RoughRiders' All-Decade Team: D Matt Donovan

Second in a series looking at the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders' all-decade team

By Jeff Johnson

The Gazette

DENVER - Matt Donovan kind of knows what the United States Olympic men's hockey team felt like two weeks ago when it shocked Canada in Vancouver.

A University of Denver freshman, Donovan was part of a U.S. team that won the 2010 World Junior Championship in early January in overtime over Canada. In Saskatchewan.

“Obviously it was an unbelievable experience,” Donovan said. “Playing for your country is an awesome experience. Then to win in Canada makes it even better.”

Donovan has gotten better since his days as a Cedar Rapids RoughRider. “Dunny,” as he is known, has stepped in on the top defense pairing for college hockey's No. 2-rated team.

The highest-scoring defenseman in RoughRiders history, the Oklahoma native played the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons in Cedar Rapids.

“It's been good,” Donovan said of his season. “The first couple of weekends were tough, making the adjustment. It's the speed and the strength of the players, obviously. You're playing against older guys.

“But I think I've adjusted well.”

Donovan rooms at Denver with former RoughRiders teammate Paul Phillips, who also has gotten significant playing time as a freshman defenseman. The RoughRiders and United States Hockey League definitely were a positive experience.

“It was unbelievable,” Donovan said. “I think the USHL is the best league in the United States. You're playing against the best of the best. That helped me out a lot.

“Coach (Mark) Carlson was great and helped me make that jump.”

Donovan is a draft pick of the New York Islanders, who call him from time to time and check on his progress. He obviously has raised his professional profile in the past year but doesn't seem in a hurry to get that part of his hockey career started.

“I really don't know when that will happen,” he said. “(The Islanders) haven't given me any indication about stuff like that. My plan right now is to play here all four years.”

 BIO BOX

Name: Matt Donovan

Age: 19

Position: Defense

Hometown: Edmond, Okla.

RoughRiders seasons: 2007-08, 21008-09

Career highlights: A freshman at University of Denver, where he has six goals and 12 assists in 30 games ... Played for United States team that won the 2010 World Junior Championship in Canada ... Fourth-round NHL draft pick of the New York Islanders in 2008.