When the Canucks signed Zack MacEwen as a free agent out of the QMJHL, it was about as under-the-radar as a signing can get. MacEwen was a late-bloomer who had put up a decent, but not outstanding, 74 points in 66 games as a 20-year-old overager after middling numbers in his one previous QMJHL season.
Generally speaking, such players don鈥檛 go on to much success in professional hockey. Canucks fans would be familiar with this from previous undrafted free agents out of junior hockey like Dane Fox, who had a whopping 64 goals and 107 points in 67 games in his over-age season in the OHL. Unfortunately, Fox couldn鈥檛 even crack the Utica Comets鈥� lineup and spent his professional career in North America in the ECHL before heading overseas to ply his trade in Germany.
There were other red flags with MacEwen as well: his breakout season came while playing with the supremely talented, if somewhat short, Vitali Abramov, who had 104 points to MacEwen鈥檚 74. Also, Abramov was only 18 years old at the time. There was reason to question whether MacEwen鈥檚 numbers were solely a reflection of Abramov.
There was also MacEwen鈥檚 6鈥�4鈥� stature: did he put up points in junior primarily because of his size advantage? While there were certainly things to like about MacEwen鈥檚 game, there were plenty of reasons to be skeptical.
Then a funny thing happened: MacEwen stepped right into the Utica Comets鈥� lineup and put up 33 points in 66 games as a rookie. That鈥檚 solid production for a rookie and was good for fourth on the Comets in scoring. The team gave him the Ian Anderson Award as their most improved player.
Then, in the 2018-19 season, MacEwen proved it wasn鈥檛 a fluke and took a big step forward, doubling his goal totals. He finished third on the Comets in scoring with 22 goals and 52 points in 69 games and earned a after a four-point game against the Rochester Americans.
What鈥檚 intriguing about MacEwen is that he seems like a player that can fit anywhere in the lineup. MacEwen is a good skater, particularly for his 6鈥�4鈥� size, so it鈥檚 easy to picture him on a fourth line, banging and crashing on the forecheck. But he鈥檚 not just a grinder: MacEwen has legitimate skill, including an exceptional shot.
Even in drills at prospect camp, MacEwen鈥檚 shot caught the eye. The puck practically leaps off his stick with little-to-no drawback and it鈥檚 easy to see how it could catch a goaltender completely off-guard.
鈥淚t's something I work on every day,鈥� said MacEwen, 鈥渨hether it鈥檚 quick release or accuracy or anything.鈥�
MacEwen鈥檚 elevation up the prospect ranks hasn鈥檛 been sudden or quick. It鈥檚 come as a result of continually taking steps forward in his development, making gradual and steady improvements. Ryan Johnson, the Canucks directed of player development and GM of the Utica Comets, has long held up MacEwen as an example.
鈥淗e's just been all in, he's taken every resource we've had from day one,鈥� said Johson. 鈥淵ou talk to our staff: he's as coachable a kid as you find, he works on his craft every single day. He comes to the arena with a purpose and has a professionalism to him that you can't not get better, the way he approaches things.鈥�
When asked about being held up as an example of the Comets鈥� development program, MacEwen deflects the credit away from himself.
鈥淎ll I have to say about it is just that the coaching staff helps, they know what they鈥檙e talking about,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd if you put the work in and you use what they're telling you to improve yourself, they're going to notice it, and it's going to improve your game.鈥�
A big reason why MacEwen was such a late bloomer is that he hit a growth spurt at 17: he went from 5鈥�8鈥� to 6鈥�4鈥� in one year. That kind of quick growth can wreak havoc with your coordination, but it also changed how people viewed his potential. He wasn鈥檛 drafted by a CHL team primarily because of his small size, then suddenly he towered over the other players on the ice.
When he got to Utica, there were a lot of areas where he needed significant improvement, but MacEwen embraced every challenge.
鈥淲e saw this blank canvas with Zack,鈥� said Johnson, 鈥渁 big man that had a skillset but we really had to improve the small details: the below the dots play, the puck protection, but again, week to week, he takes information and just applies it instantly.鈥�
That鈥檚 been key with MacEwen: beyond his size and skill, he has a great head for the game. It鈥檚 enabled him to make adjustments at every level, including his few games in the NHL.
鈥淚 find there's usually some kind of awakening where you're like, 鈥極kay, I can't do that anymore,鈥欌�� MacEwen said with a laugh. 鈥淎nd then you adjust and you move on.
鈥淚 think it's more about picking your times better. You still have this skill. All the junior guys that are drafted, they're coming up, they're all going to have a lot of skill and everybody that's in the AHL has a lot of skill. And it's all about just picking your times to use that.鈥�
鈥淚 had Trent Cull tell me something my first year that stuck with me,鈥� he added. 鈥淗e said, 鈥楧on't try to make five spectacular plays a game, do 20 ordinary plays spectacularly.鈥欌��
So what lies ahead for MacEwen in the coming season? Will his spectacular execution of ordinary plays get him in the Canucks lineup to start the season? It鈥檚 unlikely, simply because of the logjam at winger ahead of him, but it鈥檚 not entirely out of the question. It would just require a few veterans to get moved off the roster.
Most likely, however, MacEwen will start the season in the AHL, continuing to make incremental improvements to the details of his game. Then, when injuries inevitably strike the Canucks鈥� lineup, MacEwen should be at the top of the call-up list.
鈥淚 expect him to take another big step and that's all Zack has done,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淗e's jumped into our development process right from day one and he's turned over every stone to make himself a player...It's not just year to year, but month a month, he just continues to take steps and take steps.鈥�
The next big step for MacEwen is making the NHL and sticking in the Canucks lineup. The question after that is how far he can go.
鈥淚 don't think I've even come close to my ceiling yet,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about just getting reps and more experience at each different level and using that experience to just work on details and little things in your game to keep improving, keep getting better every day.鈥�
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