With a tense faceoff looming deep in their own end against the Sarnia Sting, veteran Barrie Colts captain Evan Passmore calmly skates over to his young blueline partner, leaning in to give 16-year-old rookie Declan McNally a quick pointer on what threats to scan for once the puck drops.
It is a snapshot of the mentorship defining the early OHL career of Barrie’s prized young blueliner — and a routine that has quickly accelerated McNally’s transition to major junior hockey.
“We’ve all been first-year players in this league before, so I try to give him advice wherever I can, and if he needs some support, or maybe just some tips here and there, I try to help him out,” said Passmore. “But he’s doing a great job on his own. Our assistant coach, Patrick Sexton, has been doing tons of video with him, and he’s just absorbing it all.
“He’s been doing great, and it’s fun to watch.”
The Colts aren’t wasting any time developing their towering six-foot-five, 185-pound defenceman. Acquired in a blockbuster late-August trade from the Guelph Storm, who loaded up as hosts of this year’s Memorial Cup, Barrie sent a massive package of six draft picks to secure the seventh overall selection from the 2026 OHL Priority Selection.
Recognizing he would see a minimal role on a veteran-heavy contender in Guelph, McNally requested a change of scenery. The Colts jumped at the chance, believing the La Salle native can anchor their blue line for years to come.
Barrie has immediately trusted McNally with a regular role on the point, logging time on both the power play and penalty kill. For most of the season, the coaching staff has paired the rookie directly with Passmore, a massive New York Rangers prospect standing six-foot-five and 217 pounds.
Under the veteran captain’s wing, McNally has taken a massive developmental leap over the last few weeks, looking noticeably more comfortable, confident, and willing to let his natural abilities take over on the ice. He has one assist and is a minus-7 through his first 11 OHL games, but his trajectory points straight upward.
“It was awesome. Playing with Passmore was great. Just learning from him and taking little details that he learned over the years and trying to implement them into my game,” McNally said.
When asked if he tries to follow his captain around like a sponge both on and off the ice, McNally grinned.
“Yeah, pretty much,” he said. “I mean, Passmore’s a great guy off the ice, too. That’s why he’s a captain. So, kind of just following him around, picking up details from him, that I can bring myself as a person and as a player.”
That daily dedication has not gone unnoticed by his mentor.
“I think he’s come a long way, and every day, he’s got that drive and motivation in him to keep working on his game, and keep getting one per cent better every day,” Passmore said of McNally. “I think it’s definitely showing on the ice, too. I got a chance to play with him for a while there, and I still get lots of shifts with him every game, and, you know, it’s fun to play with him.
“He’s a great player. He’s got a really good mindset. He’s always working. He’s never the first guy off the ice, and he’s always dialled in, so I think it’s paying off for sure.”
As McNally adjusts to the speed, physical demands, and heavy minutes of the OHL, the comfort level is visibly translating into his game.
“Yeah, as the games go on, I feel more comfortable,” said McNally. “The OHL is obviously a very tough league, so you’re just getting used to the OHL speed, the strength of it, and, yeah, I’m looking forward to continuing to build my game throughout the year.”
With his imposing frame and appetite for a physical, shutdown style, comparisons are naturally drawn to former Colts star and New York Islanders first-round pick Kashawn Aitcheson. Passmore notes that the shared physical traits and willingness to play in all situations make McNally a natural fit for heavy workloads.
“He’s definitely relied upon a lot by our coaches, and I think that just goes to show how that work ethic is paying off, for sure,” said Passmore.
Colts head coach Dylan Smoskowitz echoes that high praise, highlighting the foundational work put in by Sexton and the sheer upside of a player with a late birthday who won’t even be draft-eligible for the NHL until year three.
“Patty has done a great bunch of work with them,” said Smoskowitz on Sexton’s work with the team’s young defencemen. “(McNally’s) always in, doing video. He’s always in, doing extra training, getting his extra touches during practice.”
Smoskowitz gets excited thinking of how young McNally, who has a late birthday, still is.
“He’s got two more years after this one to really refine his tools, kind of like Aitcheson, and explode onto the scene in terms of the NHL draft in year three,” he said. “If he’s already doing this, and running the top of our power play, and quarterbacking a six-on-five, imagine what he’s going to be doing when he’s 18 years old?
So, he’s a real bright spot for us, and I’m just really lucky I get to coach him for two more years.”
Passmore’s presence, along with fellow veteran Justin Handsor, has similarly paid dividends across a young Barrie defensive corps that also features first-round pick Lucas Matheson, Aidan Mowrey, and Marc Ruggere. Smoskowitz views Passmore as the ultimate bridge to the team’s future.
“Oh, for sure, just the way that Passmore acts on a day-to-day basis for all these guys,” said the Barrie bench boss. “Ruggere, Matheson, and even Mowrey is an ’09, getting his feet wet in our league. He’s a great role model to watch, and we were so excited to get Passmore back when we knew we had these three young guys coming on the blue line.
“He’s like their big brother, and these guys are always soaking it in. They do a good job of following him around and following suit, so we’re just really lucky it’s kind of the passing of the torch from Passmore to the next wave of young defencemen we have.”
With a sponge-like work ethic, elite mentorship, and a coaching staff fast-tracking his development, McNally’s growing pains are rapidly turning into foundational strides, signalling that the future of the Barrie Colts' blue line is arriving ahead of schedule.
