But as it turns out, when one of the best junior hockey leagues on the planet calls on you to join their ranks, people take notice.
McEwan was recently featured on Fox 7 Austin with an interview from his home about being selected in the first round, 20th overall in the inaugural U.S. Draft.
“About halfway through this season I started getting calls from scouts in the WHL and I was like ‘holy crap, I have a shot at this’,” McEwan said in the television piece. “This is just one of the fruits of my labour, it’s a long journey.”
The 5-foot-11, 174-pound forward was born in Austin but played with the Dallas Stars Bantam Major AAA team, scoring 22 goals and 56 points in 59 games while going plus-50 in the process.
He certainly didn’t hurt his draft standing at the 2020 WHL U.S. Challenge this past fall, scoring twice and putting up five points in four games with the Dallas Stars Elite 14U squad.
McEwan’s parents have naturally been supportive of their up-and-coming youngster.
“I think it’s pretty exciting, coming from a non-traditional hockey market and being picked for major junior, that hasn’t happened before,” McEwan’s father Grant said. “It’s a great progression from when he was prospering on the ice at five years old.”
Like many players right now, McEwan is currently at home after all sports in the state of Texas were shuttered due to the COVID-19 outbreak. His parents have made sure he’s able to keep training, though, with a hockey net and plastic ice set-up to help him work on his shooting and stickhandling skills.
“Just seeing where I’ve come from and all the work I’ve put in, it’s pretty special,” McEwan said.
And, of course, the elephant in the room. On Jan. 15, 2020, it hit -25 C in Moose Jaw.
Dallas, Texas that same day? 27 C, without the minus.
“I know it's cold,” McEwan laughed in an interview with 100DegreeHockey.com. “It's a small town, too. The small town atmosphere brings all the people together, and they live and breathe hockey up there.”
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