Ottawa’s Max Veronneau, who became one of the most sought after free agents in the NCAA, is adjusting to playing hockey at the highest level since signing a contract with the team he grew up cheering for, the Ottawa Senators.
Veronneau starred for the Princeton University Tigers men’s hockey team for four seasons before his signing to a two-year entry-level contract on March 12.
His time playing for a high-profile collegiate program south of the border helped prepare him for the rigours of life in the NHL.
“Obviously, (NCAA) Division I is pretty tough, we’re playing against good teams every other night,” said Veronneau, who scored his first career NHL goal on March 20 against the Vancouver Canucks. “Just playing with some bigger, stronger guys the last four years has really helped me out.”
“The level of play is that much higher, so I have to get acclimated quickly. I’m still working on it, but hopefully I can gain as much experience as I can in the next two weeks or so.”
Listed at 6’0″ and 190 lbs, Veronneau isn’t the biggest player on the ice. What he lacks in size, he makes up for with speed, along with a strong work ethic and desire to improve says head coach Marc Crawford
“What I like about his game is that he’s got very good speed,” said Crawford. “He shows his speed in a lot of different areas, especially in support of the rush and his ability to get in and compliment his linemates on the rush.”
Playing in the NHL means that Veronneau has access to a world-class training staff. At only 23 years old, there’s a lot of time for the Senators’ strength and conditioning coaches to work their magic and help the team’s newest phenom get stronger.
“I think the biggest part with any young player is that they learn the competitiveness that they need and the strength that they need,” said Crawford. “You can make up for some of that with determination, but most of it has to come from training and actually seeing how strong people are.”
“In talking with Max, I know that’s one thing that has jumped out to him is just how strong some of these NHL defencemen are and how strong opposition forwards are.”
Veronneau studied mechanical engineering while a student at Princeton and Crawford says his intellect is something that’s apparent both on and off the ice.
“The second part of his game that I really like is his intelligence,” said Crawford. “He’s got very good vision, he sees the ice and, more importantly, he sees the play well. So, that helps him in a lot of different areas. It helps him offensively to put himself in a position where he can be an effective teammate.”
“And defensively, when you have good vision, you recognize and anticipate where the puck is going, and it allows you to get there a step sooner.”
The Senators are currently in the very early stages of a full rebuild, having traded away most of their veteran core in the last calendar year in exchange for a plethora of prospects and draft picks. Veronneau says that being on such a young team has allowed him to fit in nicely, while the remaining veterans have done their part to make him feel right at home.
“I’ve been playing with (Brady) Tkachuk the last couple of games and he’s so much fun to play with. He’s always excited, it’s pretty awesome to be able to play with him,” said Veronneau. “Also, I’m making friends with all the young guys. They’re closer to my age, so it’s a little bit easier to connect with them.”
“(The veterans) have been great, they’ve really helped me out, especially on the ice, giving me some tips and tricks. I was pretty excited the last week and a half, so they’ve made me realize to just relax and have fun.”
The team feels they’ve got a special talent on their hands, one who could feature prominently in their lineup in the future.
“Ultimately, we think we’ve got a really good player there and I think he’s got NHL player written all over him, but there’s no doubt that he’s got some improvements to make as well,” said Crawford.
Growing up in Ottawa, Veronneau and his family attended their fair share of Senators games. He grew up in the Glebe and attended high school at École secondaire catholique Franco-Cité. Getting to play for one’s hometown team is a rarity in sports, so the Veronneau family is really embracing the experience.
“They’re so ecstatic about it, they’re a little more excited than I am,” said Veronneau. “They’re just enjoying themselves, they never thought it could happen, so they’re just having fun with it.”
“Being able to play for them this year has been a dream come true.”