Getting to Know: Curtis Meighan
There’s an old saying that third year Rangers centre Curtis Meighan puts a lot of faith in.
Actions speak louder than words.
The Ottawa, ON native is a man of few words, even in his new leadership role with the Rangers.
“I’m taking on more of a leadership role – being named an assistant captain, that’s pretty special to me, to know that the coaches see what I do on and off of the ice,” he shares, fresh off a big win over the Rangers’ arch rivals, the London Knights.
“I think that’s my job, to be more of a leader this year. I’m having to talk a bit more, but I’m also being asked show the young guys the right things to do, and that’s something that I‘m proud of.”
Smart and articulate, Meighan gives the impression of a young man who thinks before he speaks. Neither shy nor standoffish, he has the quiet confidence of someone with a goal who prefers ‘walking the walk’ to ‘talking the talk’. So in the Rangers’ dressing room, with the ‘A’ freshly sewn onto his sweater, that’s how he leads.
“For me, it’s mostly leading by example on the ice. It’s working hard every shift, doing the little things right to help the team win every night.”
It’s a modest perspective from a player who got a late start in organized hockey. He grew up wanting to have fun on the ice, taking laps around the public rinks during visiting with his grandma and grandpa, trying to keep up and learning the determination that is a trademark of his game today.
“They were older than me, so I’d try to keep up the best that I could. I was the first one on and the last one off – they’d have to drag me away because I just wanted to stay out there for as long as I could. I wanted to go every day, spend as much time there as I could when we were visiting my grandparents,” he remembers with a smile. It wasn’t until he was nine years old that he really started to see a future in the sport, with the support of his parents Joanne and Ron, himself a former NHLer.
The 19-year-old pivot has come a long way since free skates with the family. Last season, he was a critical part of the Rangers penalty kill unit, lauded for his willingness to shot block, his strength in the faceoff circle and his relentless effort. And at the end of the year, the gritty forward was celebrated with the Herchenrader Family Trophy, awarded to the Rangers player who demonstrates the Best Defensive Ability.
“Last year, I got a lot more time on the ice, especially in key defensive situations; face-offs in the defensive zone, out therewith little time left on the clock to shut down the other team’s top line. That was a big responsibility and I really enjoyed it,” reflects Meighan.
“I think that’s what I’m known for around here, you know? I’m here to shut guys down and that’s something I take a lot of pride in.”
Of course, sometimes it means sacrificing yourself to keep the puck out of the net. Ask Curtis how he rationalizes throwing himself down to block a shot, and the mild-mannered pivot chuckles and shakes his head.
“Sometimes it hurts but it’s just something you’ve got to do. Your coaches and teammates recognize when you’re getting down and blocking a shot and the goalie notices it too, so in between periods they’ll say ‘good job’. Not a lot of people enjoy that role, but I find it rewarding.”
With his defensive game at its peak, Curtis went home to the nation’s capital this offseason determined to improve his offense as well. He scored a career-best 20 points last year, doubling his rookie season total, but he want to do more. In Ottawa, he worked on the ice with well-known coach Pat Malloy with a focus on improving his shot.
“This summer, I did spend a lot of time working on the offensive side of my game, so that’s something that I wanted to bring to the table this year. But I’m proud of my defensive ability and that’s something that I want to keep going with too,” he explains. And it’s paying off – Meighan has already recorded a pair of goals this year, a feat he didn’t accomplish until Christmas last year.
The strong but silent leader is hoping the added offense will get him a look from the pros this year, but ask him his goals, his commitment to the group is evident.
“For me, it’s a lot of team goals. I think that comes with being a leader – the most important stuff is how the team does. So I really want to make the playoffs, to make a run for it. Not just settle for it being a rebuilding year, but to really become a contender and try to give the fans something to cheer about this year.”
