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"My Son is Actually in the NHL": by Juliana MacEwen

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Where's Wellwood

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8 hours ago, xereau said:

Saw him live in Penticton, first shift I knew he was different, special.  Kid has heart. No matter its a showcase tourney.  You could hear him skating all over the ice.  Digging. Chugging along.  And his game has grown leaps and bounds since.  He will be a full time NHLer soon.

ditto

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4 hours ago, janisahockeynut said:

12 years of coaching my kid, driving him to games and practices, vice pres, divisional manager, head coach, assitant coach, equipment manager, hockey schools, 5 am get ups, a billion Mr. Mike's Restraunts,  about 24 pairs of skates, don't know how many hockey sticks, shoulder pads, pants, and gloves...

 

And now I have to confess my love to Zack's mom for reminding me, I would do it all over again, if given half a chance...

 

Thanks Mrs. McEwen ( Sniff!)

+100.... that's all 

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On 3/6/2019 at 10:47 AM, debluvscanucks said:

In response to the hockey parent's posts....the love of this game is something so incredibly special and when we can bond to a level beyond with our kids over it, wow. 

 

When my marriage broke down, my son was 10 and, needless to say, it was so tough on him (I remember the day he came and moved his stuff out and my son sliding down the back door, crying "I don't want Dad to goooo"). Ack.  And so it was, parenting was left up to me....I remember it  being so incredibly daunting in that moment.  Although I'd always known that my calling was to be a Mom, it was terrifying to face doing it alone.

 

My son was in hockey at the time.  I still remember that, early on, he was praised by coaches for "understanding" the positions versus simply scrambling for the puck.  Was a good, stay at home defenseman and his trophies reflected it.  He LOVED EVERYTHING about hockey.  I've saved his "stats/numbers" from the time he was about 7, as he started calculating who'd get in, etc.  Was named the hockey reporter of his classroom in grade 3 because he followed it so closely and could actually update the class on news.  It was his life and, with Dad now out of the picture, it was up to me to jump in with both feet with him.

 

But it was tough....5 am practices with him sprawled on the loveseat moaning "can you tie my skaaaaaates" ("no")...they wore them to the rink wearing guards.  Rising costs (huge for a single parent back then....zero subsidies/help).  Then, the final straw, a coach from hell (long story, I'd find out even more about his terrible family when his son would scam my father out of thousands...apple doesn't fall far from the tree stuff).  It was crashing down on us and starting to be "work" and, ultimately, my son asked to quit.  I told him he had to finish the season, but let him.  I now regret it....it seemed to be depression setting in more than anything and hockey likely would have helped him through that rough patch he was starting to slide into.  I knew he'd miss it (he did)....but it was ultimately his decision and I stood by him. 

 

To this day, his "work" is hockey related and he's never fallen away from the game, not even one bit (worked on EA's NHL a few years ago...cool to have his name in the credits).  Even met his wife here, on this site, many moons ago.  Hockey is everything to him.  Us.

 

I really did tear up reading this post...thinking of the "what could have been's" had it been easier for my son to continue. 

 

Every game, we message back/forth and I have a standard closing WGTWTC.  (I'll let you figure it out).  

 

I've shared my stories of my connection to my Mom via hockey here before....but when I think of hockey, I think of my son and how special it's been going through this journey together.  To read this mother's words...gah.  I felt them, every single one.

 

One last, very vivid recollection:  Although we couldn't afford to do the actual All Star "game", we attended the festivities surrounding the event that weekend (so cool) in Van.  There was an on ice competition to put the puck into the net (from the blue line or so), through a little hole.  We lined up and watched as Dad after Dad tried/missed.  Then it was our turn and I put it through, first attempt. My son was so stoked (and proud)....even won a hat and t-shirt for him.  I suddenly became the "coolest" hockey parent in my son's eyes.  It was RIGHT after his Dad had walked out and it was a bit of a turning point for us as my son seemed to, in that moment at least, realize that things would be ok...Mom would get us through it.  Hell, she just scored in that little hole and got me this awesome swag!

 

I love this thread/story.  It truly reminds me that "we are all Canucks" and share something that goes beyond just our team winning/losing. It's about the love of this great game and how it brings us together as we share our stories.

 

Thank you, Mrs. Mac...you are a real gem.  Although most won't get to experience the "my son is in the NHL" part...a huge feat....the experiences this game brings occupy huge portions of our hearts.  Our history is here...

Well felt your heart in that one debs

 *hug*  :)

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  • 8 months later...
On 3/4/2019 at 9:44 PM, Where's Wellwood said:

Zack MacEwen's mom started a hockey blog today and her first post is fantastic. I think we have our best hockey mom since Beth Bartkowski!

 

https://jmmacewen3.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2019/03/04/My-Son-Is-Actually-in-the-NHL

 

 

Bet she's happy tonight...  Big Mac pots one and at Burr's night of all nights! WTG Zack!

 

somehow after watching a few youtube vids of his play in the minors, i knew he had a serious shot at the nhl if he kept at it and as he started to light it up down in the minors and playing a better D game, as it's been done by Bo and AG before him, work on his defensive game complimenting a good offensive side, into a all around dependable threat is working out. Do i believe he will only get better? Absolutely! 

 

 IMO, Zack shows signs of Burr and his emotional game when he gets going, as soon as he gets more and more consistant, he'll go from reigning dark horse, to an nhl regular power forward with the right guidance from Rous. He still has some maturing to do but definately on the right track. 

 

Omg lol that made me get all misty eyed reading that, Mrs Mac...  thanks! 

 

 

 

Edited by iceman64
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Always happy for these guys when they get the nod, it’s such a monumental moment for everyone connected to them and the quest/story. 

 

Even the draft can make me feel emotional for the situation at hand. 

 

Its so &^@#ing hard to get drafted, let alone get to play even a single game in the NHL. 

 

Like when a team wins the Cup, regardless of who it is, we all have a deep appreciation for the work that went into that moment, going right back to the first practice as a boy at 6am in a rink so cold, it’s foggy in there.

 

The mom stories are good. So are the dad ones. 

 

I liked the story and the sight when Stevens skated the Cup over to the glass and held it up towards his dad, wayyy up there, and just kind of stood there frozen in the moment. That bond is what I find behind all competitive hockey stories. Those moments haunt my hockey heart. 

 

 

 

I’m not sure this kid has the stuff to be much of an NHLer, but that shouldn’t take away from how awesome it is to realize your dream of playing in the NHL. 

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On 3/5/2019 at 10:45 AM, debluvscanucks said:

Hockey moms are awesome,  I already love this woman.  And am having to hide tears as I sit at my desk at work.

Me too deb. Dammit why are my eyes leaking! Lol.  What a great read . Having a son thay is 4 , this hit home . I dont care if he ever plays in the NHL, but reading this really made my day. 

 

Edited by cuporbust
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  • 3 months later...
7 minutes ago, ItalianCanuck1 said:

Keep him in the lineup.

 

He brings energy and passion this team needs in this situation.

 

Hope he can become the unsung hero in this playoff race.

As soon as one of Beagle / Leivo / Boeser returns, it better be Eriksson that comes out of the lineup. Having Toffoli/Boeser/Virtanen/Leivo/MacEwan down the right side is enough speed and size for a nice playoff push.

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