Jared McCann grew up in a blue-collar house, the son of a construction worker. Every summer in Stratford, Ontario, McCann would earn extra money by working for the family business, often lugging materials and cleaning up after jobs.
The experience taught him how important it was to have a strong work ethic and take pride in what you do, no matter what it is. It also kept him focused on his hockey career.
“I kind of realized early that I didn’t want to be a construction worker,” McCann said. “No knock against them. I met some pretty amazing people through that stuff. They’re hard workers. They really are, man. It’s insane. It was a good lesson.”
It’s one McCann carries with him to this day, one of humility, gratitude and the willingness to do whatever it takes, and it’s helped him basically morph into the centerpiece of the Feb. 1 trade that brought him and Nick Bjugstad here from South Florida.
Where Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan seemingly found every reason for things not to work, McCann and Bjugstad have taken the opposite tack. Give them a hammer, a shovel or a drill, whatever, they’ve been able to figure it out.
Since the trade, McCann has eight goals in 19 games, including a pair of short-handed markers. Bjugstad has five goals in that same span and has bolstered the No. 2 power play.
Together, they’ve made quite an impression on their coach.
“They’re two real good players,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “They’ve embraced the roles that we’ve put them in. When guys bring a certain level of enthusiasm and they embrace the challenge, that, for me, is where it starts, with that attitude of wanting to make a difference and wanting to help this team win games.
“I think both of these guys are really excited to be Penguins. They’re excited about the roles that we’ve put them in. They’ve done a great job for us.”
Bjugstad was the more known commodity in the deal and might eventually have a higher ceiling, at least as it pertains to finding a role in the Penguins’ top-six, but McCann has made the biggest immediate impact.
Not only because of his production — did Sullivan finally find a second wing for Sidney Crosby’s line? — but also because of McCann’s attitude. It’s infectious.
If you listed all of the characteristics of a player you’d want centering your third line, chances are McCann fulfills 90 percent of them, maybe more.
He can skate. He has a sneaky-good shot. He can kill penalties, function well enough on the power play, and he isn’t insulted by being deployed in a bottom-six capacity. You could also bump him up in the lineup — as the Penguins have done — and McCann doesn’t become a liability.
Far from it, actually.
“He’s always been a good player,” Bjugstad said of McCann. “You watch him in practice, you see the little things he does. He’s got unbelievable hands and high-end talent. This isn’t a surprise for me to see.
“He’s getting a really good opportunity, and he’s taking advantage of it. He’s a skilled player who works hard and has the right mindset. Wherever he plays, he seems to make an impact. It’s awesome to see him doing well.”
Ask McCann about life these days and playing with Crosby, and the wide-eyed kid on the job site comes out.
“I’m humbled at the opportunity I’ve been given here,” McCann said. “I’m just trying to play hard.”
McCann is doing a heck of a lot more than that. Just take a look at the gorgeous goal he scored Sunday to put the Penguins ahead, 2-0, at 13:54 of a terrific first period.
A smart stick play by McCann on Bruins forward David Krejci started the sequence. Teddy Blueger alertly saw McCann take off and sent a pass ahead.
As McCann approached Bruins goaltender Jaroslav Halak, McCann faked to his forehand — without actually touching anything — then, with the back of his right skate on the ice, pulled the puck to his backhand and beat Halak.
“Teddy made a great play, a great read on that guy [Brad Marchand] there,” McCann said. “He jumped him. I created a loose puck.
“I knew Teddy was going to make the pass to me. I just took off as fast as I could. I made a move there. Was able to put it in.”
McCann wanted zero credit for the goal. He even went so far as to credit a guy who wasn’t playing in the game.
“Casey DeSmith always stays with me after practice and works on breakaways and stuff like that,” McCann said. “My teammates give me an opportunity to be good.”
Finally, after a little more prodding, McCann gave something. He was willing to take credit for the fake.
“The harder you kinda fake it, the more he has to respect it, right?” McCann said. “I just tried to fake it as hard as I could. He bit on it.”
It seems there’s nothing fake about McCann these days. It’s starting to look more and more like this production, this attitude, this effectiveness, is real.
McCann’s two-goal night — the second one of those for him in the past seven contests — gave him a career-high in points with 29.
The 22-year-old now has eight points (five goals) in his last seven games, and he’s found himself a key part of Crosby’s line.
Say this about the gig: It sure beats the heck out of tearing down scaffolding or lugging around a bunch of boards.
“I’m feeling more comfortable every game, feels like,” McCann said. “I’m playing with one of the best players in the world, too. That kinda helps. We created a lot [Sunday].
“I’m just trying to play well for the guys and not let them down.”
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: March 11, 2019, 4:06 a.m.