Mackenzie MacEachern’s season didn’t end when the Wolves fell one point short of an AHL postseason berth.
Shortly after the defending Calder Cup champions’ season ended last month, MacEachern was recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes and the veteran forward has played a key role in the NHL team’s run for the Stanley Cup.
With MacEachern’s season still going, that means the 29-year-old can continue with his favorite pregame routine by playing Sewer Ball, also known as Two-Touch.
While many of the Wolves players joined in the pregame activity in the bowels of arenas—home and away—it was MacEachern who displayed the most competitiveness when it came to the warm-up game.
The Bloomfield Hills, Mich., native was introduced to Sewer Ball when he turned pro in 2016 for his first stint with the Wolves and he goes all out when the ball is in play.
“I’d say I have a competitive nature,” MacEachern said with a smile when asked about his Sewer Ball antics. “I just like to have fun. Obviously, I like to win but it’s not too serious at all. It’s just something to warm up and have fun with.”
While winning the game is nice, the main premise of the game is to get loose before taking the ice.
“It’s a big thing for my warm-up,” MacEachern said. “That’s why I’m all over the place—to get my body moving before the games. Some days I just want to be an athlete and work on my hand-eye coordination and get touches in.”
For those unclear on the rules, MacEachern broke it down.
“In Sewer Ball or Two-Touch, you get two touches without using your hands and as soon as you have two touches you have to distribute the ball to someone else or to a different area. If you touch it more than two times, you’re out. And if one of your touches doesn’t go near a teammate and hits the ground, you’re out.”
So what makes for a good Sewer Ball player?
“Someone who can hit the ball in a decent spot for the next touch,” MacEachern said.
With that in mind, who is the best Sewer Ball player on the Wolves?
“Probably (William) Lagesson,” MacEachern said. “And then (Anttoni) Honka is pretty good. The Euros are pretty good. I think I’d be in the Top 3, for sure.”
