Matt Anderson waited his entire life for the call.
Once it came finally came, after 312 minor league games over six years, the 30-year-old West Islip product thought an uncharged phone may have ruined his lifelong dream.
“I didn’t get the message until 10 a.m. in the morning [on Monday],” recalled Anderson, who was in Vermont with his AHL Devils teammates during the All-Star break. “They said they were hoping to get me to practice in Boston at 1 p.m. Right away I thought, oh dear, have I missed this already?’”
Fortunately for Anderson, it wasn’t too late — he got to Boston in time to make his NHL debut on Tuesday, an unforgettable moment for a career minor leaguer hell bent on breaking into the NHL. He had a small rooting section at the TD Bank Garden, family, friends and his parents, Thomas and Rosemarie, watching him log 11 shifts, 6 minutes, 57 seconds of ice time and register one blocked shot as the Devils fell to Boston, 2-1, in a shootout.
“It was pretty surreal,” said Anderson, who notched 20 points in 39 games with Albany before his call-up. “You visualize these things in your head. When I’m training in the summertime and working hard, you think about these things. It was a big monkey off my back.”
For Anderson, it got even better Thursday night as he notched an assist on a Ryan Carter goal in which his shot was initially stopped by goaltender Evgeni Nabokov in the Devils’ 5-4 overtime loss to the Islanders.
A graduate of West Islip High School, Anderson played four injury-plagued seasons at UMass-Lowell — he suffered season-ending injuries to his shoulder and ankle — before a long minor league career which included multiple concussions, an all-star game appearance and a few training camp cameos that proved to be nothing more than a tease.
“There have been a few bumps in the road, but that’s what makes you appreciate this that much more,” he said.
He grew up a hockey fan, though not of any one team in particular, and never gave up on his dream as he watched childhood friends Eric Nystrom, Chris Higgins and Mike Komisarek he played with as a youngster reach the NHL.
“I had a belief in myself, first and foremost,” Anderson said. “I knew it was something I could do. My friends and family, without their support and guidance along the way, I wouldn’t be sitting here today. The support kept me going.”
Anderson was particularly motivated by seeing former AHL teammate Steven Gionta break in with the Devils and make an impact. A late bloomer, Gionta didn’t make his NHL until age 27 and has earned his spot with the Devils after serving as a key contributor on the fourth line in the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
“It definitely inspired me,” Anderson said. “As I move forward here, I got to make the most of my opportunities, just like he did. I think anything is possible at this stage of the game.
“Age is just a number to me. Sometimes I think I’m still 18. I’m sure my parents and friends will agree. I still feel like I’m skating better than I ever have.”
Now that Anderson has made it, he hopes to stay. Devils coach Pete DeBoer said his call-up was “merit-based.”
He impressed DeBoer in his debut, earning himself action in Thursday night’s loss to the Islanders and possibly more playing time against the Penguins Saturday in Pittsburgh.
“I wanted to reward him [last night], based on what he brought us last game,” DeBoer said. “It’s a great story of resilience and sticking with it. A lot of guys would’ve packed it in or moved on or gone to Europe and played.”
Anderson doesn’t want the story to end. The way he sees it, in fact, it’s only beginning.