Something to prove
From sea to shining sea, through success and disappointment, Alex Newhook has been following his own path, one he hopes leads to the NHL
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December 15, 2018
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Alex Newhook has always felt the need to prove himself.
Despite his accomplishments, despite where he has gone and what he has done, there was always someone – himself included – that saw the potential for bigger and better things.
The push to reach that potential, to be the best Alex Newhook he can be, is what has taken the 17-year-old from one side of the country to the other, to the cusp of the first round of the NHL Entry Draft and, this week, to the 2018 World Junior A Challenge.
It started early, with a decision by the Avalon Minor Hockey Association product to leave his St. John’s, N.L., home ahead of his Bantam AAA year and seek out new challenges in Ontario.
“Playing at home and going up through the ranks there was great, and I loved it,” he says, “but for me, at that time, I just needed better competition and more exposure, and going to Ontario was a good fit for me.”
Newhook spent two years with the York Simcoe Express, captaining the Minor Midget AAA team in 2016-17, posting 74 points in 33 games and catching the eye of Major Junior scouts – he was selected 41st overall by the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL Entry Draft.
But another tough decision loomed, and Newhook continued his cross-country tour by committing instead to the Victoria Grizzlies of the British Columbia Hockey League, choosing the U.S. college route over the Canadian Hockey League.
“I was looking at options to stay in Canada, and the B.C. Hockey League is obviously a great option, it’s looked at as probably the best Junior A league in Canada and maybe North America,” he says. “So to go out there and be in Victoria, it’s a great city and a great organization. It’s great to be there, and I’m happy with my decision.”
He should be. All Newhook – a Boston College commit – has done since arriving on Vancouver Island is put up 119 points in 76 games. He filled his trophy case last season with the BCHL rookie of the year and CJHL national rookie of the year awards, and played his way onto the BCHL First All-Star Team and BCHL All-Rookie Team.
Those accomplishments, along with a four-points-in-five-games performance with Canada Black at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, earned Newhook a shot at Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team for the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
The trip to Calgary for selection camp was an eye-opener for Newhook, who was left off the final roster and watched from home as Canada won gold in Edmonton.
“Going into a camp like that, all that’s really on your mind is making that team,” he says. “If you don’t do that, it’s motivation. Proving them wrong is something anyone wants to do when they don’t make a team. So for me, keeping it in the back of my head at all times as motivation is what I had to do.”
He hasn’t had to wait long for his next chance at wearing the Maple Leaf. Newhook is among the leaders on a talented Canada West team in search of its second-consecutive World Junior A Challenge gold medal in Bonnyville.
The tournament is also potentially one last chance to showcase his skills in best-on-best competition ahead of the NHL draft next summer; Newhook has been tagged as an ‘A’ player by NHL Central Scouting, meaning he is a candidate to be selected in the first round.
Despite the extra attention, Newhook isn’t feeling any extra pressure to perform.
“In your draft year, you’re going to have eyes on you no matter where you are or no matter what’s going on,” he says. “Trying to get better every day, every week and not really worry about what other people think or what other people are seeing – that’s what I’m focusing on.”
In the age of at-your-fingertips information, Newhook can’t help but know where he stands as the draft approaches. TSN director of scouting Craig Button released his latest Craig’s List rankings earlier this week with Newhook at No. 22, and various mock drafts have him somewhere around the middle of the first round.
Just like with every decision he has made on his cross-Canada hockey journey, everyone has an opinion on where he belongs – or doesn’t belong. The key, though, is not putting too much stock in those opinions.
“It’s around, so it’s hard not to look at it,” he says. “Just seeing it and taking it with a grain of salt is really all you can do. Just focus on getting better all the time, that’s the main thing for me right now. There are lots of different people who are going to have you at different spots.
“Seeing myself up there with top guys in the world is pretty special. To stay amongst those guys and stay atop of that class is definitely motivational, but it’s something you can’t really worry about too much at this point.”
Hockey Canada confirms hosts for seven events
National and international tournaments will be hosted across five provinces in the 2023-24 season
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July 27, 2023
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CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada has confirmed the dates and host communities for seven events taking place during the 2023-24 season, including the return of the National Women’s Under-18 Championship.
“Today is an exciting day for Hockey Canada as we announce seven events that play a critical role in the development of men’s, women’s and para hockey athletes, coaches and staff,” said Pat McLaughlin, chief operating officer of Hockey Canada. “We hope that hosting these tournaments will help introduce new fans to the game, create lifelong memories for Canadians and have a positive impact in each community long after the medals have been handed out.”
The 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will be played Nov. 2-11 in Charlottetown and Summerside, PE, marking the first time in the tournament’s 37-year history that it will be hosted in the province.
Featuring some of the best young women’s hockey players in Canada, the 2023 National Women’s Under-18 Championship will run Nov. 5-11 in Dawson Creek, BC, bringing the event back to the Peace Region for the first time since 2012.
Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will compete for gold with three other countries at the 2023 Para Hockey Cup, which will be held Dec. 3-9 in Quispamsis, NB, marking the fourth Hockey Canada event that Quispamsis has hosted.
Top Canadian and international players will be showcased at the 2023 World Junior A Hockey Challenge from Dec. 10-17 in Truro, NS, as the tournament returns to Atlantic Canada for the fourth time and to Truro for the second time.
In the spring, Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship will be decided at the Esso Cup in Vernon, BC from April 21-27, while the Men’s U18 National Club Championship will be played April 22-28 in Sydney, NS.
The best Junior A teams in Canada will take to the ice at the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, ON, with the Oakville Blades hosting the national championship from May 9-19.
“We are thrilled to share the list of communities that will host Hockey Canada events during the 2023-24 season,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of strategic partnerships and community impact. “The support we have received from host committees has been outstanding and we are confident that participants, volunteers, partners and fans will have fantastic experiences at each tournament.”
Ticket information for all seven events can be found here. Tournament schedules will be announced at a later date.
For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Canada East gets silver at 2022 World Junior A Challenge
United States wins gold, Sweden takes bronze
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December 18, 2022
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CORNWALL, Ont. – Canada East has finished with the silver medal at the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, falling 5-2 to the United States in the gold medal game on Sunday night at the Cornwall Civic Complex. The United States took a 2-0 lead into the second frame when Matheson Mason (Newmarket, Ont./Wellington, OJHL) and Matthew Cato (Whitby, Ont./Trenton, OJHL) scored to bring Canada East even. The U.S. stormed back with two goals in 47 seconds late in the middle frame and added an empty-net goal to earn its ninth World Junior A Challenge gold medal. Garrett Schifsky led the way for the United States with two goals – finishing tied for the tournament lead with five - while Sam Rinzel and Quinn Finley had two assists each. Alex Blais (St. Colomban, Que./Saint-Jérôme, LHJAAAQ) assisted on both Canada East goals. “We were in over our head a little bit; we knew we had to muddy the water, keep pucks to the outside and defend well. When we climbed back into the game and then had a bad line change, they got the momentum back,” said Canada East head coach Billy McGuigan (Summerside, P.E.I./Summerside, MHL). “The experience overall, the friendships and the opportunity to represent your country are the things our guys should take away from this tournament.” “I cannot express how happy everyone was to play in the gold medal game. We worked hard as a group over the last two weeks to get here. Losing really sucked,” said Canada East captain Trent Crane (Morden, Man./Summerside, MHL). “Wearing the Canadian jersey meant everything to me, I will never forget it and always cherish these two weeks. I will think about this the rest of my life.” Canada West finishes fourth In the bronze medal game earlier on Sunday, Canada West fell 3-2 in a shootout to Sweden. Caelan Fitzpatrick (Moose Jaw, Sask./Brooks, AJHL) opened the scoring just 17 seconds into the game off a pass from Sam Huck (Calgary, Alta./Okotoks, AJHL). Lukas Sagranden and Felix Unger Sörum responded with power-play goals, giving Sweden a 2-1 lead heading into the third period. Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alta./Brooks, AJHL) scored the game-tying goal on the power play with 15:28 left in regulation - tying the tournament scoring record with 12 points. Noah Erliden made 29 saves and was perfect on five West attempts in the shootout, while Unger Sörum scored the lone shootout goal, giving Sweden its first bronze medal at the tournament. “You want to be playing for gold, but every one of our guys left it all out there today. It was great to see how our guys played and battled,” said Canada West assistant coach Clayton Jardine (Lacombe, Alta./Camrose, AJHL). “Cornwall did a great job of hosting the tournament. It is always an honor for a player or coach to represent the Maple Leaf.” “[Head coach Justin] Falk and this coaching staff were unbelievable to us. It was an honour to put this jersey on just for warmups. My linemates [Watkins and Malinoski] were awesome, we moved the puck well and buried on our chances,” said Fink. “Coming into this tournament, we were all rivals in the AJHL, but these guys are like brothers to me now.” Following the gold medal game, the tournament all-star team was announced: F: Aiden Fink (Canada West) F: Cole Knuble (United States) F: Liam Watkins (Canada West) D: Eric Pohlkamp (United States) D: Tom Willander (Sweden) G: Noah Erliden (Sweden) Knuble was named the tournament’s most valuable player after recording three goals and nine points in six games. For more information on the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
World Junior A Challenge Recap – December 17
Canada East and the U.S. were victorious in the semifinals to earn spots in the gold medal game in Cornwall.
December 17, 2022
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Canada East 4, Canada West 1 • Matthew Cato (Whitby, Ont./Trenton, OJHL) led the way with two goals for Canada East. • Ryan Johnstone (Pickering, Ont./Pickering, OJHL) and Massimo Gentile (Pointe-Claire, Que./Ottawa, CCHL) also scored. • Liam Watkins (Okotoks, Alta./Spruce Grove, AJHL) scored for Canada West, his tournament-leading fifth goal. • Ethan Morrow (Kingston, Ont./Wellington, OJHL) made 37 saves for the win. United States 4, Sweden 3 • Erick Pohlkamp scored two power-play goals for the United States to tie Watkins with five goals in the tournament. • Cole Knuble scored the game-winning goal with 11:10 remaining. • Edvin Nilsson, Tom Willander and Anton Wahlberg scored for Sweden. • Jacob Fowler made 16 saves for the win. Next games – Sunday, December 18: • Bronze medal game: Sweden vs. Canada West – 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT • Gold medal game: Canada East vs. United States – 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT Quotes: “We played a very sound, structured game. We were tenacious on the forecheck and good in our defensive zone. It was an outstanding game played and we got some great goaltending; that is how you win hockey games. If we can continue to play the way that we did today, we have a shot [in the gold medal game]. You have got to get to the gold medal game, and when you get to it anything can happen. We are looking forward to tomorrow.” • Canada East head coach Billy McGuigan (Summerside, P.E.I./Summerside, MHL) on playing for gold. “It was a great game; 38 shots sounds like a hard night, but my team was moving bodies out front, blocking shots and we had a good all-around game. It was not the outcome we wanted the last three games, but good teams find a way to win when it matters, that is what counts. I have never had the opportunity [to play for a gold medal] so it is going to be a lot of fun.” • Morrow on finding success with his teammates in big games. “Not the result we wanted. We got behind the eight ball early and chased the game trying to get some offence going. We ran into a hot goalie [in Morrow] today who stood on his head. [Erick] Roest played well on our end to keep things tight early. The experience we have had being together for the last two weeks, the relationships that have been made and the pride that we have playing for each other means there is a lot to play for tomorrow.” • Canada West head coach Justin Falk (Snowflake, Man./Winkler, MJHL) on getting behind early. “We battled hard at the end. Unfortunate [result], but I thought our boys put a lot of heart and effort today. We need to regroup tomorrow, come back and have that winning mentality when fighting for a bronze medal.” • Canada West captain Watkins on playing for a bronze medal. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Cornwall Civic Complex; please check local listings for details. For more information on the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
WJAC: Bast leans on sibling support
When Canada West blue-liner Luke Bast needs a little hockey advice, he doesn't need to look much further than his biggest fans
World Junior A Challenge Recap – December 16
The U.S. blanked Latvia while Sweden won to secure third place in the final day of the preliminary round.
December 16, 2022
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United States 9, Latvia 0 • U.S. captain Cole Knuble scored a goal and tied the tournament record with four assists. • Eric Pohlkamp had a hat trick. • Mac Swanson added a goal and three assists. • Christian Manz made 12 saves for the shutout. Sweden 4, Canada East 1 • Felix Nilsson had two assists for Sweden. • Landon Brownlee (Finch, Ont./Hawkesbury, CCHL) scored for Canada East. • Hugo Pettersson and Tom Willander each scored on the power play for Sweden. • Teodor Manther made 29 saves for the win. Next games (semifinals) – Saturday, December 17: Canada East vs. Canada West – 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT Sweden vs. United States – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT Quotes: “We came in as a group of 22 that had not played together, we wanted to build a foundation. We have done a lot of good things, come together as a team and grown. We have two days left to put a Canada jersey on; this is a chance our guys may not get again and we will take advantage of that. The mood was a little down tonight, but we had a good chat and our leaders stood up. We are excited for tomorrow; the journey is just beginning.” • Canada East assistant coach Derek Smith (Belleville, Ont./Wellington, OJHL) on the opportunity ahead. “We are happy to go to the semifinals [and have] the chance to play for a medal, but it was not the outcome we wanted [tonight]. We obviously wanted a win, but we get to play tomorrow which is the main thing. It is nice to see my family and friends up in the stands, everyone wants to score in front of their family playing for Team Canada. It is a pretty cool experience.” • Brownlee on the opportunity to play in front of family. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Cornwall Civic Complex; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games and semifinals are livestreamed for purchase at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
World Junior A Challenge Recap – December 15
Sweden earned its first win of the tournament, downing Canada West in the only game Thursday night in Cornwall.
December 15, 2022
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Sweden 5, Canada West 3 • Zeb Forsfjäll scored on the power play and added a shorthanded goal for Sweden. • Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alta./Brooks, AJHL) had a goal and an assist for Canada West. • Otto Stenberg had a goal and an assist for Sweden. • Conyr Hellyr (Okotoks, Alta./Okotoks, AJHL) and Matteo Giampa (Virgil, Ont./Bonnyville, AJHL) also scored for Canada West. • Noah Erliden made 37 saves for the win. Next games – Friday, December 16: • United States vs. Latvia – 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT • Sweden vs. Canada East – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT Quotes: “This was some more learning experience for us. We played a desperate, hungry team in Sweden tonight. We have to raise our desperation level going into the weekend. We were too complacent in some areas, not hard enough in a few battles. When you play good teams that are desperate and hungry, that trumps everything, as it should.” • Canada West head coach Justin Falk (Snowflake, Man./Winkler, MJHL) on his takeaways from the loss. “Coach [Falk] has said that our identity is playing hard; hard forechecking, moving our feet, getting on them early, finishing our checks when we can and making simple plays in the neutral zone. I have been trying to make sure I am doing that in my game. I feel like I have been having more consistent games and getting better throughout the tournament. I am so happy to be here, it is so cool to play for your country with all of the other guys here.” • Sam Huck (Calgary, Alta./Okotoks, AJHL) on learning from the West coaching staff. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Cornwall Civic Complex; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games and semifinals are livestreamed for purchase at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
WJAC: Long-time teammates go international
Teammates since Novice, Jamie Engelbert and Riley McCutcheon have brought a decade of friendship, chemistry and success to Cana
World Junior A Challenge Recap – December 14
Canada West blanked Latvia and the U.S. got its second win of the tournament Wednesday in Eastern Ontario.
December 14, 2022
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Canada West 10, Latvia 0 • Ty Daneault (Red Deer, Alta./Drumheller, AJHL) tied a tournament record with four goals, including two in 14 seconds, and added an assist for Canada West. • Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alta./Brooks, AJHL) had two goals and an assist. • Defenceman Sam Court (Winnipeg, Man./Brooks, AJHL) had a goal and two assists. • Andrew Ness (Winnipeg, Man./Fort McMurray, AJHL) made six saves for the shutout. United States 7, Canada East 2 • Quinn Finley had two goals and an assist for the United States. • Trent Crane (Morden, Man./Summerside, MHL) provided two assists for Canada East. • Sam Rinzel had a goal and an assist for the U.S. • Adam Barone (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont./Cobourg, OJHL) and Matthew Cato (Whitby, Ont./Trenton, OJHL) scored for Canada East. • Jacob Fowler made 23 saves for the win. Next game – Thursday, December 15: • Canada West vs. Sweden – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT Quotes: “We have talked about our identity being something to establish early in the tournament, making sure that we are playing our western Canadian way, being hard to play against, making it difficult for opponents to come through us. We will prepare for the next 24 hours, move onto Sweden and make sure we take our Game 7 mentality into each day.” • Canada West assistant coach Evan McFeeters (Canmore, Alta./Sherwood Park, AJHL) on his team's mentality. “We do not have a lot of time to come close [as a team], so it has to happen quick. We have been spending a lot of time together and are getting close, which has been nice. We had lots of great plays, lots of our guys getting on the scoresheet, it was a solid game all around. We are going up against a good team tomorrow night [in Sweden] and it has to be a good game from us.” • Daneault on finding success as a team. “We are going to take this game and forget it, get refocused again. At the end of the day, we did not play our game today. We had a slow start, it was a penalty-filled game, there was no flow to the game. There is a lot of pressure on us; they come with a lot of heat so we have to learn to play under pressure, make little plays and learn to make the plays a little quicker.” • Canada East head coach Billy McGuigan (Summerside, P.E.I./Summerside, MHL) on the changes needed from his team. “Obviously it was a tough loss, but we will move on and try to get better. We need to have a good practice tomorrow and then try to have a better game against Sweden and come out with a win. I can not express how grateful I am to be here, to represent the team [as captain] is a really good feeling. As a team though, we are all leaders.” • Canada East captain Crane on needing to bounce back as a team. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Cornwall Civic Complex; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games and semifinals are livestreamed for purchase at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
World Junior A Challenge Recap – December 13
The U.S. found its first win of the tournament, blanking Sweden 3-0 in the lone game Tuesday night.
December 14, 2022
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United States 3, Sweden 0 • Garret Schifsky had two goals for the U.S. • Ethan Whitcomb opened the scoring for the Americans 3:44 into the second period. • Jake Richard and Quinn Finley each provided an assist. • Jacob Fowler made 15 saves for the shutout. Next games – Wednesday, December 14: • Canada West vs. Latvia – 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT • Canada East vs. United States – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Cornwall Civic Complex; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games and semifinals are livestreamed for purchase at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
WJAC: More than a game in Frog Lake
A pre-WJAC game between Canada West and Russia was about more than just hockey for the players and members of the Frog Lake Firs
World Junior A Challenge Recap – December 12
Latvia took down Sweden in overtime and Canada West doubled up Canada East in preliminary-round action Monday.
December 12, 2022
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Latvia 3, Sweden 2 (OT) • Toms Mots scored his second goal of the game 2:17 into overtime to secure the win for Latvia. • Otto Stenberg and Elliot Ståhlberg provided the goals for Sweden. • Aksels Ozols made 35 saves for the win. Canada West 6, Canada East 3 • Hudson Malinoski (Saskatoon, Sask./Brooks, AJHL) scored two goals, including the game-winner 1:59 into the third period, and added an assist for Canada West. • Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alta./Brooks, AJHL) provided three assists for Canada West. • Alex Blais (St-Colomban, Que./Saint-Jérôme, LHJAAAQ) had three helpers for Canada East. • Erick Roest (Lethbridge, Alta./Sherwood Park, AJHL) made 18 saves for the win. Next game – Tuesday, December 13: • Sweden vs. United States – 7 p.m. ET Quotes: “Last night ended on an emotional high and channelling that emotion the next day is not always easy. We were able to rally back and trust that it would take the whole group to find success. I liked our response in the third. Special teams are crucial when you do not have a lot of time to get everyone on the same page. As key as a power play can be, is as key as a big penalty kill can be. Winning the special teams battle is crucial.” • Canada West head coach Justin Falk (Snowflake, Man./Winkler, MJHL) on finding power-play success. “Everyone is coming together as a team; we are coming together as one. My line with Fink and Liam Watkins has found some chemistry and it has been working out really well. [Justin] Falk’s big thing is coming together super quick; it is a short tournament and the team that comes together the most will be the best team in the tournament.” • Malinoski on finding success with his linemates. “We were really in the game. We were defending well and scoring on our opportunities, but it didn’t go the way we wanted. [Morrow] was outstanding in tonight’s game; he has had two solid back-to-back hockey games. Emotions run high sometimes, and we just need to keep that in check.” • Canada East head coach Billy McGuigan (Summerside, P.E.I./Summerside, MHL) on his team’s effort. “We played well. Canada West is a fast, skilled team. Hopefully we get a chance to play them again. We need to keep with it; we were right with them until the third period. If we stick with it, good things will come. It is any Canadian’s dream to put on the red and white; this is nothing short of a dream come true.” • Canada East goalie Ethan Morrow (Kingston, Ont./Wellington, OJHL) on falling to Canada West. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Cornwall Civic Complex; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games and semifinals are livestreamed for purchase at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
McNeill chasing dream after surgeries
Sid McNeill lost a full season of development thanks to three heart surgeries, but just three years later the defenceman is wearing the Maple Leaf at the World Junior A Challenge
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December 12, 2022
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Sid McNeill dreamed of the day he might get the chance to put on a Team Canada jersey and represent his country.
He wasn’t sure if that day would ever happen after undergoing three heart surgeries three years ago.
Now, feeling healthy and strong, the 18-year-old is donning the Maple Leaf with Canada East at the World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall, Ont.
“Growing up and watching Team Canada … it was always a dream to put this jersey on,” McNeill says. “For it to happen after everything, it’s awesome.”
McNeill is a 5-foot-7, 140-pound defenceman with the Summerside Western Capitals of the Maritime Hockey League (MHL), and he’s grateful for the opportunity to represent not only his province (he’s a Summerside, P.E.I., native), but his country.
“This tournament is a huge stage,” he says. “This is a great opportunity and I plan on taking advantage of it.”
For months in 2020, McNeill wasn’t sure if he was ever going to be able to play hockey again. He was in Michigan competing in training camp with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies AAA program when medical personnel noticed an irregular heartbeat and suggested he be taken to the hospital for more testing.
“I had a routine physical and they found an irregular heartbeat. It turned out to be a heart condition,” said McNeill. “The weird part – I felt fine. We went through a tough training camp, and I thought I held my own and my heart felt fine. I never had issues growing up and there’s no family history either.”
McNeill underwent a battery of tests in Michigan, including an ECG, EKG, ultrasound, heart MRI and stress tests. After another week, he had an electrophysiology study procedure to see if he needed an ablation – a procedure to treat atrial fibrillation which uses small burns to cause scarring on the inside of the heart to help break up the electrical signals that cause irregular heartbeats.
He returned to Toronto for a second opinion and was then flown to Halifax for the procedure in September 2020.
“The first ablation they did, they went through the arteries and burned a piece off my heart,” he says. “When I went back for testing, they said it didn’t work, so they did a similar surgery but with a camera to try and get an image of what they were looking for. The third time, they got it right.”
After being in and out of hospitals, McNeill struggled with staying positive and even took time to think about what life could look like without hockey.
“I wasn’t sure what the future held for my hockey career. At one point, I could have just said ‘enough is enough’ and be done with hockey and try and start another career path. But at the end of that season [2019-20], I got cleared to play. It was a huge relief to go through all of that and still play the game I love.”
Through the experience, McNeill has learned a lot about perseverance.
“It has taught me to never give up,” he says. “It helped me realize that everyone goes through adversity. When you come out on the other side, things are a lot better.”
McNeil still sees his cardiologist in Halifax yearly to make sure his heart rate is normal.
A clean bill of health isn’t something he is taking for granted, especially since he decided to stay in P.E.I. and play for his hometown Western Capitals, helping the team to an MHL championship last spring and a spot at the Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, Canada’s National Junior A Championship.
“Playing at home is awesome. After having a big scare, I just decided the next time I played hockey, I wanted to be in front of my family,” McNeill says.
And alongside his family. For the past two seasons, his defence partner has been his older brother, Ed.
“We have been partners for the last two years. It’s special – not many people get to do that, especially at a high level of hockey,” he said. “We work well together.”
For Western Capitals head coach Billy McGuigan, who is also serving as bench boss of Canada East in Cornwall, it’s not hard to describe the impact McNeill has on his teammates.
“He’s a remarkable young man. He’s a student of the game, and he is a guy that always wants to learn and get better. He has a tremendous work ethic,” McGuigan says. “He is a great asset to have. He means as much to this team with Canada East as he does in Summerside.”
When thinking about a future in hockey, McNeill knows if he keeps working, he may get another opportunity. He has his sights set on college hockey in the U.S.
“I think with being a smaller, undersized defenceman, I’ve always looked at playing NCAA,” he says. “Hopefully I can play some good hockey here and turn some heads and maybe some people will look at me.”
World Junior A Challenge Recap – December 11
Canada East topped Latvia while Canada West downed the U.S. on the first day of preliminary-round action.
December 11, 2022
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Canada East 3, Latvia 1 • Trent Crane (Morden, Man./Summerside, MHL), Joseph Ianniello (Vaughan, Ont./Navan, CCHL) and Sawyer Prokopetz (Wainfleet, Ont./Markham, OJHL) scored for Canada East. • Rauls Ozollapa provided the scoring for Latvia. • Ethan Morrow (Kingston, Ont./Wellington, OJHL) made 24 saves for the win. Canada West 5, United States 3 • Captain Liam Watkins (Okotoks, Alta./Spruce Grove, AJHL) led the way with a pair of goals for Canada West. • Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alta./Brooks, AJHL) and Hudson Malinoski (Saskatoon, Sask./Brooks, AJHL) had a goal and an assist apiece. • Sam Harris, Gavin Lindberg and Cole Knuble found the back of the net for the United States. • Erick Roest (Lethbridge, Alta./Sherwood Park, AJHL) made 34 saves for the win. Next games – Monday, December 12: • Latvia vs. Sweden – 2 p.m. ET • Canada East vs. Canada West – 7 p.m. ET Quotes: “The first 40 minutes were really tight. We showed a lot of heart today. Our guys have come together very well over the past couple of days; I have not seen a group of players this close together so quickly. It is fun to see a bunch of players with one goal come together. We are excited to keep this tournament going.” • Canada East assistant coach Derek Smith (Belleville, Ont./Wellington, OJHL) on coming together as a team. “It was a tough challenge at the start. We came back in the third with our best period of the game to come out with the win. We need to stay positive and get better every day; come out for every game playing hard, playing for the people we love and try to win gold.” • Crane on his team’s resilience. “What a great hockey game for the fans to witness and for both teams to take part in. There were ups and downs, power plays and penalty kills, and plenty of emotion. We kept channelled and focused on the job ahead. There is lots of room for growth for us. We need to start getting prepared for tomorrow.” • Canada West head coach Justin Falk (Snowflake, Man./Winkler, MJHL) on the energizing start to the tournament. “We came out physical, fast and were in their ear the whole night. Discipline is going to be huge; every team has got a good power play, so you never want to be down a man. We have to get on the right side of the pucks, play body-to-body and not reach in. We are better five-on-five than down a man.” • Watkins on staying disciplined. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games from the Cornwall Civic Complex; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games and semifinals are livestreamed for purchase at HockeyCanada.ca. For more information on the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook and Twitter.
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