The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Beyond the Crest: Matthew Andonovski on Ottawa Senators Draft Call, Kitchener Rangers Culture & His Wild Season

Episode Date: May 13, 2026

Matthew Andonovski joins Jeff Marek for an in depth conversation about his unique hockey journey, returning to the Kitchener Rangers after time with the Belleville Senators, battling through a serious injury, and embracing a leadership role on one of the OHL’s top teams. Andonovski opens up about the emotional moment he was drafted by the Ottawa Senators, the sacrifices made by his family, the bond he shares with his billet family in Kitchener, and the culture that has helped shape the Rangers organization over the past five seasons. The Rangers captain also reflects on modeling his game after former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin, organizing team bonding activities, his memorable Gordie Howe hat trick, and the playoff expectations surrounding a loaded Kitchener roster featuring names like Sam O’Reilly and Trent Swick. One of the most personal and revealing interviews yet with one of the OHL’s most respected defensemen.Chapters:0:00 Intro0:21 Matthew Andonovski on his difficult season and injury recovery1:15 Returning to the Kitchener Rangers after Belleville2:03 Reflecting on five years with the Rangers organization2:56 The hilarious “Fat Club” story3:36 From struggling for ice time to getting drafted by Ottawa4:07 Andonovski recalls getting drafted by the Senators5:54 Emotional reaction from his father after the NHL Draft6:17 His relationship with billet family Mike and Amanda8:16 Why billet families become lifelong relationships8:41 The sacrifices made by his parents and family9:52 Modeling his game after Jake Muzzin10:59 Leadership, team bonding and Rangers culture12:22 Breaking down his Gordie Howe hat trick and diving assist14:49 A day in the life of Matthew Andonovski during the season#TheSheet #JeffMarek #KitchenerRangers #OHL #OttawaSenators #NHLProspects #MatthewAndonovski #Hockey #DailyFaceoff #JuniorHockey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every team needs a Matthew Andonovsky. Leader, loved in the room and in the community, stands up for teammates, blocks any shot, always wears a letter. The Ottawa Senators know they have a good one with the young man they call Ando. Enjoy our conversation. Well, you've had an interesting season. H.L. Belleville, back to the kitchen arrangers. The team is a wagon.

you've become once again a big part of it. Matthew, describe your season to everybody. Definitely a odd season, season that I wish no one would ever get. Got hurt in Belleville. Well, it was in the lineup first and then kind of got a shot. Toma Gronin was a really bad injury

and wouldn't want anyone to go through that. I was out for two and a half months after Christmas. It was kind of a team was let me know that I'm coming back and was super excited. Obviously, I saw a lot of the guys that were, we came back with a lot of guys. So being here with a lot of returning guys and then me returning and then adding Edwards, O'Reilly, Wully, those guys too, kind of just put us over the top.

So came back and we have a strong decor and a lot of depth and a lot of aspects of our team, whether it's depth, skill, speed. So, yeah, we have a really good. team and so we're excited for the playoff run here. What was it like walking through that door again? Weird, really weird, because they redid it all. So the room's the same or pretty much. They got the logo on the ceiling, but the gym.

On behalf of media, thank you for that, by the way. Yeah, so they put all the work into the gym and stuff. That was nice instead of going downstairs, we can go right from the room to the gym, warm up and all that up here. So I was blown away with. all the additions they've added to the room. You know, this is year five with the Kitchener Rangers. And, you know, I think back to your your first season in the OHL and I guess Carson

Raycopp would have been on that team and a lot of, I just saw a bunch of your old teammates this weekend, you sports playing for St. Mary's and how things have changed. Like, can you sort of walk us through what the last five years have been with all the, all the different faces? And now, like, you're the vet. You're the vet on the team. Yeah, absolutely. learned a lot from a lot of the older guys.

Arbor Jackiecki was my first year. Jack I was on that team for sure, yeah. Jack I was here. I got Mike Patiz and that's at UMB right now. Reed Valad was with St. Mary's. So a lot of those older guys when I was a young

young cat was taught me a lot and I can't think of enough. Obviously Macer was here my first year. He was coaching my first year. So they took a chance on me. So I mean, this organization means a lot to me and taking a chance when I was 16. Merles is still here too.

There's a good story about that. I was in the Fat Club. There's three of us in the Fat Club. What's the Fat Club? We had a bike workout after every practice. So, Wyman would write, him and Murles would write down bike workouts that we'd have to do after every practice. And the only channel we got in the bike room was the food channel. So we'd be riding the bike

Three of us in the Fat Club Watching the food channel A lot of time it was baking So yeah we'd be like Hunting down like all this is what we're gonna eat next After our good bike workouts So yeah but a lot of ups and downs Of my first year didn't play a lot

But I learned a lot And then my second year came in Didn't score a goal for two years At this organization And they still kept me around Then got drafted to Ottawa And scored my first goal My first game, my third year

So I've been through up and downs a lot, but I've been, I've improved a ton and all my developments been with Kitchener. It's, it is fascinating, too. I want to, a couple of things want to pick out there. And that fact club story is hilarious, by the way. And I can, I can totally see it. When you got drafted, what went through your mind? Like the Ottawa senators grabbed you.

What went through your mind right away? Just kind of like, I worked so hard. All the hard work's kind of paying off. obviously still a long way to go to make my dream come true playing in the NHL, but kind of a step in the right direction. I didn't go to the draft. I knew I had quite a bit of attention, talked to a lot of teams, but there's a lot of uncertainty whether I was going to get picked or not with how I play,

left-shot defenseman and all that with my style of play. Everyone wants to shut down defensemen, but I was very uncertain. No one was home at my house. I was home alone shooting Pucks. And I got the call and my phone just started blowing up. My dad. Who called you? Well, my Billet Mom texted me first because she was watching it.

Yeah. And then it was the GM. Steve Steeves? Yeah, Steve called me. So, yeah, it was really cool. So you're out in the driveway shooting Pucks. Yeah, I was in my garage. You weren't like married to the television.

No, I actually, I did my regular routine. I went to work out with Kevin Curdo. Oh, yeah. We watched the, they had the draft in the background with the whole group, everyone's watching. And then I went home and I was like trying to keep busy, trying, obviously long day, seven rounds. So trying to keep busy, keep my mind off it. And yeah, they, I got a call and my phone just started blown up. And I was like, what happened?

Because I wasn't paying attention. And it was Ottawa that picked me. Do you remember, like, of all the, like, calls or texts that you got? I'm always curious, like, sort of who pops up from your history, old players, old coaches, old friends, maybe people from the Ottawa organization, like, were there, were there any calls or texts that you're like, ooh, didn't expect to hear from this person? Not really, but I'd say the phone call for my dad. My dad's kind of a, doesn't really show his emotions quite bit. But he called me and he was crying on the phone. I've never saw that side of him.

So that meant a lot to see my dad or hear my dad in that kind of state and showing his moisten and crying because of how happy you was. You know, so you mentioned your billet mom calls. So that would be Amanda. Yeah. So when I say Mike and Amanda, what comes to your mind? They took me in at 16 years old. I was a young kid, first time moving away from home. And they're a second family in me.

I've been with them for five years now. we were joking a couple days ago on the couch they're like an aunt and uncle to me now they i'm like part of their family and they're part of ours um and they mean uh the world to me um little bill's sister too kennedy um i've seen her grown up and it's it's kind of scary how fast time time flies um so now she's five um and i've seen her i've had five birthdays with her so it's been it's been crazy to see her grew up and I got a picture with her every year I've been here and see both of us change and grew up is is kind of wild what was it like going back uh it was it was pretty crazy they didn't tell kennedy that I was coming back um they had another kid in the house at the

time and uh the first night I actually stayed with cracks at cracks's place because they didn't want to kick the kid out your assistant coach yeah yeah so I didn't want to kick the kid out um he was like our third goalies who was just here for like Christmas break and he was leaving a few days later so I was like you can stay here I can get live with someone else or whatever but you're settled in like I'll let you stay until you leave but I stay with cracks and um there was some rule that the kid had to leave um so he left that morning and I went over and she thought I was just visiting for Christmas break and New Year's and stuff and then I said I'm staying and she didn't believe me And then I was like, would it be okay if I stayed the rest of the year here?

And she's like, what do you mean? I'm like, yeah, I'm staying here for the rest of the year until the season's done. She was all she started crying. So it was awesome to see that. So like these are people you're going to know your whole life. I'm always amazed at how much junior hockey players later on in life, wherever they end up, NHL, private business, wherever they end up, always keep in touch with the billet families. That's going to be you?

Oh, yeah, I'm going to keep in touch. They come down once or twice a summer. Kennedy loves swimming in the pool back home. So they come down. We always keep in touch over the summer. And they're like a second family. I'm always going to keep in touch with them. Okay, so that's Mike and Amanda.

Tell me about Mike and Pam. Yeah, those are my parents. My dad, I love them. I love my mom too. They've helped me along the way big time. My dad's pushed me. Every year, he keeps pushing me to get better. He's been a huge part of my success so far,

and my development as well, helped me drive me to skates. I got two younger brothers, too, that play hockey. So they're troopers when it comes to driving all three of us to hockey, and I don't know how they manage the schedule with all three of us playing minor hockey in Toronto and then in Markham and all that, but they figured it out,

and they came to every game they could, whether it was for a period or they'd all be there for the whole game, and they still make the drives to Kitchener most Friday nights. You mentioned your style a couple of seconds ago, and I'm curious about that too, because the trend now in the NHL, as much as everybody goes crazy about, you know, Elaine Hudson and now Matthew Schaefer and Kail McCar and Quinn Hughes, etc. You know, there is still a real premium based on teams that can defend in their own end, right? Like those are the guys that, you know, they might not put up all the points. But the one constant, like you look every year, like the teams that win the Stanley Cup, so the ones that are. can defend and they have blue lines that can defend.

In that spirit, who are your favorite players growing up? Like, were there a defenseman that you admired that you're like, I want to play like this guy? Yeah. Being from kind of the Toronto area, watched Elise a lot. I love Jake Muzin when you got traded Elise. Big shutdown, physical guy, played hard, blocked shots, willing to do anything to win. I really modeled my game after him as I was growing up.

So that was kind of the one guy. I liked Victor Hedman, but he's a little bit more flashy than I am to date. But yeah, like those big guys that defend hard and play a physical style. But I'd say Jake Muzin for the longest time. You know, there are a lot of people, you mentioned Jake Muzin, a lot of people that felt, even though at that time John Tavares were the sea,

that Jake Muzin was a captain of that team. Like he was the guy that kept everything together. Does that resonate with you as a former captain here? Yeah, I think my play stems from my leadership. I'm willing to do anything, whether it's block shots, hit. I'll stick up for teammates or get a spark for my team. But in the room, I'm not afraid to step up and talk and keep the guys together. We do a lot of stuff away from the rink.

I think that's helped the winning culture in this organization. It started my first year, and it's built every year and got stronger, whether it's going bowling as a team, going to movie nights, team dinners and stuff like that. We do a lot of stuff outside the rank that brings us a lot closer together. Who puts that together? Is that you? I put a lot of it together.

The team's willing to pay for our movie nights as long as everyone goes. So it's a lot of planning. As long as everybody goes, they'll go pick it up. Yeah. So they're good about that. If it's all 25 guys in the room, are going to come to a movie night and hang out as a team, they're willing to pay for it.

They won't pay for dinner, which I'm trying to get them to pay for. I've got to talk to Bertie about that one. But yeah, so we do a lot of stuff, whether it's just going to someone's house and watching a OHL game or NHL game, we do a lot of stuff. So, yeah, a lot of us convene and talk,

but I'd say I like to hang out with the guys, so I'm the one planning a lot of it. You know, one of the hardest things to do as a defenseman is get a gory-how. Patrick. I see a lot of forwards with that. But you have one. And the thing about that game, that was the game where you made that diving pass to Sam O'Reilly,

which is one of like the best highlights of the season. Of the goal, the fight, the assist. Which one stands out in that game for you? Probably the fight. We were up by one goal and I, top kind of asked me to go. And I was like, I play that game too. I'm like, I'm not going to fall for your trap of trying to get their team going and our team not.

And I was like, I can't, I can't give you one. I'm sorry. Like, I'd love to, I'm not afraid to back down. I'll never back down from a fight. But I'm like, I can't give you one. I was like, you got to jump me because then we'll be on the power play and all that. So he, it was right off the face off and we're kind of yelling back and forth. And I was like, okay, you got to jump me.

You got to jump me. You got to jump me. I was like, okay, perfect. Like, you jump me. We got on the power play. and I hang in there and we have a fight. And he kind of skated around the neutral zone. The play went on and he dropped his mitts at the their blue line.

And I was at our blue line and he skated all the way with his gloves off. And I waited just so I could make sure it was an instigator. And we didn't get the instigator. And I was really upset about them not getting an instigator. It was just five each. So I was kind of upset that I think they scored on that penalty or we didn't get a pound but they scored in that five minutes. I mean, I was kind of pissed.

And then I think it was two shifts later. I went out there and got the diving assist. So I kind of made up for it. So I'd say the assist in the fight, but it was kind of weird that I waited and didn't get the instigator. I don't get a lot of calls going my way in this league, but it is what it is. Because that assist was spectacular, right?

Like, it's very rarely a dive. A, you see a diving assist, but B, a diving assist that's a perfect pass that leads to a goal. Yeah. Well, it starts from the pass, not even the kickout pass to the middle, not even being directed for me. It was a sauce pass cross ice to O'Reilly anyways. Yeah. And I wave my stick and knock it down.

It's a little bit too far ahead, so I have to dive. And it ends up on a stick. So I think it was all kind of just trying to make the best out of a broken play and end up being right on a stick. Last question for you. Give us your sort of game day experience or just like an average day. in your life here in Kitchener? Yeah, we wake up. We have practice in the morning,

workout before a skate. After practice, we have an awesome facility here, so I tend to stay a lot longer than I'm probably welcome. But I stay here. We have a sauna, cold tub, so I do a lot of recovery most days. Either go out for lunch with a lot of the guys in the team or most days my billet mom packs me a lunch.

So she's been really helpful with my diet. Lost 20 pounds over the summer this summer. So her packing me lunch and make sure I'm on top of my nutrition has helped a lot. Go home. Some days I take a nap. Some days I do some schoolwork. I'm in university class right now. So I'm still picking away at that university class.

and then either dinner with my billets or some nights we go for a team dinner as a group and shut her down after that. That's awesome. Listen, thanks so much for doing this. Much appreciated. Continued success. Thanks, Jeff.