The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has voted Mikey Eyssimont as its nominee for the 2024 Bill Masterton Trophy
On March 1, 2023 - Mikey Eyssimont was at a local grocery store preparing for what would’ve been his first home-cooked meal in his new San Jose apartment. Then he received a call that the Sharks were trading him to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Eyssimont was elated. Having watched the team growing up, he wanted to do everything he could to make a lasting impact.
“I watched a lot of Tampa Bay Lightning hockey growing up. They were having a lot of success as I was in the USHL, in college and during my first year as a pro,” said Eyssimont.
Eyssimont has built a reputation for being a speedy winger who excels on the forecheck, something Lightning GM Julien BriseBois gravitated towards. He’s currently second among forwards on a star-studded team with 122 hits. His shots per 60 minutes rate of 9.15 is second to NHL points leader, Nikita Kucherov.
At any point in time, Eyssimont can be seen around Amalie Arena, glued to a tablet studying his game.
“I sometimes feel like a 10-year-old kid at dinner where he can’t put his iPad down, but it’s important for me to make sure I know that I’m getting fired up over the things that I’m doing well out there and watching some good things, and then on the other side of that it’s also having the visual to be able to clean things up and do what the coaches need me to do," Eyssimont said.
He plays with a constant edge and has the ability to get under the skin of his opponents. His grittiness fit into the Lightning lineup seamlessly. After being shuffled through four different organizations, Eyssimont finally found his home in Tampa.
Once the 2022-23 season concluded, the Lightning re-signed the forward to a two-year, $1.6-million contract.
“Signing an extension here was a dream come true for me and my family and finding a home here. These teammates are like family to me now and the coaching staff is as well.”
Signing an extension with the Lightning was only step one of what he hopes is a long career in Tampa. Eyssimont is committed to keeping the same “development mindset” he had while playing in the AHL. The adversity he faced at the start of his career is something he embraces now.
“I think every year I try to elevate my game to a point where I'm playing the best hockey I've ever played at some point during the season, and try to continue that stretch and continue developing, keeping that development mindset that I had when I was in the AHL, where you’re working all summer and during the season with skating coaches and skills coaches,” Eyssimont said.
“When I'm not playing my game, I know that I'm not doing the things that got me here. I always just remember to revert back to the hard working, forechecking, gritty, hardest worker on the ice player. Then I can find my game.”
Getting to this point was no walk in the park. In 2016, Eyssimont was selected in the fifth round of the draft by the Los Angeles Kings after 40 NCAA games with St. Cloud State. After three years with the Kings organization, Eyssimont was not given a qualifying offer, making him a UFA.
In a span of just seven months, he was signed by the Winnipeg Jets as a free agent, then later waived. The San Jose Sharks picked him up off waivers, and then later traded him to his current home with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Eyssimont also had to handle the diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease during his days at St. Cloud State. The diagnosis has forced him to live a strict lifestyle that includes a clean diet and a significant amount of sleep. He still receives medication every eight weeks to prevent his condition from flaring up.
“I kind of have an advantage over a lot of guys since I’ve been diagnosed as I have to stay healthy and I have to live the lifestyle that ultimately aligns with what my goals are as a professional athlete,” Eyssimont said.
“I don’t have a choice and I just kind of am maybe lucky that way but really, I’ve learned to simplify things in my life and make sure that my health comes first.”
Eyssimont actively works with charities that assist young athletes who also battle with Crohn’s Disease, one being Athletes Vs Crohn’s & Colitis, which was co-founded in 2017 by NBA veteran Larry Nance, Jr.
“That’s been a very special thing for me. I think that giving back is a great way to help myself as well.”
The Bill Masterton Trophy recognizes the NHL player who best exemplifies ‘sportsmanship, perseverance and dedication to hockey’ which is why Mikey Eyssimont was nominated. An overall winner will be selected at the conclusion of the season by the membership of the PHWA.