MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Cody Mastay’s play with the Metro Jets last season had many in the junior hockey world raising their eyebrows.
This coming season, Mastay intends to keep that trend going as he enters his final junior season after re-signing with the Jets earlier this week.
Maybe even more exciting for Mastay is the fact he’ll be teammate with his younger brother Devon, who signed with Metro during the spring.
“My thought process for deciding to come back was pretty easy,” said Mastay, a 2001-born forward from Westminster, Colo. “I knew I would be in great hands with the coaching staff and that I would develop even more under this program.
“My brother and I have never played together before so this would be the first time, and I’m extremely excited for it.”
Last season, Mastay averaged better than a point per game with 14 goals and 38 points in 35 games during the regular season before collecting three assists in four USPHL playoff games.
Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville noted many times last season that Mastay was the best player on the ice during games. He’s banking on that being the case again in 2021-22.
“Cody is the consummate hockey player,” said Quenneville. “He did so many things well last year and it starts with his approach to the game. He cares about his development, he’s invested in learning every day, and he plays the right way all over the ice. He was arguably one of, if not the top faceoff player last season in the league and played a 200-foot game every night. His IQ is off the charts, he creates turnovers all over the ice and offensively, does all the little things to make his line hard to play against.
“Cody is one of several key pieces coming back from last year’s team and schools have already taken notice. Several NCAA programs have already expressed interest and he will get to wear that Jets logo one last year, which we are all excited about.”
Mastay said that seeing the Jets’ season end in March at the USPHL National Tournament “was definitely not the plan we all had in mind,” and wants to see it through this coming year.
“Yeah, that definitely gives me motivation to finish the correct way this year because I certainly haven’t forgot about last season,” said Mastay. “Looking back, I felt that I improved my all-around game, especially with my playmaking skills. The coaching staff deserves a ton of credit for my growth as a player. They continuously put me in situations during practice that happen every shift in games.
“As a returning player, I am determined to have a huge factor in leading this team on and off the ice so we can achieve the end goal we all have in mind.”
Currently working out in the Denver area, Mastay’s plans for the rest of the summer are to keep training on and off the ice until he and his brother make their way out to Mount Clemens shortly before training camp next month.
