Columbus Blue Jacket Prospect Watch: Max McCue
The Blue Jackets welcomed London Knights center Max McCue into the organization last week. While he won't shoot straight to the top of our prospect rankings, he's an interesting player to bring into the mix.
Last season, we saw the Jackets sign college UFA Hunter McKown to an entry-level deal late in the season. They make a similar move this year in adding overage forward Max McCue from the OHL's London Knights.
There is exactly one similarity between these guys: they are both centers. Aside from that, I think we're about as close to being complete opposites as we could possibly be.
McKown went straight into the NHL, where he took Cole Sillinger's spot in the lineup after the struggling sophomore was sent to the AHL's Cleveland Monsters.
Though signed to an entry-level contract, McCue will finish out his season in the OHL - and then, I presume, will join the Monsters for their end of season push and/or playoff run.
On the ice, McCue is a vastly different type of player. He can put up points, but he's not the kind of play driver or sniper that the team acquired in McKown.
Through 54 OHL games this season, McCue has a modest 26 goals and 27 assists for 53 points. I say modest because he's an overage player on one of the premier teams in junior hockey.
He sits 8th on the Knights in scoring, which in itself had me wondering why the Jackets sought to sign this guy, out of any available free agent. But then I spent the weekend watching game footage and highlights, and it made sense.
This guy is mean. He plays the game with a dogged will and determination to make the other team hate him, and it works.
McCue plays the game in the most basic, straight line fashion you can imagine. That's not a knock at all, it's simple and effective. He finishes every single check, often disregarding the puck entirely to finish by taking the body.
this hit by Max McCue 😳#GoKnightsGo | #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/sKGKFo1bWl
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) March 13, 2023
It's not just that he hits - he hits hard and punishes the opponent every chance he gets. He's not a goon in the traditional sense. He can play the game too, with average skating, hands, maybe slightly above average goal scoring because of his willingness to go to the net and shoot.
But, his physical style makes him a player who can contribute in the AHL at the very least. He will probably step right into that league and be unanimously hated by every other team right away. Whether or not that will translate to the NHL, will have to be seen. It will take some time if he does get there.
#CBJ, meet Max McCue 🤝@BlueJacketsNHL | #Knights pic.twitter.com/8DeG12lDUX
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) March 3, 2024
This is an interesting add by John Davidson and the Blue Jackets. It certainly has the London Knights connection; but I don't see that as the sole reason for the team signing him.
I think this should serve as notice: the Jackets, and the Monsters, want to be harder to play against. Max McCue brings some grit and competitiveness to the organization.
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