Few Finnish players have won the NHL hockey championship with such a low profile Olli Määttä – in no way belittling the defender from Jyväskylä.
Best of all, the JYP-raised bagged the Stanley Cup twice in Pittsburgh between 2015 and 2017.
When Määtta was asked to pick up the trophy after the first championship was decided for a while for TV illustrations, he flatly refused.
– I don’t start getting it from others. Yes, there will be time then, Määtta pointed out firmly.
He has not failed in other matters that are required of an NHL professional. You rarely see Määtta in goalkeeping, but the background work ethic has been at a top level for ten years.
The player has suffered many injuries and even serious illnesses, but no stone has been left unturned for a better tomorrow.
Brutal basic work and cold, cool basic playing rarely make headlines.
The modest Määtt, who is profiled as some kind of basic defender prototype, has built a really tough class career in confusing silence.
He is only 28 years old, but he already has 671 NHL games on his account. If Määttä stays healthy, the 700 game mark will be three games away when the regular season ends.
Only five Finnish defensemen have played more than Määtti in the NHL: Prank Numminen, Kimmo Timonen, Jyrki Lumme, Sami Salo and Toni Lydman.
Määtä’s career may not be over, but the number of matches in relation to his age might surprise you. It suits the player perfectly.
– I’m not a flamboyant person by any means, pretty vanilla for sure. Maybe I’ve tried to develop the side a little, so that there would be more desire to solve and be a star. At the same time, you have to understand your own role in the team. What is it there for and what does it do best, Määttä says.
Määtä’s playing has never been based on opportunistic hankering, but on a solid, cold basic game that drives the team’s advantage. He can be angular as a skater, but he makes up for it by placing excellently and fighting hard.
Määttä rose through the Ontario Junior League to become a first-round reserve in the NHL. The image of myself as a player is unusually bright for him, and that’s why his actions are clear.
– When you look at the best defenders in the league, they do a lot of small things really well. Those that the general public might not notice to watch, Määttä opens.
– I’ve tried a lot to look at small things from the top to the departures of my own head, line play and many other things. When you work hard, it also rewards you.
It’s no coincidence that Määtä’s NHL career power statistic is two hundred plus goals. And the player doesn’t believe it’s a coincidence.
– Through hard work and learning, you also get bounces that may seem lucky, but in fact it can come from a good placement, Määttä says.
Through a difficult time to a new rise
Määtänki’s NHL career has not been all about victory dances. The start was marred by frequent injuries, and especially in Los Angeles, the start was difficult.
Määtta was looking for himself, his movement and playing in general. The defending champion didn’t avoid standing orders either.
After many stages, Määttä got a one-year contract worth 2.25 million dollars from Detroit for the season that started. The player had come a long way from the long, more than $24 million Pittsburgh contract of the winter of 2016 – and at that time the salaries were lower than now.
Now Määtä’s career is on a new high. A very experienced gambler is the Czech star Filip Hron too next to well. In February, the long-running transfer rumors ended with a two-year contract extension with the Red Wings.
For example, the goals have been recorded while the duo is on the ice for Detroit 21–11. The goal distribution is the seventh best in the entire series (at least 200 game minutes). The duo has 1.49 goals conceded per hour – the sixth least in the series.
– That extension contract was a relief. Transfer speeches are always a stress factor, no matter how hard you try to avoid the media. I feel really good about Detroit, how things have gone in the right direction. I got in well right away, the style of play suits me well and I get great trust from the players I play with, Määttä praises.
Known as a reliable team player, Määtt enjoys trust in Detroit. He was also expected to lead the young team.
– I have played in three (Pittsburgh, Chicago, Los Angeles) teams where there have been incredibly tough managers. I have learned a lot, says Määttä.
– I haven’t changed anything in what I do, but I try to take young people into account. I remember vividly what it was like to go to tough Pittsburgh when I was young. Yes, there was time on your toes and carefully watched where you stepped.
According to Määtä, the older players in the Penguins welcomed him with open arms. All he could focus on was playing.
– Of course, we were also told when things had to be done differently and we learned from that. I now understand how important it is for the team’s functioning, Määttä linjaa.
Work ahead
Olli Määtä wouldn’t be Olli Määtä if he started to dwell too much on the past or dream about the future. A 1,000-game NHL career is possible for the JYP man, but the player’s own idea does not escape beyond tomorrow.
– You can’t feel the number of matches here. I can say that it will go away soon.
Määttä says that he learned the meaning of work while watching Sidney Crosby and Krist Letang players like
– I don’t want to think too much in any direction, but to hit everything here now and be worthy of the trust I have received. You have to develop all the time or you will soon not be able to keep up.