Canucks: Zack MacEwen finding fourth-line ticket not easy to punch

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“I just like the aggressive facet of issues and I am right here to type the staff. That is all I’ve on my thoughts. ‘ – Canucks winger Zack MacEwen.

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Ben Kuzma Vancouver Canucks winger Zack MacEwen was scratched 22 times last season and only picked up two points in 34 games. Vancouver Canucks winger Zack MacEwen was scratched 22 instances final season and solely picked up two factors in 34 video games. Picture by Bruce Bennett /PNG

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4-liners typically produce first-class copies.

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Whether or not it is cracking a Nationwide Hockey League squad, staying related in a fast-changing sport, or doing something to suppress the opponents so as to win a coach’s favor, they’ve good tales concerning the Grind, as a result of the place doesn’t all the time supply job safety.

Except you are Tyler Motte.

The fast and courageous Vancouver Canucks winger, rehabilitating himself from low season higher physique surgical procedure, led the membership on hits final season, completed second in strikers in blocked photographs, was a penalty kick and was typically utilized in shutdown matches . All whereas being restricted to 24 video games because of two accidents.

That is the stuff of fourth line longevity and one which Zack MacEwen has to mimic in some methods.

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He is massive in dimension and coronary heart, and difficult as nails. He went from an undrafted plugger to a Utica Comets undertaking and scored 52 factors (22-30) within the 2018-19 American Hockey League season. Nevertheless, fidelity in step and exertion are very important, because the fourth line right here has developed from an low season projection by Brandon Sutter between Motte and Matthew Highmore or MacEwen to a number of eventualities.

Sutter missed the coaching camp and is unable to organize for the season and the beginning of the common season because of extended fatigue. Placing Jason Dickinson within the fourth row pivot function is smart as a defensive specialist – particularly if the Canucks hold JT Miller and Elias Pettersson within the center – as a result of he additionally scored penalties with the Dallas Stars.

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Phillip Di Giuseppe has garnered some favors on the left wing as a Motte 2.0 clone within the fourth row, whereas skilled tryout veteran Alex Chiasson is an influence play possibility. The versatile Nic Petan is a penalty shootout alternative and the powerful rookie Will Lockwood can be within the fascinating combine.

Vancouver Canucks' Zack MacEwen juggles a puck during their NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena on March 24, 2021. Vancouver Canucks’ Zack MacEwen juggles a puck throughout their NHL sport towards the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Area on March 24, 2021. Picture by Jeff Vinnick /PNG

The place is 25 yr outdated MacEwen with an expiring contract?

After a compact and coronavirus-stricken 2020-21 season by which he was scratched 22 instances, together with a pair of three durations and two 4 durations, it is laborious to neglect to solely rating two factors in 34 video games. MacEwen was paired with Travis Boyd, Jimmy Vesey, Jayce Hawryluk, Tyler Graovac, Jay Beagle, Adam Gaudette, Antoine Roussel, Sutter and Motte in varied fourth-row configurations final season.

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He wants a brief reminiscence to disperse the previous and has to observe the transient instruction from Travis Inexperienced.

“Play properly,” stated the Canucks supervisor. “Identical to everybody else who’s preventing for the final locations. Zack was up and down final yr and he is aware of it. He’s in fine condition and is unquestionably within the combine. “

Nonetheless, the duty all the time rests with the participant.

MacEwen was paired up with Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson to start out coaching camp – maybe a motivational bone to get his engine working – however he is aware of his bread is flashy for all the appropriate causes. He is pointless in two prep video games and had a quick argument with Erik Gudbranson in Calgary on Friday to attempt to acquire momentum.

To his credit score, MacEwen should clearly have tried to do all the things attainable to enhance his stamina and step.

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In the summertime of 2019 he educated with David ‘Eli’ MacEachern, who shared Olympic gold with Italy within the 1998 two-man bobsleigh in Nagano with Pierre Lueders from Workforce Canada and so the technique made sense.

Quick ahead and nothing made sense to the Canucks or MacEwen final season. A large number of accidents, a staff and employees outbreak of COVID-19 that enabled the sixth most targets and the 24. It was a survival time.

“Because it went final yr, everybody has to show one thing to shake it off and transfer on – particularly myself,” stated MacEwen. “For my part, I’ve essentially the most to enhance and have a superb yr. I labored laborious for that in the summertime. “

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On the query of whether or not there was a fallout with the coach final season – particularly after 5 targets in 17 video games in 2019/20 – MacEwen postponed the time-honored response.

“In the event you play properly, you may be performed,” he argued. “You possibly can say my sport wasn’t the place it belongs. I took that to coronary heart and it made me work even more durable and are available again to be extra prepared, put myself in a greater temper, and play my sport extra.

“Do what I can and do it with confidence. One of many issues I talked about with Greener over the summer time was that it will be aggressive and the interior competitors is de facto good for the groups and getting individuals prepared. I just like the aggressive facet of issues and I am right here to make the staff. That is all I’ve in my head. “

If MacEwen wants additional motivation, he ought to console himself with how far he has come and the way that development may lengthen his NHL profession.

“You must get a really feel for the life-style and all the things it is advisable to get there (NHL) and keep there,” he as soon as stated. “It feels good to be seen as a result of it retains me busy creating all facets of my sport. You could have put the effort and time into me to develop myself additional. “

bkuzma@postmedia.com
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