Zack MacEwen Bio
Zack MacEwen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 227 pounds, he is recognized for his physical, straight-line style and willingness to drop the gloves. A right-shot forward from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, MacEwen has built a career as an undrafted role player, working his way from junior hockey to a steady NHL role.
Over the course of his professional career, MacEwen has suited up for the Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and Ottawa Senators before landing in New Jersey. Known for his willingness to play tough minutes and contribute on the penalty kill, he has carved out a reputation as a dependable bottom-six forward across multiple organizations.
Early Life and Background
Zack MacEwen was born on July 8, 1996, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. He was raised in the small community of Stratford, just across the harbor from Charlottetown, by his parents Craig and Juliana MacEwen. The family operated a berry farm, giving Zack an upbringing rooted in hard work and a small-town atmosphere.
MacEwen is of Scottish descent through his paternal great-grandmother, a heritage that connects him to one of the founding cultural groups of Prince Edward Island. Growing up in a tight-knit Maritime household helped shape his blue-collar approach to the game, an attitude that has followed him throughout his hockey career.
MacEwen’s early exposure to organized hockey came through local Prince Edward Island programs before he attracted broader attention. His size, work ethic, and willingness to play a physical brand of hockey made him a standout in the region, eventually opening doors to higher-level opportunities outside his home province.
Path to Professional Hockey
MacEwen’s path to the professional ranks ran through the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The Moncton Wildcats first noticed him while he was playing with Amherst, and he joined Moncton during the 2014–15 season, briefly filling in for teammates who were away at the World Junior Championship. After going unselected in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, he returned to Moncton for a full 2015–16 QMJHL campaign, recording 10 goals and 30 assists in 66 games.
On August 12, 2016, the Wildcats traded MacEwen to the Gatineau Olympiques in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft. The move came because Moncton was only permitted to carry three 20-year-old players and wanted to make room for younger prospects. His time at Gatineau helped him refine his two-way game and prepared him for the jump to professional hockey.
Zack MacEwen Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
On March 3, 2017, MacEwen signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks. He later signed an amateur tryout agreement with Vancouver’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets, on April 10, 2017. He scored his first AHL goal on October 29, 2017, against the Charlotte Checkers, finishing his first professional season with 33 points in 66 games and earning the Ian Anderson Award as the Comets’ Most Improved rookie.
After attending the Canucks’ training camp in fall 2018, MacEwen was returned to Utica to begin the 2018–19 AHL season. He was recalled by Vancouver on February 10, 2019, following a four-point game the night before against the Rochester Americans, and made his NHL debut on February 11, 2019, against the San Jose Sharks. He recorded his first NHL point with an assist on Derrick Pouliot’s goal in a 7–2 loss.
Vancouver Canucks Era (2019–2021)
MacEwen spent the first 13 games of the 2019–20 season with the Utica Comets before being recalled to Vancouver on November 13 alongside Tyler Graovac. He scored his first NHL goal on December 3 in a 5–2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. By the time the COVID-19 pandemic paused the NHL and AHL seasons, MacEwen had posted five goals, six points, and 20 penalty minutes in 17 games with the Canucks. He also appeared in six playoff games as Vancouver eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues before falling in the second round to the Vegas Golden Knights.
On October 6, 2020, MacEwen signed a two-year contract extension with Vancouver carrying an average annual value of $825,000. The 2020–21 season was difficult: injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak within the team led to constant fourth-line turnover, and MacEwen skated in only 34 of 56 games, finishing with two points. He was one of 21 members of the Canucks organization to contract COVID-19, missing two weeks in April. He was also suspended one game in May and fined $7,000 for kneeing Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers in the head, an incident that included two subsequent fights between the two players.
Philadelphia Flyers Era (2021–2023)
On October 12, 2021, shortly before the 2021–22 season began, the Canucks placed MacEwen on waivers to make room for Alex Chiasson. The Philadelphia Flyers claimed him off waivers the next day, needing a forward after an injury to Kevin Hayes. After sorting out his U.S. work visa, MacEwen joined the Flyers on October 20, skating on the fourth line alongside Nate Thompson and former QMJHL teammate Nicolas Aubé-Kubel. In 75 games, he recorded three goals and a career-high nine points.
As a restricted free agent, MacEwen was re-signed by the Flyers to a one-year, $925,000 extension on August 2, 2022. Under new head coach John Tortorella, he played effectively on the fourth line with Nicolas Deslauriers and Patrick Brown. On January 29, 2023, MacEwen suffered a broken jaw in a fight with the Minnesota Wild’s Marcus Foligno and was expected to miss five weeks, having already tied his career-high of nine points at the time of the injury.
Los Angeles Kings and Ottawa Senators Era (2023–2025)
On March 3, 2023, Philadelphia traded MacEwen to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Brendan Lemieux and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He debuted with Los Angeles in a 4–2 win over the Washington Capitals and registered his first Kings point on March 20 in an 8–2 victory over the Calgary Flames, setting a new career-high in single-season points. He finished the combined season with four goals and 10 points in 57 games and appeared in one playoff game for Los Angeles against the Edmonton Oilers.
On July 6, 2023, MacEwen signed a three-year, $2.325 million contract with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent. He made the team out of training camp but was placed on waivers after four games because of salary cap constraints, then assigned to Ottawa’s AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators. He was recalled on November 4, 2023, after injuries to Ridly Greig and Mark Kastelic. MacEwen scored his first Senators goal on December 31 in a 5–1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, and was later placed on waivers again on February 12, 2024, when Anton Forsberg returned from injury. He finished 2023–24 with stints split between Ottawa and Belleville.
New Jersey Devils Era (2025–Present)
MacEwen began the 2024–25 season with Ottawa and recorded a two-goal performance in an 8–7 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings on October 14. He played 19 games with the Senators, posting two goals and five points, before being placed on waivers on November 24 and assigned to Belleville. After further NHL recalls during the season, MacEwen took an indefinite leave of absence from the organization for personal reasons on January 21, 2025. He finished the year with two goals and three points in 21 games for Ottawa, and seven goals and 16 points in 23 games for Belleville.
On October 3, 2025, ahead of the 2025–26 season, the New Jersey Devils acquired MacEwen from Ottawa in exchange for Kurtis MacDermid. The move gave the Devils another physical, right-shot bottom-six forward as they shaped their roster for the new campaign.
Driving Style and Strengths
MacEwen is best known for his physical, north-south style of play. He finishes checks, defends along the walls, and is willing to engage in fights, which has made him a regular occupant of the fourth line. He also plays a reliable defensive game, contributes on the penalty kill, and brings a straight-line forechecking presence that coaches have consistently relied upon for energy and matchup toughness.
Notable Events and Milestones
Some of the defining moments of MacEwen’s career include his first NHL point on February 11, 2019, against the San Jose Sharks and his first NHL goal on December 3, 2019, versus the Ottawa Senators. He was part of the Canucks’ 2020 playoff upset of the defending champion St. Louis Blues, and in 2023 he set a new single-season career-high in points while splitting time between the Flyers and the Kings.
Zack MacEwen Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
MacEwen was raised in Stratford, Prince Edward Island, by his parents Craig and Juliana MacEwen, who ran a berry farm. He is of Scottish descent through his paternal great-grandmother, a connection that ties his family to one of Prince Edward Island’s long-established cultural communities.
Personal Life
MacEwen’s family life has been shaped by small-town Maritime roots and the demands of professional hockey. On May 6, 2020, it was publicly announced that his father, Craig MacEwen, had died. MacEwen took an indefinite leave of absence from the Ottawa Senators organization in January 2025 for personal reasons, reflecting the close ties between his family and his career decisions.
2025 Season Performance
MacEwen entered the 2024–25 campaign looking to secure a regular NHL role with the Ottawa Senators. He opened the year with the club and quickly produced, recording a two-goal game in an 8–7 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings on October 14. Despite the early offensive contribution, the Senators placed him on waivers on November 24, and he was assigned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL.
After being recalled by Ottawa on January 10, 2025, and appearing in two more games, MacEwen took an indefinite leave of absence on January 21 for personal reasons. He finished the season with two goals and three points in 21 NHL games for the Senators, and seven goals and 16 points in 23 AHL contests for Belleville.
On October 3, 2025, MacEwen was traded to the New Jersey Devils for Kurtis MacDermid, providing New Jersey with a physical, right-shot forward for its bottom six. Heading into the 2025–26 season, MacEwen is expected to compete for a role on the Devils’ fourth line, contribute on the penalty kill, and bring added toughness to a roster looking to solidify its identity.
