Player Discussion The Big Fella: Zack MacEwen (MAY 7 - Suspended 1 game)

[Megaterio Llamas]

Besides the fact that he falls down a lot there's a lot to like in Big Mac. His late development spurt is pretty amazing. I'm really hoping Travis gives him enough leash to really get his feet wet and get comfortable and doesn't just sit him in favor of Eriksson the first chance he gets.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

The best part of the article to me is the massive irony of their skewering of dinosaur scouts ‘signing a player who looks like their idea of what an NHLer should be’ while they completely dismiss a player they’ve never seen play because he superficially fits their stat geek perimeters of what looks like a bust.

He was just betting on a fart smelling bad without digging deeper.

I dont get what the big f***in deal is here...

 

[Jay Cee]

Put bluntly, Jeremy is an idiot

I think it is just symptomatic of the "hot take" environment we are in today. Everyone wants to pile on every day hockey moves and make them sound like they are going to be the absolute worst thing ever- because on the face of things it looks like a bad move.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

I think it is just symptomatic of the "hot take" environment we are in today. Everyone wants to pile on every day hockey moves and make them sound like they are going to be the absolute worst thing ever- because on the face of things it looks like a bad move.

I bet if you look through his history of similar takes, he is right most of the time.

Just because this fart happened to smell like flowers, doesnt mean its a bad take to assume farts smell bad.

 

[Jay Cee]

I bet if you look through his history of similar takes, he is right most of the time.

Just because this fart happened to smell like flowers, doesnt mean its a bad take to assume farts smell bad.

It was a contract slot. The hot take for a perceived bad trade or draft pick is the same as some flier on a JR FA. It's stupid.

If he simply said something reasonable like he didn't agree with the signing and here's why he wouldn't have felt compelled to write an article to say he was wrong. But, no, he had to give the over the top smack down on a contract slot.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

It was a contract slot. The hot take for a perceived bad trade or draft pick is the same as some flier on a JR FA. It's stupid.

If he simply said something reasonable like he didnt agree with the signing and here's why he wouldn't have felt compelled to write an article to say he was wrong but he had to give the over the top smack down on a contract slot.

I think there was a time when we were running out of contract slots.

 

[VanJack]

Zack MacEwen was an un-drafted player signed as a 20-year old out of the Q by the Canucks....the fact that he's even played a single NHL game is a a huge bonus....anything he does from here on is gravy.

 

[Green Blank Stare]

Scores again and gets 7 minutes of ice time. Great coaching.

 

[EpochLink]

I call him The Big Dawg

 

[elitepete]

Best part of that article:

“While this represents a pointless and disappointing use of resources, it’s still not enough to dampen the spirits of Canucks fans after the stellar trade deadline that Jim Benning had himself. In the end, the value added by the acquisitions of Jonathan Dahlen and Nikolay Goldobin is a hundred times greater than the value lost by throwing away a contract on a player like Zack MacEwen.”

Lmao ty for posting this. I stopped reading right before that part.

Mackewan is better than both those idiots combined

 

[elitepete]

The best part of the article to me is the massive irony of their skewering of dinosaur scouts ‘signing a player who looks like their idea of what an NHLer should be’ while they completely dismiss a player they’ve never seen play because he superficially fits their stat geek perimeters of what looks like a bust.

Hockey’s version of reverse racism but in this case it’s actually real.

 

[vanuck]

Small sample so far but Big Mac has actually had more of an impact in terms of possession than Ferland, which is kinda sad considering how much money and term we gave the latter. Will be interesting to see if this keeps up.

 

[VanJack]

Small sample so far but Big Mac has actually had more of an impact in terms of possession than Ferland, which is kinda sad considering how much money and term we gave the latter. Will be interesting to see if this keeps up.

What's really kinda sad to me is that MacEwen wasn't an everyday player for the Canucks this season.....he'd be a lot further ahead in his development curve if he had been.

Instead this coach just kept throwing a series of stiffs over the boards for third and fourth line duty. At the very least, MacEwen should have got Tim Schaller's ice-time....he isn't even on the roster anymore. So what was the point?

 

[vanuck]

Didn't realize that MacEwen's dad also passed away recently. With Markstrom and Stecher's dads also passing away, 2019-20 has been hard for Canucks players.

Canucks' Zack MacEwen on why he's never letting go of No. 71 - Sportsnet.ca

 

[MS]

Didn't realize that MacEwen's dad also passed away recently. With Markstrom and Stecher's dads also passing away, 2019-20 has been hard for Canucks players.

Canucks' Zack MacEwen on why he's never letting go of No. 71 - Sportsnet.ca

Oh, jeez. Only 48. I remember seeing him interviewed during a game last year.

 

[Canuckle1970]

Didn't realize that MacEwen's dad also passed away recently. With Markstrom and Stecher's dads also passing away, 2019-20 has been hard for Canucks players.

Canucks' Zack MacEwen on why he's never letting go of No. 71 - Sportsnet.ca

Thanks for posting this. IMAC's article was quite moving. Condolences to Zack and his family.

Zack's father was only 48. Twenty years ago, I had a work colleague who suffered a major stroke at age 44. He survived, but was never able to work again.

Nice to hear that Zack received so much support from the team and the club. What a tough year for Zack, Stecher, and Marky.

 

[VanJack]

Zack might not make the cut in the opener of the Wild series. But if the team falters, he'd be the first default option for Green.

MacEwan's game is built for the playoffs. If nothing else, he'd create turnovers on the third or fourth line based on his fierce forecheck.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

He’d be on my opening game roster. I really felt he was hitting his stride when the season ended and playing with a lot of confidence. It’d be nice to counter the size and physicality of the Wild, too.

 

[Siludin]

I think the Canucks will go for as many veterans as possible for the opener, but I have a lot of time for MacEwen.

 

[Bankerguy]

I think that he should definitely get a spot on the 4th line. He's faster, hits harder and has more hunger in his game than a guy like Louie Eriksson.
Assuming everyone's 100% full health i'd set the lines as such
Jt. Miller Pettersson Toffoli
Pearson Horvat Boeser
Ferland Gaudette Virtanen
Roussel Sutter MacEwen

Extra: Eriksson, Beagle, Motte

I like that line-up. I dont see any weakness except maybe the third line might end up (-) collectively, especially if they're up against Ek's line. However, their physicality might help with momentum swings.

 

[dombrova22]

There's no room for him unfortunately with the way Green runs things.

Leivo/Ferland/Motte/Sutter/Eriksson will all be ahead of him.

 

[VanJack]

There's no room for him unfortunately with the way Green runs things.

Leivo/Ferland/Motte/Sutter/Eriksson will all be ahead of him.

Unfortunately you're probably right....unless the Canucks come out and basically wet the bed in the first couple of games against the Wild, Green will be loathe to make any lineup changes.

But I guess when you're paying a guy like Eriksson $6m a season, it would be too much of an embarrassment to bench him in favor of a guy like MacEwen who's earning basically the league minimum.

 

[krutovsdonut]

being suspended?

 

[M2Beezy]

No words

 

[VanJack]

You don't get a Zoom hearing with the league unless you're getting some kind of suspension.

Really a shame about MacEwen this season.....almost a lost year. Parked for most of the year on the taxi squad and only got eight minutes a night when he was in the lineup. How can you develop with that usage?

Meantime Green played Roussel every night, who brings nothing to the table but a bloated contract and a little penalty-killing. The Canucks desperately need to move on from him this offseason, but I'm not holding my breath.

And looking at the PK these days, Vesey and MacEwen could fill in and bring as much or more to the table than Roussel. In fact I've been mildly impressed with Vesey on the PK.

MacEwen is another example of a young guy at the right price point that you need on your fourth line. But in this lost season he's also basically lost a whole season of development.