Raiders hire alumni Mackenze Stewart in prospect development role
The Prince Albert Raiders announced that Mackenze Stewart will be joining the team, accepting a prospect development role.
Stewart, a Raider alumni, played in the WHL for parts of four seasons, with most of his time spent in Prince Albert. The former defenceman suited up for the green and gold from 2012-15, and finished his WHL career with the Tri-City Americans in the 2015-16 season. He was a seventh round pick by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 NHL Draft, and spent time between the AHL and ECHL until 2018-19.
“I reached out to Curtis, just offering my services and some help, wanting to get back with the Raiders,” Stewart said. “I really enjoyed my time there and the culture. There were a lot of positives just being a part of the organization. Coming out of professional hockey, I wanted to give back and be a helping hand and a mentor to some of the younger prospects coming up. Curtis and I connected a few weeks ago and shared some ideas about what a streamline would look like for prospects, right from the draft up to becoming a part of the team, and how we could improve that process. We want to get these players excited and motivate them to become Raiders, and provide them with resources and development along the way.”
Between his time in the WHL and in professional hockey, coming back to the town where his career started is pretty special to him. Now in a role specifically made for developing the young prospects working their way through the system, Stewart says his experience joining the team as an undrafted player can prove to be a valuable trait.
“I think the experience is big. In terms of my own story, I wasn’t a rockstar growing up, I wasn’t drafted into the league or highly scouted or talked about before I came to camp. Having that experience and facing that adversity right away and being able to put your work boots on every day and earn a spot, that can go a long way. That develops the mindset that leads to success. How do you find ways to face adversity and come out on the other side better than the way you were before.
“I played from the bottom of the lineup and not even playing at all to getting a lot of ice time and fortunate enough to get drafted. I’ve experienced a lot and I think that’s something I can contribute for the young guys coming up.”
