Jake McGrew: “I’ve never felt faster in my life.”

Most Mondays this off-season, we’ll do a Sharks Prospects Update.

It’s been 14 months since Jake McGrew last played a hockey game.

In October 2019, just six games into his final WHL season, the San Jose Sharks prospect tore his right ACL and PCL. It would result in his third major knee surgery in four years.

McGrew made a triumphant return on Saturday, potting a pair of goals in his professional debut for the ECHL’s Allen Americans. It’s been a long road back for the 2017 sixth-round pick, who talked to San Jose Hockey Now about his comeback over the summer.

Jake McGrew: “I wouldn’t change what has happened to me.”

McGrew is one of three San Jose system prospects playing for Allen right now, joining Joe Garreffa and Zach Sawchenko. Notably, McGrew is the only San Jose Sharks-signed prospect — Garreffa and Sawchenko are signed with the Barracuda — which underscores how badly the organization wanted to get McGrew in particular back in action.

“That’s the plan,” McGrew told SJHN, “they wanted me to come down here and play games, get a jumpstart on the season.”

The winger also talked about his two-goal comeback and why he’s “never felt faster.”

But before we get to McGrew, let’s check out how San Jose Sharks prospects are performing around the globe:

McGrew (18) shared this remarkable coincidence about his game-opening goal:

🚨🚨 @McgrewJake makes it a 1-0 game as he finds the back of the net to give Allen its first goal of the season!!
🍎@alexlavoie19#LiveInTheRed pic.twitter.com/0atVw4glOW

— Allen Americans (@AllenAmericans) December 13, 2020

“It was nice to get the first point out of the way,” he said, before recalling, “In the first shift, on my first shot — to do it in the way that I did when I was 17 in Spokane, coming back, in my first shift, first shot, goal. It kind of comes full circle.”

McGrew’s second strike was even more to his liking:

🚨AMERICANS GOAL🚨

Rookie Forward @McgrewJake scores his second of the night to make it a 2-3 game!! #LiveInTheRed🇺🇸 | @ghosttequila pic.twitter.com/4zWePdh0a6

— Allen Americans (@AllenAmericans) December 13, 2020

“Any good player, you give them time in the slot, D has a bad gap, you want to make them pay,” he noted. “That was more the style of goal I’d like to score, a good shot using the D as a screen, using my shot to my advantage.”

It was this play, however, perhaps more than any other, that might best exemplify McGrew’s potential:

With a minute left in the game, Allen down by a goal, McGrew screamed down the right wing and turned the corner on Anaheim Ducks prospect Maxim Golod (77).

“That kind of made me realize I can keep up in pro hockey, beating guys like that,” he said. “I came back to the bench, I said that one should have went in, my bad, boys.”

When San Jose Sharks fans last saw McGrew in September 2019 at the Rookie Faceoff in Anaheim, it was his speed and tenacity that drew the eye.

15 months later, it’s good to see both qualities still present.

“I’m a quick, elusive skater. Tight turn, I can get away from guys. Straight lines. That’s a big part of my game, if I can skate in straight lines, not do so many wide turns, I’ll going to beat D and other forwards to the puck,” McGrew explained. “That’s a big part of my game. Defenseman can’t read how fast I’m coming in. I can change speeds pretty fast. And my skating is just going to get better from here, right?”

Right.

The 21-year-old has obviously used his long layoff well: “I told my trainer before I left, I’ve never felt faster in my life. It made me feel good that we both took advantage of the time that we had.”