| Max McCue | Sudbury Wolves Midgets | GNML | L | C | 6’0″ | 160 | London Knights | 2019 | Sudbury, ON | 2003 | 2020-2021: C |
Neutral Zone’s Paul O’Hagan, June 2021: McCue is a scrappy 200 foot forward with skill and above average speed. He has a wirey frame and plays with a real edge in his game. The second year London Knight slowly worked his way into a regular role on a deep London Knights line-up in his rookie season. The young forward showed little fear in high compete situations and generally has a smart first touch of the puck in traffic. He skated well enough at the OHL level to see some minutes with London’s elite forwards and showed improvement in his defensive game as his last season progressed. McCue’s rookie season was not the season offensively that we expected as he lit up the Northern Ontario loop in his final year of Midget hockey prior to entering the OHL. He scored two goals in a shortened rookie season. McCue is a natural center but played both wing and center in his rookie season in the OHL. We have always liked his puck skills and he continued to show good puck management skills and good puck composure playing in his first year of Major Junior hockey. He has an above average first step and can get to loose pucks in all 3 zones. In games viewed in March of 2020, prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, McCue showed an excellent two way game and high compete on the backcheck. He showed attention to detail in his defensive zone play. He was not afraid to engage physically in any zone on the ice and showed good closing speed tracking down opposition players. McCue played mostly on the wing but took reps at center and showed versatility in his game in a limited role. He is a player with good upside coming off the long Covid 19 layoff in the OHL. McCue will be an important piece of the puzzle in London next season as they reload with a handful of their top forwards graduating and turning pro. Grade: B
2018 Minor Midget International Silver Stick, December 2018: McCue showed good speed to the outside and a willingness to drive to the net without fear. He has the size and strength and could be more physical when pursuing the puck. McCue is skilled offensively and needs to continue to improve his 200 foot game.
Wendy Dufton Memorial Tournament, November 2018: Max is a handsy centerman with good puck composure. McCue moves well and finds appropriate open players with speed. We like his puck pursuit offensively and ability to create turnovers in the offensive zone. McCue has the appropriate combo of sandpaper and skill and is a 200 foot player who manages the puck well in all 3 zones. He works well as a one or two center and can kill penalties and manage a powerplay. We like his all around game and see him as an underrated player on a deep hockey team.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images