Matt Hyde is many things: a varsity athlete, a commerce student and a business owner.
Hyde, along with his wife, owns and operates Slaysh — a skateboard and snowboard shop in the Glebe.
Now a member of the Ravens men’s hockey team, Hyde started his career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
He first laced up with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in 2000. After a gritty first year, in which he registered 157 penalty minutes in 67 games, Hyde made an appearance at tryouts for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL.
“Through that whole process, I saw what it took in order to go to the next level and I wasn’t really willing to commit the rest of my life to train and play hockey,” Hyde said.
After suffering a shoulder injury and having inconsistent playing time in his second year, Hyde left the Drakkar and returned to Ottawa.
Hyde lays the success story of his business at the feet of his wife. According to him, she came up with the initial idea of creating their own business.
“One day came and she said we could start our own business,” Hyde said. “Together, we decided that was it.”
Hyde then turned his attention to going to school. He got involved with the Ravens after reading a newspaper article about ex-NHLer Mike Danton leaving jail and joining the Saint Mary’s University hockey team.
In Canadian Interuniversity Sport hockey, there’s no age limit on players, which was appealing to the 28 year-old.
After applying to Carleton, he asked former head coach Fred Parker if he could try out for the team. After Marty Johnston replaced Parker as head coach, Hyde called again asking for a chance to try out.
“In all honesty, I didn’t think he had a chance of making the team considering the length of time he had been away from hockey and the calibre of players we had,” Johnston said.
Since then, Hyde has been busy pursuing a bachelor of business degree and playing with the Ravens, as well as working two jobs. Not only does Hyde work at Slaysh, he also works about 40 to 50 hours a week with his family’s company helping build seniors housing in Ottawa’s Richmond area.
“All three of them together can be a little bit busy, but my family’s really supportive and flexible with my schedule,” Hyde said.
Hyde is also the oldest player on the team.
“Some of the guys tell him we just missed each other playing in the QMJHL,” Johnston, a QMJHL graduate himself, said laughing.
“I don’t think about it a ton, but definitely once in a while when you’re around the young guys you’re reminded of it,” Hyde said.
But his maturity and professionalism has earned nothing but praise from his coach.
“He’s a very mature guy, gets to the rink early, works out after practice and is just a good example for our guys,” Johnston said.