Matthew Desiderio currently ranks second among USHL defensemen with 30 points and he's played a key role in Dubuque's success
Matthew Desiderio played 46 games last season, which was his first in the USHL. However, the New Jersey native spent much of it in a limited role, as he found himself on a talented Dubuque blue line.
Whether it was Joona Vaisanen, Fisher Scott, Lucas St. Louis, Seamus Powell, Jayden Jubenvill or Caelum Dick – the list goes on. Dubuque had arguably the USHL’s best defensive corps and the Fighting Saints won an Eastern Conference championship and advanced to the Clark Cup Final.
Make no mistake, it wasn’t always easy and Desiderio often found himself in and out of the lineup. However, he learned a ton along the way and it’s paying dividends this winter.
“Your first year you’re just trying to learn, especially with the D corps we had last season,” he said. “Obviously that added a lot of pressure and my confidence definitely wasn’t as high as it is this year, but making the jump from first to second year your playing time goes up and you’re trusted in a bigger role. I feel like it’s just coming along really nicely and when the coaches trust putting you out there in the big situations it makes the game a lot easier.”
Dubuque’s coaches have trusted Desiderio for good reason, as he’s been one of the USHL’s top defensemen – especially in the offensive zone.
The Brown commit has 12 goals and 30 points through 37 games, and those 30 points rank second among all USHL defensemen. He currently owns a five-game point streak too, and Dubuque (26-10-0-1) owns the league’s top win percentage (.716) and most points (53).
Desiderio, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, has been a fixture on Dubuque’s top pair and a key part of his team’s success.
“I’ve just been finding myself in the right spots at the right time, and the boys have been making great plays to find me and my job a little easier,” Desiderio said. “But just finding the right play at the right time is something I feel I’ve been doing a great job of this year and that’s been leading to the offense.”
While he’s broken out this season, Desiderio’s growth doesn’t come as a total surprise to those around him.
Whether he was watching Fisher Scott during practice or Lucas St. Louis on the power play, Desiderio tried to watch how his teammates carried themselves last season. Along with emulating their practice habits or offensive instincts. That’s especially evident on the power play, where Desiderio has scored five of his 12 goals.
The way last season ended provided plenty of motivation too, as Dubuque lost to Fargo in the Clark Cup Final. Desiderio said he committed to the weight room and his nutrition over the summer, and he believes the Fighting Saints can make it back this season.
Desiderio feels his personal success stems from the team’s success, but it’s also a byproduct of his work up to this point.
“It’s been really nice to see him get rewarded this season but with how hard he works and the type of kid Desi is, I wouldn’t say it comes as a total surprise,” said head coach Evan Dixon. “Even with the limited minutes and reps he got last year, I thought he was still able to contribute for us and you could see what he was capable of. Even in practice. We were just so deep and he was still developing as a player. He stuck it out though and worked through that process, and obviously he’s having a tremendous season now.”
As for the type of player Dixon has on his blue line, he thrives in the big moments and constantly shows his ‘great instincts’ at both ends of the ice.
“He’s just a smart, reliable defenseman and he generates a lot of offense back there for us,” Dixon said. “He’s got a knack for putting himself in positions to create offense, both with and without the puck, and he’s got a healthy confidence.
“He’s always finding a way to get himself in the mix and have an impact, and he’s a big part of the success we’ve had up to this point. He believes in himself, rightfully so, and I think we’re just seeing his confidence continue to grow as he sees the results.”
Dixon added that Desiderio’s ability to anticipate turnovers allows him to join the rush and be involved offensively, and he pairs that with a ‘heavy shot.’
Desiderio said shooting the puck has been a bigger focus this season too, along with simply making quicker decisions. Both have continued to develop as a second-year player.
“I feel like that’s really benefited my game and at the end of the day, when you’re on the ice more and playing the bigger role, you’re going to have more chances to make plays,” he said. “So I’ve just tried to make smarter plays and that’s helped a lot too.”
It’s been a tremendous start to the season and Desiderio is enjoying life in northeast Iowa. He’s a competitive kid and has grown as both a player and person throughout the season, and the Fighting Saints continue finding ways to win.
The hope is that continues down the stretch, and Desiderio continues to elevate his game.
“I just want him to continue taking steps and not be satisfied,” Dixon said. “He’s had a tremendous amount of success up to this point and as an organization, we’re really happy with where his game is at, but we want him to continue taking steps and just be the best version of himself.”