LOOKING at the lengthy list of quality players to come out of Fort William, Max Mekilok is certainly one of those who posted impressive numbers throughout his career.
Beginning his time in junior at forward, Mekilok joined the fabled Fort William Columbus Canadiens as a 17-year-old began an eventual two decade run on the ice as a deft playmaking performer with a keen eye for the net and putting pucks into the back of them.
In his first full season with the local Habs, Mekilok was second in club offensive production, averaging over a point-per-game, he set the tone at being an elite scorer with every team he played for.
Under legendary coach Mickey Hennessey, Fort William would win the Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League championship in each of Mekilok’s last three seasons with the squad.
This also featured back-to-back solid runs in the Memorial Cup playdowns, including a trip to the western Canadian final, that fell just short against a strong Edmonton Oil Kings team.
Mekilok certainly did his part for the Canadiens with 26 playoff points in 22 outings.
Turning pro in 1995, he along fellow Fort William product, in defenceman Lou Marcon, join the Cincinnati Mohawks of the International Hockey League.
Making a statement at just how good he was, Mekilok was tremendous in his first year there, leading all IHL skaters in scoring, with 100 points in 59 appearances on 38 tallies and 62 assists.
His efforts also earned him first team league all-star laurels, and as the IHL did not start doling out its Top Rookie Award until 1961, he certainly would have won that as well.
Of note, another Lakehead standout, Pete Wyrot, was tabbed the IHL’s second all-star team centre behind Mekilok.
Wyrot was third in league offensive numbers with 90, as a member of the Fort Wayne Komets, where his team-best numbers saw him score 26 times and dish out an IHL-high 64 assists.
Eventually Cincinnati went on to finish in top spot overall in the standings, then cruised in the postseason, losing only once, en route to hoisting the Turner Cup, emblematic of IHL champions.
A year later, Mekilok and Marcon won a team title for a fifth consecutive campaign as the Mohawks skated away with another crown.
Under contract to the Montreal Canadiens at the time, they opted to send Mekilok to the Shawingan Cataracts of the Quebec Hockey League.
Shining brightly yet again, he went on finish third overall in offensive production, go on to be selected the QHL’s Rookie of the Year.
The skilled forward backed that up with 76 points in 62 games by notching 26 markers and dishing out a team-best 52 assists.
Oh yeah, he also went on to hoist a sixth title in as many years, when Shawingan, who were guided by then player-coach, Fred Shero, trumped the Quebec Aces to win the Thomas O’Connell Trophy.
From there, Montreal had Mekilok on the move once more, sending him to the Pacific Northwest to boost the fortunes of the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Flyers.
Failing to disappoint, he led the Spokes in scoring with 84 points in his first year and was later tabbed a second team WHL All-Star in his initial campaign there.
With Spokane eventually morphing into the Comets, he would become a fan favourite in the Washington State community over the course of his five full seasons with the organization.
Mekilok would go on to be the all-time leading scorer in franchise history that featured 320 points in a combined 300 regular season and playoff contests.
His most prolific campaign in Spokance would be in 1961-62 when he topped the WHL scoring table, with 97 points, as the league scoring champion was named a WHL All-Star.
Mekilok’s bonus for winning the WHL scoring title? $300.
He also become the first player in team history to capture league top scorer honours.
After being away from home for close to a decade, Mekilok returned to the Lakehead to reside, but his playing days were not done.
He would suit up for the Fort William Beavers in the local senior ranks for several seasons.
Still putting up quality numbers, he led Beavers in scoring in 1968-69, finishing second overall in league play.
After Fort William was knocked off by the rival Port Arthur Bearcats in the final, they were quick to pick-up his services on their quest for the Allan Cup.
There he led once again shone offensively with 22 points along the way, helping the Bearcats advance all the way to the Patton Cup western Canadian final versus a solid Calgary Stampeders side.
Then at age 38, Mekilok still had something to offer as a member of the iconic Thunder Bay Twins.
There in 1972, he chipped in to help the Twins capture the United State Hockey League championship, to go out like he came in – A proven winner.
Amassing over 800 points in his career, in under 700 appearances, his numbers were the envy of many, as were the amount of titles he won, as part of his distinguished hockey resume.
In all, the overall numbers do not do him justice. Max Mekilok was one helluva player.
