Ex-Union standout Mat Bodie makes case

by Ryan Fay

For some players, the National Hockey League preseason doesn't carry a whole lot of meaning. They know where they stand with their teams and their spots on the roster are secure.

Bodie congratulates teammates after a goal 
on Tuesday. 
(nhl.com)

But for others, like former Union College defenseman Mat Bodie, it's a golden chance to make an impression with the brass on the big club.

And Bodie certainly made a positive one with the New York Rangers in Tuesday's 5-3 road loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center, the building where he won an NCAA title with the Dutchmen in April 2014.

Bodie, who was making his preseason debut, made the most of his 21-plus minutes of ice time. He scored two goals, one on a nifty backhander that tied the score at 2-2 and the other on a rocket from the left circle that cut the Flyers lead to 5-3.

On the other end of the ice, he used his sense of awareness to take a potential tally away from the Flyers when he cleared a loose puck from the Rangers crease.

“There’s no doubt that there’s some progression on his part," Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault told the New York Daily News after the game. "He’s got a real good stick, knows how to put it defensively, and when he’s got the puck on his stick, most of the time he makes the right plays with the puck. He had a strong game tonight and that was good for us to see. He certainly played a good game and he’s gonna deserve another look.”

Bodie originally signed with the Rangers as an undrafted free-agent shortly after leading Union to the 2014 NCAA championship. He spent time in Rangers training camp last fall before playing all of last season with the American Hockey League's Hartford Wolf Pack. He led AHL rookie defensemen in assists (27) and tied for first among AHL rookie defensemen in points (32).

"I think building off my season last year in Hartford, I had some confidence down there and just feel a lot more comfortable the second time around in camp here," Bodie told the New York Daily News.

Despite his development, the undersized Bodie (he's 6-foot, 175-pounds) still faces an uphill battle to make a Rangers roster deep in defensive options. But with more performances like Tuesday's, those odds could change for the better.

For now, the 25-year-old is just focused on making the best impression he can.

“You just try and make your impression," added Bodie, who tied for the team-high in plus/minus on Tuesday with a plus-2 rating. "You hope you get a chance in a couple of these games and just go out and have fun. This is a game I’ve been playing for 21 years or so, so just go enjoy it. Not everyone gets to throw on an NHL jersey. Just make the best impression you can.”

The Rangers continue their preseason slate Thursday with a 7 p.m. contest at Boston.

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