by Carlynn Claypool | AHL On The Beat
The captain has returned.
Colorado Eagles ahead Jayson Megna held such distinction that he earned the dignity of staff captain earlier than placing blade to ice in his fifth season with the membership and his thirteenth within the AHL.
Throughout the house opener in opposition to the Tucson Roadrunners on Oct. 11 in Loveland, the followers welcomed him again with raucous cheers. Megna mentioned coming again to Colorado after a 12 months with the Windfall Bruins was a straightforward alternative due to the Eagles supporters, metropolis itself and high quality of life.
Possibly most particular of all, Megna’s daughter, Hadley, was born right here, and thus the household considers Northern Colorado house.
“It sort of checks each field for us,” Megna mentioned. “My spouse and I, we had our daughter right here and I think about it a second house, so once we had the chance to come back again, we jumped on it.”
Colorado definitely has loads of motive to welcome Megna with open arms. He has tallied 320 factors in 499 AHL video games, a good distance from an ice-skating themed birthday celebration that he attended as a baby which might find yourself sparking a profession taking part in hockey.
“I used to be born in Fort Lauderdale,” Megna mentioned. “Not many youth hockey packages (in Florida) on the time. It’s gotten, clearly, loads higher with the Panthers.
“I moved to Chicago after I was 5 or 6 and went to a birthday celebration skate round after I was seven. Then I requested my mother and father to signal me up for a league and simply began to fall in love with the sport from there.”
Megna’s father, Jay, served as a driving pressure in his son’s pursuit {of professional} hockey. Jay Megna performed defensive again at East Tennessee State College and hung out within the NFL with the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints within the 1980’s. Jayson witnessed the dedication and energy essential to play professionally.
Studying the values and work ethic wanted to achieve success on the highest-level and ultra-fast-paced atmosphere helped Megna play right into a captain’s function with the Eagles.
As a captain with expansive expertise, together with 204 video games on the NHL degree, Megna has a possibility to mentor among the youthful Eagles gamers.
And it’s a job he relishes.
“I don’t take it frivolously, and I really feel very lucky to be in that place,” Megna mentioned. “I simply attempt to assist the younger guys and assist develop their expertise so we will see them up in Denver with the Avalanche and have lengthy profitable careers.
“No matter I can do to assist them, that’s sort of my full concern.”
