PROVEN WINNER
Panthers land top recruit in Kyle Maksimovich
UPEI hockey Panthers land top recruit in Kyle Maksimovich
Kyle Maksimovich has scored and won everywhere he’s played.
The UPEI Panthers are happy he’s bringing those credentials with him to the MacLauchlan Arena. The 21-year-old Hamilton, Ont., native described himself as a high-energy, shifty player.
“All my life I’ve kind of been a pass-first kind of player, but obviously I like to score goals and have fun,” he said Tuesday after Panthers’ practice at MacLauchlan Arena. “I think the biggest thing with me is my compete level. I love winning and I love having fun.”
Maksimovich scored 115 goals during his five-year Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career. He played on the Erie Otters juggernaut for 4 ½ seasons. He was a rookie when Connor McDavid played his final year of junior, but the stars on the roster ran deep during his time with the Otters, including Dylan Strome, Alex DeBrincat, Travis Dermott, Taylor Raddysh, Eric Cernak, Warren Foegele and Anthony Cirrelli.
The roster also included Owen Headrick and Troy Lajeunesse – who joined the Panthers a year ago.
“It’s huge,” Maksimovich said of the personal connection inside the Panthers’ dressing room in helping him decide which university to attend. “The biggest thing I think is you go where you feel most comfortable. Obviously, I know the guys I played with (in) Owen and Troy. They were pretty comfortable here last year. They really loved it and they had nothing but good things to say.”
Panthers’ head coach Forbes MacPherson said his contacts in Ontario identified Maksimovich as a guy UPEI needed. He was atop the priority list, and the Panthers and pleased to have him on board.
“He had a high level of offensive production in his junior career and he’s a guy that has won at every single level,” he said, noting championships at major bantam, major midget and the OHL.
And while scoring goals is always important, MacPherson noted it was “the way he does it” that impressed him about Maksimovich. He’s not a perimeter player, he competes hard and plays with energy.
They are buzz words in the hockey world, but are attributes required to play on the Panthers’ top two forward lines. MacPherson is not usually one to tip his hand with where players might fit in early in their university career, but he wasn’t holding back with Maksimovich.
“We recruited him as a top six. We’re not going to try to fool anybody here,” he said. “He’s going to be a top-six guy, and I have no problem saying that because I know his character and how he plays. . . This guy plays hockey the right way, the way, I believe, it’s intended to be.”
MacPherson has only had a couple of viewings of his prized prospect, but he likes what he sees. He envisions him being a guy who can create offence, play with the puck on his stick, who has good vision and can cause
turnovers.
“He’s not arrogant by any means, but he has a lot of confidence,” he said.
He played in the Memorial Cup final with the Otters in 2017, losing 4-3 to the Windsor Spitfires. He had an assist on Foegele’s power-play goal in the final as part of his five points in five games registered during the tournament.
Maksimovich arrived in Charlottetown on Saturday, skated with the Panthers and got settled in his new surroundings. He left Wednesday morning to take part in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ camp and compete in the prospect tournament and training camp in Traverse City, Mich. He’s attended the Vancouver Canucks’ camp before and had two stints with the Chicago Blackhawks.
“I kind of know what the tournament is like,” said Maksimovich. “I just have to hopefully
get in there and make a good impression.”
Maksimovich wants to play pro, but if a contract doesn't present itself, he will be back in Charlottetown playing for the Panthers and working towards an arts degree with the goal of becoming a teacher.
“This is the spot I want to be,” Maksimovich said of the university route. “This is the spot I want to play for a championship.”