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It’s been a change, but it’s also been a welcomed challenge.
Sault Ste. Marie’s Cole MacKay is in the midst of his first season playing Canadian college hockey at the University of New Brunswick.
MacKay made the decision over the summer to pursue his studies while also getting a chance to continue playing the sport he loved after playing four full seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Soo Greyhounds.
The 21-year-old said recently that the quality of play in college has been impressive.
“I don’t think there’s a game we’re going to go into where it’s going to be an easy night,” MacKay said. “That’s the first thing I noticed is you’re going to get the other team’s best, especially us being one of the top teams in the country. They work so hard all week for those one or two games. It’s really competitive, high pace, high physicality.”
With a full courseload in addition to hockey, MacKay said the workload is definitely different from what it was in junior.
“It’s a lot on your plate coming from junior where you’re practicing and then you’re on the road and you don’t really have much to worry about after that,” MacKay said.
“The days are jam packed, but it’s great,” MacKay added. “It keeps the mind busy. That’s what we’re here to do is play hockey and get your degree.”
Working toward a business degree, MacKay’s courseload includes five classes – four in class and other online and called juggling the workload in addition to hockey “an adjustment.”
“It teaches you good time management skills,” MacKay added.
Playing with the Reds has also given MacKay an opportunity to reunite with another Sault products in Camaryn Baber. The two played together growing up before their hockey careers took them to separate OHL teams, MacKay with the Greyhounds and Baber with the Saginaw Spirit and London Knights.
“It’s awesome,” MacKay said of being able to play with Baber. “We live together too, so we’ve got the whole package going. We grew up together and went to elementary school and played minor hockey.”
“It’s been so much fun having him back to play with each other,” MacKay added. “It’s just like the old days out there.”
In addition to playing with Baber, MacKay is also playing with a pair of former Greyhounds teammates at UNB in defenceman Noah Carroll and forward Ryan Roth.
“It was a nice bonus for sure,” MacKay said of getting to play with them again. “They both sent me messages or called me throughout the recruitment process. To hear from them, that’s a word that you can trust from somebody you know already. To hear the words they had to say about the program, the city, and the school, it gave you a sense of validity.”
Playing at UNB has also given MacKay an opportunity to play with a number of players he saw regularly during his time in the OHL as opponents.
“After playing against those guys for three, four, or five years, it’s nice to have them on your team,” MacKay said. “It’s nice to get to know them off the ice and see what kind of people they are and they’re all awesome.”
The Reds are heading into their break for Christmas with 15 wins in 18 conference games and have won 14 of their past 15 games – their lone loss coming in a shootout. That comes after the team dropped two of their first three games to start the season.
“A lot goes into it,” MacKay said of the strong start to the season. “We’re lucky to have such a good coach in Gardiner MacDougall amd Rob Hennigar as well. They do a really good job of preparing us the way we need to be prepared for the weekend.
“It’s the preparation and the belief that we have a goal in mind that we want to win the national championship and that’s the whole culture here,” MacKay added. “Part of the reason I came (to UNB) was just that winning atmosphere. Right from day one, that was the focal point of everything we do.”
MacKay added that MacDougall is “the best (coach) I’ve ever had at taking a group and motivating them to believe in an end goal.”
“That’s exactly what he’s done to me and the first year guys already,” MacKay added. “Henny runs the power play and (assistant coach Brad Good) does the penalty kill. Just the collection of them, they’re so knowledgeable and passionate about the game.”
MacKay, who has eight goals and 13 points in 18 games this season, went on to say that he’s been “really lucky” when it comes to coaching staffs to play for.
“This is another great coaching staff after having a couple good ones in the Sault,” MacKay said.