McKegg finds focus in second OHL year

There’s a little rhyme and a lot of reason to this promising player from St. Thomas, Ont., and if things go according to plan, Greg McKegg will one day view Erie PA as a pivotal stop along the road to a sterling career in professional hockey.rrFirst things first, the name? What’s with the rhyme scheme? The 17-year-old laughs, he’s heard the occasional comment, but the answer is anything but controversial. “When I first came to Erie they teased me at school a little bit, but that’s about it,” he says, adding that it’s a family name; he’s not the first Greg McKegg.rrSo the name thing is a non-starter, as some opponents have discovered, The real pressure began when the solid six foot, 198 pound forward was drafted No. 2 overall by Erie in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection draft.rr”You know that people are going to expect a lot of things when you’re a high draft pick, but I didn’t put a lot of pressure on myself,” he says. Still, when you go that early, you have to know that the team that picks you has a big plan for you.rr”That has to be the case, but I’ve never felt any undue pressure from the coaching staff or anyone here. All I can do is play hard, practice hard, and I’m sure everything will fall into place.”rrSo, all roads point to the “other draft” – the one that takes place in late June in an NHL city?rr”It’s November; concentrating on that would be getting ahead of myself,” McKegg says. “I’ve got a lot of OHL hockey to play before I can even think like that.”rrAnd he’s been playing some stellar OHL hockey of late. McKegg’s two-point night on Friday the 13th, including the winning goal against Oshawa, his team-leading third GWG of the season, allowed him to surpass by one the 18 points he registered in a 64-game rookie campaign as a 16-year-old. On Saturday, he added another goal against Windsor and is currently in the midst of a six-game points streak (4G-6A –10 pts).rrHow much difference is there between one’s rookie and sophomore seasons?rr”The world,” he says.rr”I came into this year knowing what to expect, but also after a much better off-season of preparation. When you know what you’re coming into, and how to better prepare yourself for it, you’re going to have a lot more confidence and that makes a huge difference in hockey.”rrRyan O’Reilly’s father was pivotal. The senior O’Reilly, a corporate counsellor/coach and one-time mentor of the Australian national beach volleyball team, invited several players to a late summer “prep camp” in August. His system must work, what with two sons in the NHL and a daughter who is captain of the Carleton University women’s hockey team.rr”We prepared physically, of course, but he definitely stressed the mental aspects of it; I came out of it with a different mind-set towards the game.”rrAs far as McKegg is concerned, Ryan O’Reilly is influential, too, and will continue to be throughout this, his rookie season in the National Hockey League. A year ago, the former Erie Otter was plying his trade in the Ontario Hockey League and contemplating his future, but with a focus on the present, a lesson not lost on McKegg.rr”The biggest eye-opener with Ryan was his work ethic, and his Dad stressed that too. Be strong mentally, and always outwork the other guy, and everything falls into place.”rrMcKegg’s hometown, St. Thomas, is rich soil for many agricultural crops, as well as a great place for hockey players to take root. Among the many pro stars to come from there are Hall of Fame Leafs’ captain Darryl Sittler and a future Hall of Famer, Joe Thornton, All-Star center with the San Jose Sharks. There is a connection between the Thorntons and the McKeggs – Joe’s brother John is Greg’s agent. While other agents might be pumping up their clients in their pre-draft year to maximize their value come June, John goes the other way.rr”He advised me to concentrate on what I can control and that’s how I play with Erie, game-in, game-out, and not to get ahead of myself. That’s the same advice I got from Ryan’s dad, too.r”Focus.”rrWhen the current campaign began, coach Robbie Ftorek had Zack Torquato, Mike Cazzola and Greg at center on the team’s three top lines. Two weeks ago, and just before the team began its surge, he combined the trio on a single line and they have been a force to contend with ever since.rr”We were together in the playoffs last year and I really enjoyed playing with them, and I think we have great chemistry,” Greg says. Most important, of course, is the work ethic; the three members of the line bring their lunch pails to work every game.rr”We’re successful because we work and you can see the results. I think we’re going to get better as the season goes along, too, and Coach Ftorek is a real positive influence and a great teacher in that regard. I couldn’t be in a better place than Erie.”rrThe Otters’ faithful can’t wait to see how his season will turn out, and if it happens that the guy with the name that rhymes goes high in the NHL draft, and then follows in Ryan O’Reilly’s hockey skates and earns his way onto a NHL roster as early as next season, Erie fans will wish him luck, and thank him for sharing his talent and his work ethic with them for the time that they had together.rrIn the meantime, there’s the current season to enjoy.