DAVID HARDEN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Icecat senior Matt Naylor transferred to UA from Manhattenville College after his sophomore season and couldn't be happier. "Nails,"as his teammates call him, has six goals and nine assists this year.

Icecat standout Matt ĪNails' Naylor has talent, toughness and the drive of his mother motivating him to excel

His teammates call him "Nails." Sure, it's a shortened version of his last name ÷ Naylor ÷ but that does not diminish its significance in regard to the way Icecat senior Matt Naylor plays the game of hockey.

It's a display of his team's respect for the toughness of its unofficial leader out on the ice.

But in Naylor's case, toughness is not measured by how many trips he takes to the penalty box or by how many fights he instigates. He does not roam the ice as an enforcer, but rather lets his stick do the talking for him, as displayed by his tally of six goals and nine assists so far this season, leading the attack on the Icecats' most potent offensive line.

For the six-foot 190-pound right wing, that toughness comes from his competitive nature, outspoken curiosity and the leadership qualities that make him one of the Icecats' most important players.

"I have always heard that ĪNails' was a good hockey name to have," Naylor said. "I am a finesse player, though, which kind of throws it off. But it's definitely something I don't mind my teammates calling me in the locker room."

Player Profile Name: Matt Naylor Position: right wing Number: 9 Year: senior Hometown: Westfield, Mass. Stats: 6 goals, 9 assists

The nickname is something the rest of the Icecat squad does not mind calling him either, as his linemates and coaches all know how important Naylor is to their success.

"Matt, (Shaun) Brooks and I play together, and if one of us isn't playing well it will definitely reflect on the other two," said junior forward and linemate Andrew Fredericks, who also lives with Naylor. "We're together all the time. I mean we live three-feet from each other, so our friendship goes way beyond hockey. But out there on the ice, we hold each other together."

That togetherness looks to have paid off, as their sense of where each other are at any given time on the ice seems to be peaking right now. The line of Fredericks, Naylor and Brooks have continued to light the lamp on a consistent basis for the Icecats, as the trio has led the Icecats to their current 6-3 start, pacing the team with a total of 18 goals and 22 assists, good for 40 points, through just nine games played.

Head coach Leo Golembiewski also said he knows the importance of having Naylor's leadership and outspoken attitude on his team.

"Matt underestimates how good he can be," Golembiewski said. "He is upbeat and positive all the time, which helps our team. He is definitely a talker in the locker room, too."

Naylor's rise to hockey success began at the age of five, when his mother, Eileen, enrolled him in a youth program near their hometown of Westfield, Mass. From that point on, it looked to be smooth sailing for the natural athlete, who makes sure that his mom gets much of the recognition for his accomplishments.

"I owe her everything," said the 21-year-old. "She got me started playing, made sure I stayed with it, and because of her, I'm playing here at Arizona now. She deserves every bit of credit for whatever success I have in anything, not just hockey."

Naylor's hockey upbringing was similar to that of many junior skaters who have aspirations of becoming the next big National Hockey League star. He took the same path taken by many other successful players, as he grew up playing for the Springfield Junior Pics hockey program, the same youth club that produced NHL standouts like Scott Lachance and All-Star Bill Guerin.

Following his youth hockey days, Naylor was enrolled in the Williston Northhampton Prep High School, to continue his hockey development.

Despite being a three-sport letterman at Williston, his hockey future hit a couple of bumps in the road when he was first denied admission to the UA upon graduating high school.

"I loved the Arizona program and everything about it," Naylor said. "I tried to get in to (the UA) as a freshman, and should have, but I didn't realize I was one science class short of getting in."

Naylor's determination and toughness, that same toughness that his teammates all look up to, pushed him towards reaching his goals of playing for Arizona. He enrolled in Manhattenville College of New York, and was a member of the Valients, the school's NCAA Division III hockey team, for two years while getting the necessary credits to be accepted into Arizona.

"This is no knock on (Manhattenville), but Arizona was a very established and competitive program, and was where I wanted to be from the start," Naylor said. "There were so many intangibles that the program offered."

While he misses home, including his mother, aunt, uncle and grandparents, who he says were all heavily instrumental in his upbringing, Naylor is more than content with his life in Tucson, including the home he shares with teammates Fredericks, Dan Whitlock, former teammate and current graduate assistant coach Kyle Neary, and their dog, Keystone.

Their four-bedroom house up on the western edge of Tucson is often a regular gathering spot for many members of the team, who come over to play pool, barbecue out back, and to just hang out together. Naylor often provides the entertainment for his housemates and guests as well, spinning records on his two turntables in the living room ÷ something he has been practicing regularly for over three years now.

"Coming to Tucson was a definite change in scenery from the cold northeast that I have no problem with," Naylor added. "The climate is great and it's easy to meet people. This was definitely one of the best decisions that I've ever made."

After finishing up his Icecat career this spring, Naylor is not sure of what will be in store for him as a hockey player, but that will not stop him from enjoying himself while he is still here.

"I was more than ready to come out here, get out of the cold and to live it up in the sun," Naylor added. "I am just enjoying my time out there playing and enjoying life. What more could I ask for?"