Daniel Markevych is a Toronto area native of Ukrainian descent.
After playing his previous hockey north of the border in Ontario, the 2005-born forward is now located in New England for the 2021-22 campaign.
Most recently playing in the Mississauga Rebels organization, Markevych will be a junior at Lawrence Academy.
Prior to winter in the Independent School League, he is playing split season with the Boston Junior Eagles 16-U team, coached by Kent Hughes. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound forward has shined in a number of New England Hockey Journal’s viewings throughout the fall season.
With a keen focus on academics, Markevych opted to pursue the NCAA route over the local Ontario Hockey League, kickstarting his journey to New England.
“Since a kid, I’ve always wanted to play college hockey," Markevych said. "And then, obviously, make it to pro after that -- that's the main goal -- but I wanted to do it through college."
The OHL came into consideration, the undrafted (in the USHL) forward said, but the academic benefits of both the NCAA and prep were too significant to pass up.
“Education is really important to my whole family, including me, so that was kind of at the front of our minds when making the decision.”
Hughes -- a former Middlebury College player and current agent/advisor for Quartexx Management -- was one of the people who helped Markevych find his footing when he first decided to come to the region.
“I got connected with him through Quartexx and that's how I landed with the Eagles,” Markevych said. “Then, I just had to pick a school from there."
More than two months into his stay, the '05 forward is continuing to adjust to life as a first-year boarding student.
“I came in here pretty fresh, not knowing what to expect, but it’s been good so far,” he said. “It’s been a good adjustment. It’s good to build character, being away from home, facing challenges and all that stuff.”
Since arriving in mid-August, one challenge that Markevych has faced is getting used to the U.S. playing style, which is slightly different than the type of game that's typically seen in Canada.
“It's more physical down here. In Toronto, everything is very fast. It's much more of a stretch-stretch, go-go playing style -- a lot of fast-break chances,” Markevych said.
“I don't know too much about the prep league but in the split season, so far, it's been a bit more of a physical, possession game.”
Playing alongside skilled ‘06 forwards Teddy Stiga (Sudbury, Mass./Belmont Hill) and Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass./Arlington High) -- who play with an offensive craftiness similar to Markevych's -- has helped ease the transition, the elder lineman said.
“They’re two other skilled finesse guys who are smaller and lighter on the scale, but they fit my playing style pretty well and we get along really well on and off the ice, so it's good for the chemistry.”
Twenty-five games into the fall season, the Junior Eagles are 17-3-5 and ranked fifth nationally among 16-U Tier 1 Tournament Bound teams, and No. 1 in Massachusetts, per MyHockeyRankings.com.
In that 25-games span, he's already noticed an uptick in his play.
“I came in being a bit more observant instead of going in and being that dog of a player that I want to be," Markevych said. "But, it's come a long way since I got here.
“The last two weekends, especially -- the Beantown Fall Classic was the best tournament I’ve played -- I’ve been finding my rhythm and how I'm supposed to play. Which is, obviously, with skill, but a lot of hard work and stuff like that, too. When those things come together for me, then stuff goes well and the team wins.”
With the calendar turned to November, the fall season is starting to wrap up and the winter slate is just around the corner.
“It came so quick,” Markevych said. “I remember coming in here in mid-August to practice with the Eagles and now states are in two weeks and nationals are after that, but then that’s kind of it. It went by quick.”
While development is the focus of his stay, it won't be the only thing on his mind once the ISL sets out on its first true hockey season since 2019-20.
"I just want to come into Lawrence and win as many games for the team. If I have a lot of goals or I have a horrible game -- if we win, that's all I care about," Markevych said.
"I've always hated to lose, so I do everything I can to win. If your team keeps on winning, you're doing something right and you're probably producing and having personal success, as well."
Fall hockey standouts who will play with Markevych at the Groton, Mass., prep school include '04 Clarence Beltz (River Rats 18-U), '01 Jake Murphy (Peabody, Mass./South Shore Kings Prep 18-U), '03 Ryan Meagher (Boston, Mass./Junior Eagles 18-U) and more.
“I'm excited,” Markevych said of the fast-approaching 2021-22 campaign.
“We start our captains’ practices (this week) so we’ll get on the ice with the school team for the first time. I’m looking forward to it.”
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