwhiches

Career if he wasn't a hockey player: Accountant or Economist

Favourite sport to watch on TV: The VHL, duh

Dream car: A tame hatchback, that you can put groceries in the back of and surf boards on the roof. Like a Ford focus or Mazda 3

What do you spend too much money on: Hair products and sushi

What TV game should would you win at: Jeopardy 

Friends don't want to play which game with me: Monopoly

What are you listening to in the gym: Could be anything, from Slayer, to Eminem, to Daft Punk

What will you do after your hockey career? Never to late to go back to school right? Every first year class has at least one 40 year old.