Quentin Musty working for his California dream

When it’s minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit in Sudbury, Ontario, a nickel mining town located four hours north of Toronto, Quentin Musty doesn’t complain. He knows it comes with the territory and he’s so focused on his job, that he doesn’t let it get to him. But even someone as determined as Musty can’t help but let himself daydream, if even only for a minute, about what the weather might be like in California.

Drafted 26^th overall by the Sharks at the NHL’s most recent Entry Draft, Musty is currently playing his trade in Sudbury for the Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the ultimate goal of making it to San Jose. The left winger is determined to make that happen and when it’s bone-chillingly cold out, he has some added motivation.

“I love Sudbury but the weather in California is a bit nicer, so hopefully that’s something to look forward to and keep working for,” Musty said recently after a Wolves practice.

But even on those frigid days, Musty just bundles up and goes about his business. Although he experienced training camp with the Sharks a few months ago, he knows that if he wants to make it back there and stay there, under the California sun, there’s a lot more work ahead of him.

Seeing what it takes to be a pro has emboldened Musty and he has brought that attitude back to Sudbury. Although the 18-year-old Hamburg, New York native is still one of the younger players on a Wolves team that is looking to make a deep run this year, he’s still trying to lead by example for his teammates.

He’s certainly done that on the ice. Through 36 games, Musty has 25 goals and 62 points. His 1.72 points-per-game is among the best in the OHL and there’s rarely a night that he doesn’t get on the scoresheet.

And while Musty has been piling up the points, the most important thing for him is that the team keeps winning.

“I’m just doing what I can to help my team offensively and defensively,” he said. “My biggest goal this year is to win games and help my team do that.”

Sudbury currently sits first in its division and a big reason for that is Musty’s offensive output this year. He’s on pace to shatter his career highs in goals and points, but he is quick not to attribute any of his personal performance to the club’s success this year.

“We’re a better team this year than we were last year, so we’re going to score more goals and outscore opponents more,” Musty said. “We have a pretty deep team, so no matter who I am playing with, any line can put up points.”

While Musty is modest in his own assessment, he credits the addition of St. Louis Blues prospect Dalibor Dvorský, who was taken 16 spots ahead of him in the draft, for some of the rise in his production. Musty has been on the top line with Dvorský for much of the season and the two have found natural chemistry. The goal-scoring Dvorský has a knack for finding the back of the net from all angles and the playmaking Musty has done an excellent job getting the puck to him.

With playoffs just around the corner for the Wolves, Musty knows that the most important thing for him and the team is to remain consistent. It has been something the club has struggled with throughout the campaign, but if they’re going to go far in the post-season, finding that consistency will be critical.

“I think our main goal is just to be consistent now because when we’re at the top of our game, there’s not many teams better than us,” said Musty.

And when the Wolves are at the top of their game, there are not many places that are scarier for a visiting team to play than Sudbury’s barn during the playoffs. While the arena is buoyed by the club’s rabid fans, what really sets the atmosphere apart is a stuffed wolf on a wire.

Whenever Sudbury scores a goal, a taxidermic wolf emerges from the corner of the rink and runs across an automated pulley system in the rafters. After it pauses high above the visiting team’s bench, taunting them, it returns to its perch where it waits to be summoned again. It’s one of the most unique traditions in hockey and Musty can’t get enough of it.

“I love it,” he said. “Playing in Sudbury when you score a goal and you see that wolf come across and it goes over the bench it’s kind of intimidating and no one on the other team likes to see that, especially if you’re a goalie.”

San Jose may be warmer in the winter, but for Musty, it’s tough to beat the sight of that Sudbury wolf, especially during the playoffs.