McEwan Aiming To Make Storm Lineup
James McEwan of the Chatham Maroons – Photo by Dan Hickling (@danhickling1)
“I’ll be feeling a lot of motivation to make the team full time next year, and will use that motivation this summer as I train to make sure I go into camp even better prepared than last year,” says McEwan, who was a 9th round selection of the Storm last year.
Typically, 9th round draft picks aren’t expected to play, or have an impact, particularly for a contending team such as Guelph, but McEwan had an impressive camp, and earned a four game call up to the Storm after Christmas.
“It was an incredible experience,” says McEwan of his first stint in the OHL. “I mean going into camp in the summer as a 9th round pick, no one really had high expectations of me to actually make the team this year.”
“I went into camp thinking positive and with the right mind set saying that ‘I’m going to make the team’ and just worked as hard as I could. I played with a lot of confidence and the coaching staff and scouts noticed that I didn’t look out of place so they offered me a contract and I was just ecstatic. I signed over the holidays, and playing in a few games gave me the experience and confidence that I needed to make the jump next year.”
McEwan, who scored 13 goals and 14 assists through the regular season, said he learned a lot from his time in the OHL, and hopes to use that next season to earn a roster spot.
“I learned so much by watching the players and what they do, to see how dedicated they really are, its just outstanding. Hopefully, I’ll show the coaching staff that I can be a top 9 forward on their team next season and that I can be relied on as a player to get the job done consistently, night in and night out.”
Guelph will lose overage forwards Zach Mitchell and Ryan Horvat, and will only be able to keep three of the eight players eligible to be overagers next season, opening multiple roster spots.