With the
Abbotsford Canucks rolling into round three of the
Calder Cup Playoffs, forward
Max Sasson joined
Canucks Conversation to reflect on the team’s strong form, his own growth, and what it meant to break into the NHL this season.
Quads: What’s been clicking for Abbotsford during this playoff run?
Sasson: “We’re playing our best hockey of the season at the end of the year, everything clicking together and us finding our chemistry and identity as the season went on. That’s thanks to a lot of good practices and video sessions, and as you start to win games down the stretch, you start to believe more and more. Every guy has played this playoffs, all four lines, and we have really good depth in the forward and back end, and obviously unbelievable goaltending with Arty kicking in net right now.”
Harm: What’s it been like playing in front of the Abbotsford crowd?
Sasson: “The atmosphere in Abbotsford has been a treat to play in front of. We get so excited every time we’re stepping on the ice. It’s a feeling like no other, seeing the towels waving and fans going crazy for what seems like every chance, hit, goal, and save. It’s so much fun to play in front of, and we’re looking forward to next weekend.”
Quads: You’ve upped your shot volume in the playoffs, going from 2.6 per game in the regular season; you haven’t had less than three in a game this playoffs. Is that something you focused on? Just increasing the volume?
Sasson: “As the playoffs came around, it feels like every shot, something could come out of it. We’ve been trying to put a lot of pucks on net, make it hard for the other team and goalie, getting pucks around the crease. I’ve been trying to shoot more, but the mindset of our team has been to throw pucks around the net and try to get some dirty goals along the way.”
Harm: What have you seen from
Arturs Silovs?
Sasson: “It seems like every single time there’s a big moment or game, throughout his whole career, whether it be the World Championships, last year in Vancouver, and now here, he really rises to the occasion. He gets pulled in game two and allowed one goal the rest of the series. His resiliency and mindset- he always seems confident in himself, and that gives us a lot of belief. He’s always on the ice early getting extra reps, taking breakaways after; he has that swagger to him that you really look to in a goalie, where every shot that comes at him, he feels is going to be stopped. That’s a great feeling to play in front of.”
Harm: What did you take away from your NHL stint?
Sasson: “Every little thing, especially in my situation coming up, every little play was so important and crucial. At the NHL level, it felt like your mistakes were magnified; if you turned one over or lost a puck battle, you could be spending time in the D-zone or giving up a chance against. From a mental aspect, I showed myself I can play in the NHL and am ready for that, and just consistently doing it. In the AHL, we play pretty much Fridays and Saturdays, whereas in the NHL, it’s every other day. I learned a lot about how to be a better pro and NHLer, if that makes sense. Consistently getting my recovery and mind right each and every day, taking off days to relax and gear up, I learned a lot on and off the ice.”
Quads: What’s that balance like between leagues?
Sasson: “It’s different. In the AHL, most weeks it’s Friday and Saturday you’re playing, Sunday off, then usually four or five days until you play again. You can practice a little harder and lift more. In the NHL, with the schedule and travel, you’re always going. You’ve got to make sure your touches and reps in practice are good because you don’t get many of them, and get your workouts in the weight room when you can. I used a lot of the resources in Vancouver, and it was great to work with our trainers and strength coaches, using the sauna and cold tub and all those resources to feel good because you could be in Dallas one night and flying to Winnipeg the next. Learning to do all that and adjusting from league to league.”
Quads: What has
Manny Malhotra brought as head coach in Abbotsford?
Sasson: “He’s intense and really cares about us. He also really cares about people in general, which is a cool thing to see from a coach. He’s really big on the respect aspect, and obviously, as a coach, we all respect him and know what a great career he had. We’ve really bought into his style. His video sessions are some of the best I’ve seen, where everyone is on the same page, and I think that’s why you see us very structured and balanced when we play. I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s been an unbelievable coach for myself and this team. A lot of guys that were called up played really well, and that’s a big credit to him.”
Quads: What was it like when you finally got the call to the NHL?
Sasson: “It was probably the best day of my hockey career so far, a really special moment. We were walking to Whole Foods in Henderson, and my phone died. I went back to the hotel and Ryan Johnson (Canucks assistant GM) called me and I figured it could be a good thing. I was so excited, at a loss for words. When you don’t get the call over a year and a half, you start to really question if you’re ever going to get a chance, so that was an unbelievable call. I called all my family and friends because they’re all a part of the journey and deserve to be part of that moment.”
You can watch the full segment below:
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