Former Vancouver Canucks forward Zack MacEwen will be taking an indefinite leave of absence from hockey.
MacEwen, now a member of the Ottawa Senators, took to Instagram this morning to announce that he will be stepping away from hockey to focus on his mental well-being.
“As many of you now know, I will be taking a leave of absence from hockey to focus on myself. For people that know me, you know how hard the loss of my father was and I will be taking steps to heal and get the help that I need,” MacEwen wrote. “I’m very thankful for the love and support I have already received. I am especially thankful for my amazing wife who has been my rock. Please respect my privacy at this time.”
MacEwen also advised that others should reach out for help if they are going through any sort of personal struggles.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I feel very thankful for the support system of my family, from the NHL, and the hockey community,” he said. “Much love.”
macewen66/Instagram
MacEwen has split his time this season with the Senators and their AHL affiliate in Belleville. In 21 games with the Sens, he had two goals and three points, along with 21 penalty minutes.
The 28-year-old has had quite the journey to the NHL, being signed as an undrafted free-agent by the Canucks after his junior hockey career in the QMJHL had wrapped up.
MacEwen was able to appear in four games with the Canucks just two seasons later and played in a combined 55 regular season outings with them from 2019 to 2021. He’s since spent time with the Philadelphia Flyers, LA Kings, and now the Senators. He’s logged 237 NHL games to date in his career.
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