Former NHL Player, Greenwich Resident Aims To Inspire Kids In New Book
GREENWICH, CT — In sports and life, the road to success is rarely linear. There are ups and downs, setbacks and side steps, but through resilience, hard work, determination and grit, anything is possible
That’s the message former NHL player and current Greenwich resident Matt Moulson hopes to convey through “Matty Mo’s Grit Pile,” the first book from independent children’s book publisher Grit Pile Kidz in what will be a series aimed at inspiring kids to discover and pursue their passion and build resilience in the process.
The book officially launched on Aug. 20.
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Written by “Coach” Greg Presseau and illustrated by Anika Charron, both Darien residents, the book focuses on Moulson’s humble beginnings as a youth hockey player in Canada through his professional hockey career including the setbacks, challenges and moments of self-doubt he experienced.
The “Grit Pile” refers to the collection of one’s hard work, accomplishments, failures and lessons learned through experiences.
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“Grit Pile Kidz is committed to encouraging kids to find a passion and use it as a vehicle to build their Grit Pile,” said Presseau, the author and founder of Grit Pile Kidz LLC. “Matt Moulson’s story is a perfect example of how dedication and hard work can lead to greatness, and we believe his journey will inspire children to stay committed to their goals despite any setbacks they may face.”
Charron noted the Grit Pile concept applies to all areas of life.
“Our goal is to inspire children to pursue their passions, build their own Grit Piles, and develop the resilience needed to overcome challenges and achieve future success,” she said.
Moulson became close with Presseau while coaching a local youth hockey team. Through conversations about the team and Moulson’s playing career, the idea for the book was born.
“There’s a lot of ups and downs and adversity you have to face. I think we really thought this could help some of those kids who may be going through those tough times, and when you’re in it you think it’s the end of the world, but if you’re willing to put in a lot of work and dedication and passion and build that Grit Pile, the sky is kind of the limit for you,” Moulson said.
At age 4 while playing ball hockey with other kids in his neighborhood, Moulson fell in love with the sport.
“There was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to play in the NHL from then on, and whether I was dumb sometimes for believing it, I always believed it. I always believed I was going to get there, I just had to work extremely harder than other people and do things they weren’t willing to do. I kept that with me,” Moulson told Patch.
When he was 16, Moulson was cut seven times in one week while trying out for various youth teams.
There was a period growing up when Moulson was smaller than many of the other players, and he admittedly said he was never a great skater or the most skilled on the ice. He started to train and go to the gym.
“You just have to keep building on it, building on it, and it’s just every day working hard,” he said.
Moulson was drafted out of Cornell University in the ninth round, 263rd overall, in the 2003 NHL draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he remained in school and signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings in 2006.
While he played well in the minors, Moulson wasn’t called up to the NHL right away.
“Approaching those moments with honesty, I would always tell myself you have to work harder, you’re not working hard enough, you’ve got to do more, and eventually I ended up playing my first NHL game the next year,” Moulson said.
On Nov. 2, 2007, Moulson made his debut against the San Jose Sharks, and he became the 16th player in Kings history to score a goal in his first NHL game.
The next year, Moulson was sent down to the minors and later hurt his knee. As a free agent coming off an injury, Moulson was out to prove himself.
“I ended up signing with the [New York] Islanders, and I think coming off that knee injury I knew I would have to work extremely hard in the summer. No one really even wanted me at that point, the Islanders were one of maybe two teams [interested],” Moulson said. “I knew I had to put in a lot of work. I knew I had to be better in all aspects of my game. Mentally, nutritionally, everything. That was a big moment that summer.”
Moulson went on to have three consecutive 30-goal seasons as a full-time player with the Islanders and quickly became a fan favorite. After five seasons in New York, Moulson had a stint with the Minnesota Wild and played five more seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before retiring after the 2017-2018 season.
Over a 10-year career, Moulson played in 650 NHL games and scored 176 goals.
Until the end of his career, during times of adversity or hardship, Moulson said he’d look back on his “Grit Pile.”
“You’re always faced with some new challenges, and I think you always recall the times that were the toughest. You look back at them and remember how much hard work it took to get out of that, and you go back to that foundation you have,” Moulson said. “You built this whole mountain of grit up and just remind yourself that it was never easy. I think that was something I did until the day I retired. There are no easy days when you’re trying to be great at something you love.”
“Matty Mo’s Grit Pile” is now available at Grit Pile Kidz website for $26. You can also follow Grit Pile Kidz on Instagram.
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