There is a moment in every NHL player’s career when they are hit with the realization of living out their childhood dream.
For Max Sasson, that came on November 23rd when he made his debut in the world’s top league. With his family in attendance, Sasson took his solo rookie lap in warm-up and from there, has been fighting on every shift to prove that he can belong at this level.
His first game was nothing more than a blur in the memory bank but his second game in the NHL brought a moment that will make Sasson laugh every time he thinks about it.
“When we played Pittsburgh, Crosby was going back for a puck, and Letang said, ‘You got time. You got time. Sid, you got time.’ I went back to the bench, and I was like, holy cow, this is the NHL. These are the guys I watched play against the Red Wings when I was seven years old. And now I’m playing against them. Yeah, that was pretty surreal.”
Though there are a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings about being in the NHL, Sasson will be the first to tell you that every game still feels like it could be his last with the Canucks and that is driving him to compete on every shift and make tough decisions for the coaching staff.
“You never know with the call-up, and I'm really trying to make a good impression, just keep making that good impression and show that I’m working to stay up here and not leave.”
After 16 games with the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL, Sasson was called up to the NHL and has now played in 15 NHL games this season. The Birmingham, Michigan native picked up an assist in his first two NHL games, potted his first two-assist game on December 12th, and scored his first goal in the NHL on December 14th against the Boston Bruins.
Head coach Rick Tocchet is on the same page as Sasson about what he needs to do to be successful in the NHL. Both the coach and player agree that speed is going to be the skill that gives Sasson the best chance of being an everyday NHL player.
“He’s added some speed to our lineup, and we need speed up front, especially up the middle,” said Tocchet. “A couple of games ago, he took the puck, he transported it from our blue line into their end with speed. That's big, and if we can keep developing that skill, that's a positive for him and us.”
Sasson is hyper-aware that his speed is going to be something he must lean on to stick in the NHL, but he has used the minds of the coaching staff to help him continue to be a predictable player and be able to fit in with the Canucks’ system.
So far, so good for the 24-year-old, who has been on the ice for seven goals for and three against at five-on-five. He has bounced around the lineup but has learned a lot from his most consistent linemate, Danton Heinen.
“He has been unbelievable,” said Sasson of Heinen. “He gives me really good advice almost every day. Even when I was out of the lineup, he was talking to me and telling me his stories. Just recently, he’s been harping on me to not change a thing, and he keeps telling me that I’m playing well. He's been awesome to me since I got here.”
