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Inspire And Be Inspired - Share Your Grit Story

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Matt Moulson – MattyMo

Matt Moulson, a dedicated advocate for youth hockey, is currently running his own coaching and mentoring program, The Moulson Mindset. His main goal is to help young athletes reach their full potential. After an impressive college career at Cornell, where he scored 71 goals and 138 points in 134 games, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the ninth round of the 2003 NHL Draft. He signed with the Los Angeles Kings in 2006. After a strong showing in the AHL, he made his NHL debut with the Kings in 2007, scoring a goal in his first game. He went on to have a successful career, including three consecutive 30-goal seasons with the New York Islanders.

To read Matt’s full bio,

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Coming Soon – Edition 2 Featuring Mike Komisarek

His journey of Passion to the Big Leagues and beyond!

Komisarek is of Polish descent. His father, Roman Komisarek, was 24 when he moved to the United States, where he eventually opened an auto-body repair shop on Long Island Roman Komisarek left his wife Kathy behind in Poland until he could earn enough to afford an apartment and support her. Mike Komisarek stated that, “At that time, my parents knew they wanted to start a family and give me and my sister a better opportunity. My father moved to Brooklyn, found a job and didn’t know the language at all. He just had the clothes on his back. Now, we have a nice home on Long Island, and my parents provided everything we ever needed. I always carried that with me. I always wanted to make them proud.”

At the University of Michigan, Komisarek excelled over two seasons, earning First Team All-American honors in 2002 and helping the Wolverines win a CCHA title and make two NCAA Championship appearances. Drafted seventh overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2001, he debuted in the NHL during the 2002–03 season. Known for his physicality, he led the league in blocked shots in 2007–08 and was a 2009 NHL All-Star.

In 2009, Komisarek signed a five-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs but faced injuries, including a season-ending surgery in 2010. After being bought out in 2013, he joined the Carolina Hurricanes for one season before retiring.

Post-retirement, Mike Komisarek has dedicated himself to developing the next generation of hockey players. After completing his degree at the University of Michigan and joining their hockey coaching staff, he took on a significant role with USA Hockey in 2016 as an Athlete Director. In this capacity, Komisarek plays a crucial part in shaping future talents. He served as an advisor focused on player development for the Buffalo Sabres for three years, Currently, he is working with the Vancouver Canucks, starting his third season along with the Sedin twins and Mikael Samuelsson.**

Grit Pile Kidz Club - Wall of Fame

Signed Edition Komo’s Grit Pile Engine – Featuring Mike Komisarek (Coming in November 2024)

MattyMo

Matt Moulson – MattyMo
He overcame the challenge of not being the best player in youth hockey. Still, through grit, determination and resiliency, he worked his way to the NHL.

Signed Edition Komo’s Grit Pile Engine – Featuring Mike Komisarek (Coming in November 2024)

Komo

Mike Komisarek – Komo
Didn’t step on the ice until he was 12, but his passion and the loving support of his family, and coaches led him to the NHL and the Olympic team.

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Who will be featured next?

Coming soon!

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