Olli Maatta finished fifth in Calder Trophy voting as a rookie with Pittsburgh in 2013-14 and was an integral part of the Penguins’ defense on the Stanley Cup championship teams in 2016 and 2017.
His career hasn’t been the same since he left Pittsburgh. The Detroit Red Wings provide an opportunity for rejuvenation.
“I have to be honest with myself, the last two seasons haven’t been that great, but they haven’t been that big of a disaster either,” Maatta said. “I know I have so much more in me. I think this is a great opportunity to prove it. I can play in this league for a long time, and in an even bigger role than I have in the last two seasons. That was one of the reasons he wanted to come to Detroit.
“It’s an exciting team, a good team to be with, with a new coaching staff, a very good organization with that culture where everyone wants to win.”
The Red Wings addressed their need for left-shooting defenders in free agency. by signing Maatta and Ben Chiarot on July 13. But while Chiarot got four years at $19 million, Maatta got just one year at $2.25 million. He has more to prove after, by his own admission, two lackluster seasons in Los Angeles.
Maatta (6-2, 206) produced nine goals and 29 points as a rookie and matched that point total in 2017-18. He only had one goal and 12 points in 107 games with the Kings over the past two seasons.
“I’m known as a defensive guy, but I think I have more offense than my stats show in the last couple of years,” Maatta said. “My mentality is always (defensive). There are so many details involved in that: looking at how you get the puck out and if you play with the puck, the other team can’t score. So ‘defensive defenders’, there’s a lot more to it than just defending. You also have to play a little bit of offense.”
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman described Chiarot and Maatta as bigger-bodied defensemen who prioritize defense and get in the way of opponents.
“They have good length, they defend pretty well, they can block shots and they’re big bodies that are tough to play against,” Yzerman said. “They complement the two young men on the right.”
Chariot will likely be paired with 2021-22 rookie of the year Moritz Seider and Maatta with Filip Hronek.
Maatta said of Seider: “He plays with an advantage but he has a lot of skill, a lot of offense. He is an amazing player to watch. He is already a great player and he is going to be a stud. They also have a bunch of other guys. The young guys they drafted and a great group of prospects coming up.”
Kings teammates and former Red Wings Andreas Athanasiou and Troy Stecher gave Maatta information about Detroit.
“(Athanasiou) was (in Detroit) a long time and had only good things to say about it, organization and team, the guys there, the staff,” Maatta said. “And you talk a lot with your agent, the teams that are available and where you want to go, I haven’t heard anything bad about Detroit. It was all great things, how exciting the team is.”
The Red Wings were more exciting when Maatta watched the occasional NHL game on TV as a youngster in Finland.
“We could have one game a month; Detroit was usually on fire,” he said. “They were the team that everyone wanted to see.
Naturally, Nicklas Lidstrom was the player he turned his attention to.
“He could be the best defender of all time, at least up there,” Maatta said. “He didn’t do anything really flashy, but every little thing he did was fine, every detail of his game. He was a great player for everyone to see and learn how to play the game the right way.”
Maatta turns 28 on August 22, still in the prime of her career. She hopes to turn this one-year deal into something bigger and better next summer.
“I feel like I have a lot of hockey left,” Maatta said. “I’m still young, I still have a lot of work to do, a lot to improve. I know I can do it.”
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