Mattson's route to Whalers
was well worth the effort

  The easiest path from Austin Mattson's Livonia home to Compuware Arena is to jump on I-96 west and continue on to M-14 before getting off at the Beck Rd. exit.

  With no traffic, it's a 15-minute trip.

  But Mattson decided to take a different route than the one Mapquest would have suggested -- a journey that covered two years and over 1,000 miles.

  The slick-skating forward signed a free agent contract with the Plymouth Whalers this past summer -- two years after leaving home to play one season in Marquette and  another in Sioux City, IA.

  "To get to where I am now was worth all the traveling and moving," Mattson admitted, "because I love hockey that much."

  Mattson knew his way around Compuware Arena quite well before lacing up his skates for his first Whalers training camp in August. His youth-hockey resume includes an accolades-filled stint with the prestigious Detroit Compuware program.

  "We knew about him when he was young because he grew up playing with Tyler J. Brown and Beau Schmitz, a couple of our current players," said Whalers president, general manager and head coach Mike Vellucci.

  "We knew what we were getting when we signed him -- a highly skilled player with a lot of speed. He's done exactly what we expected him to do."

  Mattson enjoyed a stellar exhibition season and picked up an assist in last week's 6-1 loss to Saginaw. However, he is out indefinitely after suffering an injury against the Spirit.

  Given the resilience and perseverance he's displayed to get to where he is now, the injury will prove to be a detour, not a roadblock.

  "I'm excited to get a chance to play at home again," said Mattson, a few days before the Whalers' season opener. "Playing in Sioux City last year was a great experience. Hockey is actually pretty big out there because there's not a lot else for people to do; there's a lot of corn. We actually had a lot of fans.

  "But I'm excited for this chance to play close to home. it will be nice to have family and friends at our home games."

  The USHL was great preparation for the Ontario Hockey League, Mattson said.

  "There are bigger guys in the OHL," he offered, "but skill-wise, I'd say the two leagues are pretty similar."

  Mattson said he's been nothing but impressed by how he's been treated by the Whalers organization.

  "I love how upfront they are with you," he said. "They aren't afraid to tell you how you're doing. And the employees are always trying to help you out. Whatever you need, they get it done right away. It's a great place to play."

  Mattson has always found a way to compensate for his average size (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) with his above-average skating ability. He notched 12 goals and 16 assists for Sioux City last winter.

  "I consider myself a play-maker," he said, when asked to complete a self evaluation. "I'm a pretty fast skater. I'm trying to put on more muscle, but it's hard to gain weight while the season is going on."

  Mattson said his dream of someday playing professional hockey wouldn't be alive today if not for the dedication of his parents, Keith and Karen.

  "They've always been extremely supportive of my hockey," he said. "My dad lost his job at Ford a few years ago and we were in a rough spot, but he and my mom found a way to pay for my hockey bills. I'll never forget that."

  Mattson graduated from Livonia Stevenson High School in June.

Ed Wright can be reached at info@plymouthcantonsports.com or (734) 453-1980.