Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 18:31
By Andrew Vitalis
He’s had injuries before, but none like this.
He’s dealt with frustration in the past, but not this bad. Yes, Matt Hendricks finds himself in uncharted territory.
Two weeks ago, Hendricks was playing in his sixth game of the season for the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL. During the game, the Blaine, Minn., grinder took a slapshot off his foot. The pain he felt was soon followed by a medical diagnosis, then surgery. Fast-forward to the present, Hendricks reflects on the injury while driving on I-94 on his way back to Minnesota.
“I’ve had issues in the past, but this is the one I can’t play through,” mentioned Hendricks. “It happens though, it’s part of the game. It’s frustrating because at the beginning of the season, I was struggling to get on the score sheet for the first five or six games I played and then this ended up happening. I was really down at first. I had a great camp with Colorado (Avalanche); I scored a couple goals and added a couple of assists. I worked really hard in the offseason to get in the best shape of my life, but at the same time, it’s part of the game and just another obstacle to overcome.”
The former St. Cloud State Husky, known for his hard-nosed play, has been facing obstacles his entire career and rolling right over them, breaking them in the process. As a high school junior, Hendricks remembers the pressure of deciding whether to return to Blaine for his senior season or jump to the USHL and play for the Twin Cities Vulcans. The pressure was at times unbearable, especially for a 17 year-old kid. At the time, the trend in college hockey, most notably in the WCHA, was to recruit players from the junior ranks instead of plucking them right out of high school. Despite that, Hendricks chose the high school experience. It was the first of many tough decisions he’s had to make, living the life of a professional hockey player.
“You try to listen to people who have helped you along the way,” remarked Hendricks. “Everyone has their own idea about things. Back then, I had too much fun playing baseball and football and things like that. I talked to my parents and listened to them.”
So he skipped on juniors for the first time. One year later, with his high school career behind him, Hendricks passed on juniors for a second time, deciding instead to attend St. Cloud State.
“The coaches and scouts all felt I was ready to make the jump,” remembered Hendricks. And what a jump it was. At times playing against players five to six years older than he was, Hendricks cracked the Husky line-up as a freshman and never looked back. It was a crucial moment in his hockey career. There, playing for Craig Dahl, Hendricks re-defined himself as a player. It’s an identity that he credits with much of his success even today.
“You have to change your game, I did back then. When I was a pure freshman, coach Dahl put me on the fourth line. I had to adjust my style of play a little bit to stay in the line-up,” said Hendricks. “When you’re in that position, you have to do the dirty things, the gritty things. Not everyone likes to do those things, but they need to be done.”
Ironically enough, after college, Hendricks moved into the pro ranks in roughly the same situation. A rookie looking to prove himself, he reverted back to his grinder mindset. Like in St. Cloud, it worked like a charm. Playing for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, Hendricks burst onto the professional scene in 2004-05 by scoring 50 points in 54 games. Almost more importantly, at times, Hendricks registered 94 penalty minutes.
“You earn ice time by making the coach happy, building trust with the coach. It was kind of like college again. You play gritty and pretty soon you begin to get opportunities on the penalty kill or on the power play. Then all you have to do is make the most of those opportunities,” stated Hendricks.
It didn’t take long for the rewards to come. After 54 games with Florida, Hendricks was called up to the AHL, a level he’s been playing at ever since. From Rochester to Hershey to Providence, his numbers speak for themselves (53 goals, 71 assists and 213 penalty minutes since 2005). Even better than that, his individual accolades have been trumped by his team’s success. Hendricks was apart of the 2003-04 Milwaukee Admirals championship team, and last season, Hendricks’ Hershey Bears lost in the first round of the playoffs to Wilkes-Barre.
“I’m 27 now. I wished I would’ve played a game or two in the NHL by now but I haven’t,” remarked Hendricks. “For players to get there (NHL) they have to play on a good team and I’ve really been fortunate to have played on some great teams. You try to be at your best for the team you play for. There are 24 guys in the locker room. You look around and you’re all in the same boat, everyone is trying to make it to the NHL.”
In saying that, the goal right now for Hendricks, driving west on I-94 en route to his parent’s house, is simple- get healthy. Doctors gave him a ten-week timetable. Eight weeks left.
“I hope to get back on the ice in six or seven weeks. The biggest challenge is just to get back into shape,” said Hendricks. “When I came out of college, that was during the (NHL) lockout. I didn’t really get the opportunity to show what I could do right away. Now dealing with this, I just need to remember that I’m going to get an opportunity when I get back and that’s what matters. It’s that carrot at the end of the stick that keeps me going.”
If history has taught us anything, when it comes to Matt Hendricks, he’s not only going to catch the carrot, he’s going to break the stick.
