University of Minnesota Athletics
Relaxed Aggressiveness; Junior Defenseman Matt DeMarchi
3/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Honestly, DeMarchi doesn't look like he would be the bully of the team. He's decent sized, 6'2" and 183 pounds, maybe a little on the thin side. You see him laughing with his teammates, flashing his big, goofy smile. Looks can be deceiving. Put the pads and jersey on, lace the skates up, and something stirs inside him. As Matt puts it, "I take care of the dirty work. I do things that maybe the others won't. I don't want anyone to mess with the team, so I'll be the jerk."
The game of hockey is a hard-core, physical one. Players have to be tough, or they will be run over. The position of defenseman can be especially difficult. It hasto protect its zone, aid the goaltender, and help the forwards move the puck down to the other end of the rink. DeMarchi understands what being a defenseman is all about, it is seen in the way he attacks the ice every time it is his shift, and he could not imagine playing any other position. "I go out there as an enforcer. To me, that's the role of a defenseman. It's not scoring goals, it's all about defense and protecting. It's about hitting bodies. The physical play is the best part about the game; it's not as exciting without it."
This is the contradictory part of Matt DeMarchi. While talking about penalties and fighting and physical play, DeMarchi wasn't getting all worked up about it like you might expect. He was laughing and smiling and talking about the rough and tumble aspect of the sport of hockey very matter-of-factly. To him, what he does during the game, the provoking and penalties, is an important area of the game and essential to being a good defenseman.
Maybe DeMarchi's game behavior is a sort of anger management. Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress. Some eat, some exercise, some take it out in less productive forms. But wouldn't it be great to just hit something? Just go and take out all the day's frustrations by throwing a guy against a wall. Yell at him. Call him names. That might explain DeMarchi being such a mild-mannered person outside the rink. During the whole season for two nights each week, he gets to vent everything that has upset him during the week, while helping Minnesota get a win. "I take my anger out when I'm on the ice," he said. "It's a stress reliever."
With the DeMarchi form of anger management there are some consequences. Along with intimidating Minnesota's opponent comes some penalty minutes, as demonstrated in the opening paragraph of this story. No player likes to be called for penalties; they would rather be on the ice or waiting for their shift to begin. But as a defenseman, especially an admitted bullying one, the penalty calls are taken as part of the game. The time used while serving it in the box may as well be capitalized on. "I relax from the coaches. Just sit there and watch the game. Use it as a little get-away," DeMarchi said. Later he admitted with a smile, "Coach [Lucia] tells me to be more smart with penalties sometimes."
As much as the Minnesota coaching staff would like its enforcer out on the ice more than in the penalty box, it should be noted that over the last two years the Golden Gophers are 10-0-3 when Matt is called for three or more penalties.
The Minnesota hockey players agree with the contradicting nature of teammate Matt DeMarchi's on-ice versus off-ice personality. Many of them commented on how, in a good way, it's like one person on the ice and another off it - two opposite ends of a spectrum. Fellow junior Nick Anthony remarked, "His personality is one where he keeps to himself a lot off the ice. He's more of a background person, sitting back and watching, not very loud. But on the ice he's really aggressive. He has more of a presence when he's out there."
Minnesota certainly is glad to have that aggressive side of DeMarchi on their team. He plays a pivotal role. As the enforcer, his teammates know that he is there to protect them, and they are thankful that Matt has their backs. "Every team needs someone who is going to stand up for the other guys on the team. Matt goes out there and bullies. He takes care of his teammates," Anthony said.
It is difficult to imagine the Golden Gopher team without the rugged player like DeMarchi, but that very much could have been the situation in Minnesota. Yes, this Bemidji, Minn. native was extremely close to wearing the black and yellow of Colorado College instead of the Maroon and Gold for Minnesota's Pride on Ice. While the career of head coach Don Lucia was changing course in 1999, the college career of Matt DeMarchi that was yet to begin followed the same course to the University of Minnesota.
DeMarchi was recruited by Colorado College and had already committed to play hockey there when the coach that he wanted to play for, Don Lucia, decided to return to his native state. Matt was so impressed with Coach Lucia and really wanted to play under his guidance that he changed his college plans and remained in state. Getting to stay home and play for a team he had admired since childhood made the decision to change even more appealing. "It looked like a good time of change for the Minnesota program. Coach Lucia was coming here and working to turn this team around. I could tell he was a good coach, and liked him both as a coach and a person. I'm happy, very happy, with my decision to follow him here."
One life-altering decision to follow a coach he believed in has made an enormous impact in DeMarchi's life. He was steps away from playing against and checking his own current teammates as a Colorado College Tiger, drawing "boos" from the Mariucci Arena instead of cheers. But the number 19 is on the Golden Gopher roster with the name "Matt DeMarchi" right next to it. If it weren't, senior defenseman Jordan Leopold would be missing his pairing for almost two seasons. When it comes to that pairing, although it is a line with two skilled defensemen, DeMarchi looks up to the Hobey Baker Award candidate with deep admiration. "Playing with Leo - he's taught me so much, opened up my eyes to things about the game and about playing defense," Matt commented. "He's a phenomenal person and player. He's always willing to help out. Playing with him is great. Every time he touches the puck something magical happens. He's a player that everyone would want on their team."
That open admiration for the coaching staff and teammates is a side that you might not expect from the rough player that is seen at least a couple of times in the penalty box every game. It is just part of those contradicting sides of DeMarchi's personality. Another amusing example of this somewhat confusing combination is DeMarchi's warm up songs. Keep in mind he is from northern Minnesota. He was asked to choose what he would play for pre-game hockey warm-ups. It was not the usual hard rock or metal songs players predictably respond with. It was Ludacris, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Notorious B.I.G., and Tupac (by the way, his favorite movie is "Friday" with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker). Not often is the hip-hop culture brought together with ice hockey, but leave it to Matt DeMarchi to take the to very different things and bring them into one.
I like watching Minnesota's number 19 on the ice. While attending the Minnesota hockey games, I don't want to see teams coming into Mariucci Arena and messing with the Golden Gophers. Matt DeMarchi is out there to make sure that doesn't happen. Every team needs a guy that they know is looking out for them. He enjoys the physical part of the game, which is apparent in his hard-hitting, gritty play. Sure he may come off as a jerk, but his teammates know that when the enforcer is on the ice, their backs are covered. And his teammates also know that when DeMarchi steps off the ice, he will sink into the background once again with his good-natured smile. He is a head-scratching contradictory, but it works and that is why I like Matt DeMarchi.
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant Courtney Walerius I have to admit that I have a bias. I like the way Matt DeMarchi plays hockey. If I could play hockey, I would want to be a gritty defenseman just like him. He's tough. He throws his weight around. Don't cross one of his Golden Gopher teammates because you will face the wrath of DeMarchi. In the 2000-01 season, Matt tallied 149 penalty minutes, ranking second on the single season list, just five minutes behind the top spot. On the ice, opponents make it a point to stay on DeMarchi's good side - being on the other side is just cruel. The best thing about Matt? On the ice, he's the edgy enforcer. But off the ice, he is one of the most mellow, easy-going guys on the team. Matt DeMarchi is a contradiction in the truest sense.
Honestly, DeMarchi doesn't look like he would be the bully of the team. He's decent sized, 6'2" and 183 pounds, maybe a little on the thin side. You see him laughing with his teammates, flashing his big, goofy smile. Looks can be deceiving. Put the pads and jersey on, lace the skates up, and something stirs inside him. As Matt puts it, "I take care of the dirty work. I do things that maybe the others won't. I don't want anyone to mess with the team, so I'll be the jerk."
The game of hockey is a hard-core, physical one. Players have to be tough, or they will be run over. The position of defenseman can be especially difficult. It hasto protect its zone, aid the goaltender, and help the forwards move the puck down to the other end of the rink. DeMarchi understands what being a defenseman is all about, it is seen in the way he attacks the ice every time it is his shift, and he could not imagine playing any other position. "I go out there as an enforcer. To me, that's the role of a defenseman. It's not scoring goals, it's all about defense and protecting. It's about hitting bodies. The physical play is the best part about the game; it's not as exciting without it."
This is the contradictory part of Matt DeMarchi. While talking about penalties and fighting and physical play, DeMarchi wasn't getting all worked up about it like you might expect. He was laughing and smiling and talking about the rough and tumble aspect of the sport of hockey very matter-of-factly. To him, what he does during the game, the provoking and penalties, is an important area of the game and essential to being a good defenseman.
Maybe DeMarchi's game behavior is a sort of anger management. Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress. Some eat, some exercise, some take it out in less productive forms. But wouldn't it be great to just hit something? Just go and take out all the day's frustrations by throwing a guy against a wall. Yell at him. Call him names. That might explain DeMarchi being such a mild-mannered person outside the rink. During the whole season for two nights each week, he gets to vent everything that has upset him during the week, while helping Minnesota get a win. "I take my anger out when I'm on the ice," he said. "It's a stress reliever."
With the DeMarchi form of anger management there are some consequences. Along with intimidating Minnesota's opponent comes some penalty minutes, as demonstrated in the opening paragraph of this story. No player likes to be called for penalties; they would rather be on the ice or waiting for their shift to begin. But as a defenseman, especially an admitted bullying one, the penalty calls are taken as part of the game. The time used while serving it in the box may as well be capitalized on. "I relax from the coaches. Just sit there and watch the game. Use it as a little get-away," DeMarchi said. Later he admitted with a smile, "Coach [Lucia] tells me to be more smart with penalties sometimes."
As much as the Minnesota coaching staff would like its enforcer out on the ice more than in the penalty box, it should be noted that over the last two years the Golden Gophers are 10-0-3 when Matt is called for three or more penalties.
The Minnesota hockey players agree with the contradicting nature of teammate Matt DeMarchi's on-ice versus off-ice personality. Many of them commented on how, in a good way, it's like one person on the ice and another off it - two opposite ends of a spectrum. Fellow junior Nick Anthony remarked, "His personality is one where he keeps to himself a lot off the ice. He's more of a background person, sitting back and watching, not very loud. But on the ice he's really aggressive. He has more of a presence when he's out there."
Minnesota certainly is glad to have that aggressive side of DeMarchi on their team. He plays a pivotal role. As the enforcer, his teammates know that he is there to protect them, and they are thankful that Matt has their backs. "Every team needs someone who is going to stand up for the other guys on the team. Matt goes out there and bullies. He takes care of his teammates," Anthony said.
It is difficult to imagine the Golden Gopher team without the rugged player like DeMarchi, but that very much could have been the situation in Minnesota. Yes, this Bemidji, Minn. native was extremely close to wearing the black and yellow of Colorado College instead of the Maroon and Gold for Minnesota's Pride on Ice. While the career of head coach Don Lucia was changing course in 1999, the college career of Matt DeMarchi that was yet to begin followed the same course to the University of Minnesota.
DeMarchi was recruited by Colorado College and had already committed to play hockey there when the coach that he wanted to play for, Don Lucia, decided to return to his native state. Matt was so impressed with Coach Lucia and really wanted to play under his guidance that he changed his college plans and remained in state. Getting to stay home and play for a team he had admired since childhood made the decision to change even more appealing. "It looked like a good time of change for the Minnesota program. Coach Lucia was coming here and working to turn this team around. I could tell he was a good coach, and liked him both as a coach and a person. I'm happy, very happy, with my decision to follow him here."
One life-altering decision to follow a coach he believed in has made an enormous impact in DeMarchi's life. He was steps away from playing against and checking his own current teammates as a Colorado College Tiger, drawing "boos" from the Mariucci Arena instead of cheers. But the number 19 is on the Golden Gopher roster with the name "Matt DeMarchi" right next to it. If it weren't, senior defenseman Jordan Leopold would be missing his pairing for almost two seasons. When it comes to that pairing, although it is a line with two skilled defensemen, DeMarchi looks up to the Hobey Baker Award candidate with deep admiration. "Playing with Leo - he's taught me so much, opened up my eyes to things about the game and about playing defense," Matt commented. "He's a phenomenal person and player. He's always willing to help out. Playing with him is great. Every time he touches the puck something magical happens. He's a player that everyone would want on their team."
That open admiration for the coaching staff and teammates is a side that you might not expect from the rough player that is seen at least a couple of times in the penalty box every game. It is just part of those contradicting sides of DeMarchi's personality. Another amusing example of this somewhat confusing combination is DeMarchi's warm up songs. Keep in mind he is from northern Minnesota. He was asked to choose what he would play for pre-game hockey warm-ups. It was not the usual hard rock or metal songs players predictably respond with. It was Ludacris, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Notorious B.I.G., and Tupac (by the way, his favorite movie is "Friday" with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker). Not often is the hip-hop culture brought together with ice hockey, but leave it to Matt DeMarchi to take the to very different things and bring them into one.
I like watching Minnesota's number 19 on the ice. While attending the Minnesota hockey games, I don't want to see teams coming into Mariucci Arena and messing with the Golden Gophers. Matt DeMarchi is out there to make sure that doesn't happen. Every team needs a guy that they know is looking out for them. He enjoys the physical part of the game, which is apparent in his hard-hitting, gritty play. Sure he may come off as a jerk, but his teammates know that when the enforcer is on the ice, their backs are covered. And his teammates also know that when DeMarchi steps off the ice, he will sink into the background once again with his good-natured smile. He is a head-scratching contradictory, but it works and that is why I like Matt DeMarchi.
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant Courtney Walerius
