With that, I think the way that I came in really helped. Since I got here right before the season started, I didn't really have much time to overthink anything. I think it was only like two or three days after I got here from Anaheim that I was on the ice playing my first game as a Panther.
I was really fortunate enough to come into a great room with a team that welcomed me and wanted me to succeed right away. I just tried to take advantage of the opportunity from the moment I got here. When you come in, you just want to play your best and do what you can.
Confidence is one of those things that really goes a long way. I've come in and been able to play through my mistakes and learn from them. I think that having teammates that lift you up and a coaching staff that wants you to learn those lessons and get better makes all the difference.
When it comes to lessons, I've learned a lot from Radko Gudas.
As my defensive partner, he's helped me a tremendous amount right from the get-go. Not just on the ice, but off the ice as well. As a teammate and as a friend, he's always there to talk. He's another guy that had a journey to get to this point, so there's some shared experiences there.
Being able to pick his brain and work through things with him, he's meant a lot to me.
One of the biggest things he hammers home for me is to just not get too high or too low. You have some games where you're buzzing and feeling good, and then other games where things aren't going your way. Even if you're not doing anything different, sometimes it just happens that way.
He's taught me that being able to play through it and keep going is all you can do.
Now that I have a new contract, I'm excited to keep pushing forward with the Panthers. Even though I wasn't really thinking about it, there's really no need to look ahead now. All of the focus right now is on finishing this year strong. I just want to help the team compete for the playoffs.
The most important thing for me was to come back here, not just go and play anywhere.
This is where I want to be. This is a team that took a chance on me. They let me be myself and play my game. I'm just happy to stay put and know that I'm sticking around with these guys.
Looking forward to the road ahead,
Josh Mahura
\As told to FloridaPanthers.com's Jameson Olive*
