Pontiacs sign Bonnyville native AJ Macaulay for next season

The Bonnyville Pontiacs have signed Bonnyville native AJ Macaulay for the 2019-20 season, the team announced Friday.

The local player is currently playing with the Northern Alberta X-Treme Prep team in the CSSHL.

“It’s a feather in the cap or icing on the cake to add a player a local player like AJ Macaulay…he has both the ability and character to be a Bonnyville Pontiac,” said Pontiacs coach/GM Rick Swan.

Macaulay tried out for the club in the off-season, but did not end up making the team. The Pontiacs have been in close communication since and then pulled the trigger on the signing Friday.

“At times it can be selfish to keep a young player like that, and with the roster we have this year, it was the right move to have him go back to midget. The risk, and his benefit was that in doing so, he had 16 AJHL teams wanting to sign him. And that’s the risk, but with that being said, we’re excited to have him,” he said.

Macaulay has 21 points in 20 games with the Northern Alberta X-Treme Prep team.

“It’s nice to have a player that grew up in Bonnyville and grew up wanting to play for the team,” said Swan.

The Bonnyville Pontiacs have a pair of contests against South Division opponents this weekend at home: tonight against the Olds Grizzlys and tomorrow against the Calgary Mustangs.