Maggie MacEachern was there last year, for the wrong kind of history, but hopes to set things right in Obihiro.
photo: Steve Kingsman / HHOF-IIHF Images
Canada’s Maggie MacEachern was there last year, there when Canada made history—the wrong kind.
Her team lost to Russia and then the U.S. in the preliminary round, and to the U.S. again in the semi-finals, forcing Canada to play for –gulp!—bronze. That was the first time Canada was not in the gold-medal game in women’s hockey, any level any where, since the IIHF brought women’s hockey on board in 1990.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind over the last year,” MacEachern confessed. “I was nervous to come back to this tournament because I remember how it ended last year, and I don’t really want that to happen again. I think I have a new mindset. We have a great group here and I think that we’re going to do great things—and hopefully win a gold medal.”
If Canada wins gold, it will be MacEachern who receives the plaque. One of only four returnees from 2018, she is team captain, an honour which comes with greater responsibility.
“I definitely play a different role on this team than I did last year,” she continued. “I’m the captain, so I play a bit of a leadership role, and it’s definitely changed how I’m playing. I’m trying to lead by example. Of course, our team in quite new. We have many young players who are going to be in my place next year, and everyone this year is accepting their role to the best of their ability.”
Along with so many new faces comes a new coach, and MacEachern feels that will bring a new energy and approach.
“I really like our coaching staff,” she enthused. “We have two young women as our assistant coaches [Courtney Kessel, Kori Cheverie], and I think they really connect well with us. And, obviously, our head coach Howie Draper is great. He treats us like we’re family. He cares about us and wants us to do great things, so in turn we’ve had a really great connection and we trust him. That’s really important for us.”
Draper wants the team to focus—focus on each player’s role, on the team, each game, each shift.
“I like that he’s given us a motto,” MacEachern explained. “So this year it’s “the humble warrior,” so we’re trying to embody those traits like pride, courage, respect, and every time we get off course, he reels us back in and tells us we need to take more pride in the game. Other coaches might get mad, but he kind of uses it as a form of inspiration, which I think everyone likes.”
Russia beat Canada last year, and the U.S. needed overtime to beat Sweden. This year on day one, Canada edged Sweden, 2-1, and the U.S. did the same to Russia, 3-2. Is this the new norm at the U18, a more balanced tournament with fewer blowouts and more surprises? MacEachern thinks so.
“It always used to be Canada-USA but I think now they’re catching up. All the games are going to be hard. Our word against Sweden was respect, so we had to respect our opponent. We didn’t take them lightly, but we trusted ourselves that we’d do well. We still had to put in the work.”
Nevertheless, MacEachern thinks the team will only get better and hopefully play its best in the last game. “The first game I think is probably the hardest game because we haven’t played in the arena and it’s a whole new atmosphere,” she explained. “Four of us have played in a world championship before, so we kind of know what to expect, but for the other 18 players it’s a little bit different. We have a lot of new energy and excited players, which is great.”
And if the captain has her way, all the pieces will add up to a gold medal by the time the weekend is over.
Her team lost to Russia and then the U.S. in the preliminary round, and to the U.S. again in the semi-finals, forcing Canada to play for –gulp!—bronze. That was the first time Canada was not in the gold-medal game in women’s hockey, any level any where, since the IIHF brought women’s hockey on board in 1990.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind over the last year,” MacEachern confessed. “I was nervous to come back to this tournament because I remember how it ended last year, and I don’t really want that to happen again. I think I have a new mindset. We have a great group here and I think that we’re going to do great things—and hopefully win a gold medal.”
If Canada wins gold, it will be MacEachern who receives the plaque. One of only four returnees from 2018, she is team captain, an honour which comes with greater responsibility.
“I definitely play a different role on this team than I did last year,” she continued. “I’m the captain, so I play a bit of a leadership role, and it’s definitely changed how I’m playing. I’m trying to lead by example. Of course, our team in quite new. We have many young players who are going to be in my place next year, and everyone this year is accepting their role to the best of their ability.”
Along with so many new faces comes a new coach, and MacEachern feels that will bring a new energy and approach.
“I really like our coaching staff,” she enthused. “We have two young women as our assistant coaches [Courtney Kessel, Kori Cheverie], and I think they really connect well with us. And, obviously, our head coach Howie Draper is great. He treats us like we’re family. He cares about us and wants us to do great things, so in turn we’ve had a really great connection and we trust him. That’s really important for us.”
Draper wants the team to focus—focus on each player’s role, on the team, each game, each shift.
“I like that he’s given us a motto,” MacEachern explained. “So this year it’s “the humble warrior,” so we’re trying to embody those traits like pride, courage, respect, and every time we get off course, he reels us back in and tells us we need to take more pride in the game. Other coaches might get mad, but he kind of uses it as a form of inspiration, which I think everyone likes.”
Russia beat Canada last year, and the U.S. needed overtime to beat Sweden. This year on day one, Canada edged Sweden, 2-1, and the U.S. did the same to Russia, 3-2. Is this the new norm at the U18, a more balanced tournament with fewer blowouts and more surprises? MacEachern thinks so.
“It always used to be Canada-USA but I think now they’re catching up. All the games are going to be hard. Our word against Sweden was respect, so we had to respect our opponent. We didn’t take them lightly, but we trusted ourselves that we’d do well. We still had to put in the work.”
Nevertheless, MacEachern thinks the team will only get better and hopefully play its best in the last game. “The first game I think is probably the hardest game because we haven’t played in the arena and it’s a whole new atmosphere,” she explained. “Four of us have played in a world championship before, so we kind of know what to expect, but for the other 18 players it’s a little bit different. We have a lot of new energy and excited players, which is great.”
And if the captain has her way, all the pieces will add up to a gold medal by the time the weekend is over.