Mahura Ready For Leadership Role
Jan 14, 2021The San Diego Gulls opened their annual Training Camp on Monday, Jan. 11 at Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena in Irvine, Calif. SanDiegoGulls.com will provide an in-depth look as the team spends the next 25 days preparing for the condensed 2020-21 season.
By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com
Kevin Dineen made his expectations for third-year defenseman Josh Mahura clear.
“I expect him to take on a leadership role,” San Diego’s head coach said. “When you say that, it's not just telling guys to be on time to the rink. When you're a guy his age - which is still a young guy - and you ask him to take on a leadership role, that means you're going to be a go-to guy on the power play. That means you're going to be a guy out there that we're counting on to give us stability, being a solid, hard-to-play against defender. Where he really shines is helping to drive the offense, a really multi-faceted guy. We expect to see big things from him and help him in his development process.”
Those words are music to the St. Albert, Alberta native’s ears.
“At the end of the day, stuff like that isn't given - it's earned. It means showing up to the rink every day and putting in the work, showing the coaches you earned that. That's my main focus right now. It's not something I take lightly. I want to be a leader on the team and keep making sure the young guys are seeing the example. I want to be in the NHL, and obviously I have stuff to work on here, so just keeping up that intensity.”
With promotions to the Anaheim Ducks and the normal ebb and flow of free agency, Mahura enters this season as one of the most tenured Gulls on the team’s blue line. In two seasons – totaling 84 games – he’s posted 40 points (5g/35a). Last season saw him set new career highs in goals, points and games played.
He’s also skated in 28 career National Hockey League games, recording nine points (2g/7a).
The 2016 third-round draft pick attended this year’s camp with the Ducks, looking to earn his way onto the team’s active roster or taxi squad to start the season. When he learned he’d join the Gulls, the defenseman admitted disappointment, but didn’t want to wallow in self-pity.
“You want to make the NHL club, and obviously it's disappointing,” he explained. “At the same time, you can't be feeling sorry for yourself. You need to reflect on your camp, what you did wrong, and what you can learn with feedback you get. If you come down and sulk about it, nothing is going to change.”
The opportunity presented in San Diego should help his development. Mahura will get opportunities to lead the team from the back end and hone his craft for a potential NHL call-up. He’s identified his areas of improvement early in camp, admitting the need to bring consistent intensity in each game.
“I think that, with what I do well with skating and moving the puck, it'll take care of itself,” he said. “I need to up my intensity in my own zone and make sure I'm battling. It doesn't matter where I'm playing - I need to take the accountability and make sure I'm going every night. “
The defenseman sees plenty of talent on this year’s team. Through his first few days of camp, Mahura noted the team’s solid goaltending, plethora of puck-moving defensemen and skilled forwards who should capitalize on their opportunities. It’s a mix of veterans and new, exciting prospects, highlighted by Trevor Zegras (ninth overall, 2019 NHL Draft) and Jamie Drysdale (sixth overall, 2020 NHL Draft).
“They're both pretty fantastic to watch on the ice,” he said while discussing those two prospects. “You watch both of them and you just see the hockey sense and skating ability and the ability to be a difference maker on the ice every time they touch the puck. It's pretty special, considering their age. They obviously have a bright future with this organization, and I'm excited to work with them and see what they're able to do this year.”
Mahura considers the fast pace to camp a welcomed start, one helping to take advantage of his work in Ducks camp. It’s imperative the team – and one of their newly identified leaders – keep pushing the pace as it preps for the regular season.
“That's something we talked about - the coaching, management and staff - in meetings with the team,” he explained. “We don't have a ton of time, and everything is happening quick. Let's just make sure we're making the most of our time on the ice. There's quite a bit of new faces in the room, so making sure we're getting that familiarity and we hit the ground running.”