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Photo by Gerry Kahrmann / PNG

VICTORIA — Zack MacEwen may have found the answer to a pressing question.

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The big and skilled Vancouver Canucks prospect winger needs explosiveness in his first few strides to get up to NHL speed. It’s often the separator for those who flourish in the minors but can’t quite make the leap to the NHL.

During a Saturday camp scrimmage in which MacEwen was aligned with Brandon Sutter and Tanner Pearson, it was obvious his skating has improved, but is there another level he can reach?

MacEwen answered the query by training with David (Eli) MacEachern, who teamed with Pierre Lueders of Team Canada to share Olympic gold with Italy in the 1998 two-man bobsleigh at Nagano.

Think about it. Those bobsleigh starts are all about power and weight transfer and endurance.

“I’m just trying to get more speed in my footwork and more power in my legs and it has helped me make a big jump in the last two years,” said the undrafted 23-year-old MacEwen. “I had a good summer and I feel great and playing with those guys today, it was good because you can see the work that they put in and how helpful they are for me on the bench.

“You need this to get your intensity level back and your timing.”

MacEwen had 52 points (22-30) in 69 AHL games last season with the Utica Comets and also made his regular-season debut with the Canucks. He had one assist in four outings, but the big take-away was showing what he had learned and the willingness he has to get to the next level.