It was a banner year for Sault Ste. Marie native Keegan Stevenson.
Eligible for the 2019 National Hockey League draft, the young Guelph Storm forward played a key role as the Storm won an Ontario Hockey League title and an appearance at the recently-completed Memorial Cup in Halifax.
SooToday caught up with Stevenson at the tournament for our latest Q&A installment.
Q: What was your first sports memory?
KS: My first sports memory is when I was younger when my dad was playing up in the pros, after games he would take me on the ice to skate around with him. That was pretty cool.
Q: What other sports are you interested in aside from hockey?
KS: Growing up, I played soccer. Back home, I came back and played for my high school team.
Q: Who are three people, dead or alive, that you would like to have dinner with and why?
KS: That’s a tough one.
I’d like to go with some hockey guys. Probably Wayne Gretzky. He’s an awesome guy and I would love to meet him in person.
Bobby Orr. I’m with his (player agency) but I haven’t met him in person yet.
Maybe one of the U.S. presidents like (Barack) Obama. He’s such a good influence for so many people. I find it awesome that he can do that.
Q: Aside from something in sports, what would be a non-sports related career that you could be interested in?
KS: I just applied to university for accounting. I was looking into that.
I’m into more of the math.
Q: Who is the one person, dead or alive, that you admire most?
KS: I admire my dad the most.
He’s been through all of what I’m going through. I look up to him a lot.
Q: If you could be the NHL commissioner for one day, what’s one change you would make to the sport?
KS: I don’t think I would make a change.
I think everything right now going on in the NHL is pretty good. I like how it’s going.
Q: What’s the most important life lesson you have learned so far?
KS: Just be truthful and keep working hard. Just have a good work ethic and never give up.
Q: What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
KS: Most people think I’m a shy person and I don’t really talk much but once I get to know someone, I like to joke around with them and play some tricks on them.
Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
KS: To read people’s minds. Just to know what they’re thinking or what they want to say would be pretty cool.
Q: You’re stranded on an island, what three things would you bring with you?
KS: Maybe another person there to help me out.
A tent or a tarp to have some cover and a weapon or something so you can get some food.