TORONTO, ON – Artem Duda was always going to be the main event at the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Thursday night.
Since news broke that the TMU Bold had recruited Duda, one of the Arizona Coyotes’ top defensive prospects, the anticipation has been rising to see just what’s up his sleeve. This was destined to be a huge moment for the Bold and U SPORTS as a whole, but what was yet to be determined was if it would be a true experience.
Following the first game of both Duda’s tenure in blue and gold and the second half of the OUA men’s hockey season, it hasn’t been exactly monumental. For all the hype, the posts, and the allure of the 2022 36th overall pick, Bold coach Johnny Duco was notably conservative with his use of Duda.
He was placed on the third defensive pairing, seeing the ice sporadically alongside 6-foot-7 Evan Brand, and not for long periods. There are a multitude of reasons why Duda might have been used this way, not the least being that he hasn’t necessarily ‘earned it’ within the TMU camp. And, for what it’s worth, his first game was one of relatively high stakes against the OUA Western Conference leaders Brock Badgers. After TMU came away with a gritty 3-2 win, they vaulted over crosstown rivals Toronto into second place, now four points off Brock.
“I’m really impressed with the way [Duda] played. You can see he has all the tools to really be an elite player in this league,” Duco said post-game.
“He’s going to be a difference-maker for us,” he added.
In their pursuit of the Conference title, all in preparation to show out at March’s national championships which they host, Duda will likely move up the ranks. For now, he’s got to continue focusing on what matters: adjusting to Canada on and off the ice. What makes him an even more reputable name in U SPORTS is the experience he has playing professionally in his native Russia with CSKA Moscow. So of course, he’s accustomed to the bigger European rinks.
Patrolling the blueline calmly, he got many looks but had to work to touch the puck. He wove his way into most pockets of the ice when TMU was on offence, plucking the rubber when it became loose. He took two shots, both wide of the target, eager to try to make his mark. His instincts are to attack the puck, but his sense of space is an attribute that will set him apart.
Even though he’s hardly ever played on North American rinks, on Thursday he could almost always recognize how far away he was from the puck and blueline. He drifted to less-occupied pockets of space, ready to be teed up for a shot. He has seemingly been placed on the Bold’s second power-play unit, though was hardly seen on the penalty kill (perhaps a nod to his offensive tendencies).
His shifts never culminated in a goal for either side or a mass fight like those seen on many occasions in this match. Instead, it was just amplified pressure on Brock, who ultimately couldn’t handle what TMU offered up.
Kyle Bollers, who scored the icebreaker in the second, came up with a big play in the final frame as well, navigating through traffic in front of Brock’s goal to supply Daniil Grigorev with a tap-in for the winner. The Badgers tried rallying, and a flurry of shots resulted in a goal for Jared Marino. However, in the final few minutes, they were stymied chasing the equalizer. TMU’s relentless skating and high lines didn’t permit drastic movement for Brock.
The Bold posted on social media a video of Grigorev being given the belt as player of the game. He was fantastic, no doubt, but maybe not the Russian some would’ve thought would take the honour on the day.
It’s safe to say the Duda experience, at least in its full form, hasn’t begun, but good things come to those who wait. And if they keep up this form, TMU has a lot of good things to wait for.
The Bold stay at home, taking on the Concordia Stingers tomorrow, while Brock will look to break their four-game losing streak at home versus Guelph on Saturday.
Cover photo: Richard Coffey and Josh Kim