The 22-year-old right-shot defenceman has 15 NHL games under his belt and is currently playing for the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL. Being a first-year pro, he has focused on taking in as much as he can from his coaches and teammates and is beginning to feel comfortable with the daily grind of being a professional hockey player.
“Some of the things I’ve really learned a lot about since turning pro are things like clock management and knowing where players are on the ice for breakouts. I've learned that there are times when there is a play to be made, but there are also times when you have to live for another day,” said Mancini.
“With my shot, I’m learning in my first year just how good guys are in front of the net and tipping pucks. You don't have to blast it from the point and shoot to score every time. I try to get it by that first blocker and then guys are so good with tipping the puck, there’s a good chance of the puck deflecting and going in. My focus with a point shot is just getting it there and causing chaos.”
At 6’3” and 229 pounds, Mancini is a big physical presence on the right side and has worked hard to make skating one of his strengths.
He gives credit to the group he skated and worked out with during the offseason for helping make a smooth transition to being a full-time pro. Mancini was able to pick the brains of pros and now has a good understanding of how he can develop his game with the assistance of an NHL organization.
"There's so many things I like about being a pro, but just to boil it down to one, it's just been really fun. I’ve been able to learn from some great coaches and some great teammates as well. It's just exciting to be a pro,” said Mancini. “When you're a kid, this is where you want to be. To see those dreams come true and see what you've worked hard for come to fruition, it’s been great. But, at the same time, it's just the beginning, right? The hard work is just beginning.”
Mancini is excited about the opportunity to work with the Canucks’ coaching staff and development coaches as he works towards becoming an NHL player. He was excited when he saw names like Manny Malhotra, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Adam Foote, and Sergei Gonchar as the coaches he would be working with to develop his game.
“It really pumps me up. The mindset I'm using is to just be a sponge, and take in as much information as I can, especially in my rookie year,” said Mancini. “I really want to get better in my own game, because I know if I'm getting better, I'm helping my team be better. To be able to learn from Manny Malhotra, Adam Foote, Rick Tocchet and these guys, the knowledge that they have is really exciting to me because I know it’s going to help me grow. I'm excited because as time goes on, I'm just going to be able to learn more and more.”
The big defenceman did not know many players in the Canucks’ organization when he heard about the trade but does have a close relationship with one player. Mancini was roommates with Abbotsford Canucks’ centre Ty Mueller in their first year at Ohama.
Mancini said one of the first texts he got after the trade was from Mueller and that the two were excited to be in the same organization.
“It was great to hear from him," said Mancini about receiving a text from Mueller after the trade. “He was a true freshman going in. I was 19. We were both young and a little quiet, but we were able to be ourselves there, and I had fun getting to know him and living with him. We had some great times.”
On top of the excitement about playing for a Canadian team, Mancini is thrilled to be a Canuck because his favourite player growing up played for the blue and green.
“When I was young, I was a forward, and Ryan Kesler was my favourite player growing up. I just love the way he played hard and gritty while being skilled as well. He was just that five-tool player and my dad wore number 17 when he was playing too. So, I was like, ‘Great I’ll be 17 too’. I always thought that was super cool. And Kesler is from Michigan as well,” said Mancini.
“Just being in Canada now, I know how crazy fans can be about their team and how much they love hockey here. The Canadian fans were the first thing I thought of when I was traded here. I love that this is a city that really loves their hockey and I’m so excited to go through that.”
Mancini is currently on the Abbotsford Canucks’ roster after a week of being around the NHL club and being able to skate with and get to know his teammates and coaches.
Canucks Insider: Debut with Canucks
In his debut with the Abbotsford Canucks, Mancini wore #90 and skated on the top pairing alongside Elias Pettersson (D-Petey). The Canucks came away with a 3-2 victory on Women in Sports night at the Abbotsford Centre and we caught up with the right-shot defenceman after his first game as a Canuck.
“I was just really happy we got the win. For me, I was happy with my game. I thought I played solid, and I built the foundation to my game. It allows me to build going into more games throughout the season,” said Mancini.
“It's great playing with [D-Petey]. He makes the game easy out there,” said Mancini. “He is just really good with the puck [and has] good communication. We developed a lot of chemistry today, and I'm happy to watch it build.”
Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra used Mancini on the first penalty kill unit and also trusted Mancini to be one of the two defencemen on the ice in the final minute as the Canucks protected a one-goal lead.
Malhotra said playing Mancini in those roles was a decision made by his assistant coach Jordan Smith, who runs the defence in games but liked a lot of the skills that the 22-year-old defenceman displayed in his debut.
“Overall, his range, his length and his size make him hard to play against,” said Malhotra. “Defensively, just his ability to close plays and take away time and space in the corner was primarily the reason he was out in those situations and is one of his major assets.”
Mancini said it felt great to have that trust from the coaching staff and wanted to show that they made the right decision in trusting him in those big moments.
“That's something I wanted to come in and establish immediately,” said Mancini about being used in those big defensive moments of the game. “I just want to go out and be dependable on the ice and gain that trust early. That's a big part of my game, moving forward – being dependable to a player, being able to kill penalties.”
Mancini said it was the first time he had worn green as a primary colour in his hockey career and loved it. The 6’3” defenceman was strong around the crease and had a handful of scoring chances in his first game at the Abbotsford Centre.
Abbotsford is in action on Wednesday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and plays on Monday for a Family Day game at 2:00 p.m.
You can get your tickets HERE and go check out some great hockey in the valley.
