Mike McKenzie (born April 29, 1986) is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

player who last played for the

Ontario Reign The Ontario Reign are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Ontario, California, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, the team plays i ...

in the

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The E ...

during the 2011–12 season. He is the son of

The Sports Network The Sports Network (TSN) is a Canadian English language sports specialty channel established by the Labatt Brewing Company in 1984 as part of the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels. Since 2001, it has been majority-owned by comm ...

(TSN) hockey analyst Bob McKenzie. McKenzie is currently the general manager of the

Kitchener Rangers The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The Rangers have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL ...

of the

Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overag ...

College hockey

St. Lawrence Saints (2006-2010)

McKenzie joined the St. Lawrence Saints of the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

for the 2006-07 season, where as a freshman, he scored 12 goals and 25 points in 31 games, finishing fourth in team scoring. The Saints won the Cleary Cup as the top regular season team in the

ECAC Hockey ECAC Hockey is one of the six conferences that compete in NCAA Division I ice hockey. The conference used to be affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference, a consortium of over 300 colleges in the eastern United States. This relati ...

Conference. In his sophomore season with the club during the 2007-08 season, McKenzie skated in 34 games, scoring seven goals and 20 points for the rebuilding Saints. McKenzie was named to the ECAC All-Academic Team during this season. In 2008-09, during his junior season with the Saints, McKenzie saw his offensive production increase to new heights, as he scored 16 goals and 34 points in 38 games to lead the club in scoring. For the second consecutive season, McKenzie was named to the ECAC All-Academic Team. In his final season with St. Lawrence in 2009-10, McKenzie was named an

alternate captain In ice hockey, the captain is the player designated by a team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when the captain is on the ice. At most levels of play each team must designate one captai ...

. In 41 games, McKenzie scored 14 goals and 35 points, finishing second on the club in both goals and points. Overall, in four years with the Saints, McKenzie scored 49 goals and 114 points in 165 games.

Professional career

Albany River Rats (2009-2010)

On March 24, 2010, McKenzie was signed to an Amateur Tryout with the

Albany River Rats The Albany River Rats were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center. History Before the formation of the franchise Without a viable indoor arena with a ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...

. The River Rats were the top minor league of the

Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

. McKenzie made his professional hockey debut on April 3, 2010, as he recorded his first career AHL point, an assist on goal scored by Brad Herauf, in a 4-2 victory over the

Adirondack Phantoms The Adirondack Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), who began play in the 2009–10 AHL season. The Phantoms were based in Glens Falls, New York, playing home games at the Glens Falls Civic Center and w ...

. McKenzie would appear in three games with Albany during the 2009-10 season, earning one assist.

Charlotte Checkers (2010-2012)

On August 3, 2010, McKenzie signed a one-year contract with the

Charlotte Checkers The Charlotte Checkers are a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affi ...

of the

. The Checkers were the top affiliate of the

, as McKenzie had an amateur tryout with their previous AHL affiliate, the

in the 2009-10 season. McKenzie was assigned to the

Florida Everblades The Florida Everblades are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Estero, Florida, in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan area. They play in the ECHL and are affiliated with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (N ...

of the

after training camp. In 55 games with Florida, McKenzie scored 18 goals and 38 points, earning a promotion back to the AHL with Charlotte. On March 22, 2011, McKenzie scored his first career AHL goal against

Michael Leighton Michael W. Leighton (born May 19, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes. Playi ...

of the

in a 5-2 victory. McKenzie finished the 2010-11 season by playing 14 games with Charlotte and recording the one goal. In December 2010, McKenzie was named the ECHL Rookie of the Month after scoring nine goals and 17 points in 14 games with the Everblades. The Checkers extended McKenzie's contract, however, McKenzie was once again assigned to the Everblades to begin the 2011-12 season. In 19 games with Florida, McKenzie scored five goals and 15 points. In December 2011, McKenzie was traded to the Houston Aeros.

Houston Aeros (2011-2012)

McKenzie joined the Houston Aeros after his trade to the club by the

midway through the 2011-12 season. The Aeros were the

affiliate of the

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...

. He made his Aeros debut on December 6, 2011, as McKenzie earned an assist on a goal by Joey Martin in a 6-1 win over the

San Antonio Rampage The San Antonio Rampage were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. The Rampage was primarily owned by Spurs Sports & Entertainment throughout the team's existence. In 2020, the franchise was sold ...

. McKenzie would appear in 19 games with Houston during the season, scoring a goal and three points. Late in the season, McKenzie was assigned to the

of the

. In five games with Ontario, McKenzie scored a goal. On March 31, 2012, McKenzie announced his retirement.

Coaching/Management career

Kitchener Rangers (2012-present)

On June 7, 2012, McKenzie was hired by the

of the

as an assistant coach, working under head coach

Steve Spott Steve Spott (born May 18, 1968 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian ice hockey coach who is an assistant coach for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously was an assistant coach for the Vegas Golden Knights. He previous ...

. In his first season with the Rangers in 2012-13, Kitchener finished the year with a 39-20-9 record, earning 87 points and fourth place in the Western Conference. In the post-season, the Rangers lost to the

London Knights The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League. The Knights started out in 1965 as the London Nationals but changed to their cu ...

in five games in the Western Conference semi-finals. Following the season, Spott stepped down from his position as head coach, and was replaced with

Troy Smith Troy James Smith (born July 20, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Ohio State, was recognized as an All-American, and won the Heisman Trophy in 2006. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fi ...

. McKenzie remained on the staff as an assistant coach. The Rangers struggled during the 2013-14 season, as the club began to rebuild. Kitchener missed the post-season, as the club finished in ninth place in the Western Conference with a 22-41-5 record, earning 49 points. Kitchener saw some improvement in 2014-15, as the team earned a 32-26-10 record, finishing in sixth place in the Western Conference with 74 points, and returning to the post-season. The Rangers lost to the

in the first round in six games. Following the season, the Rangers replaced head coach

with

Mike Van Ryn Michael Theodore Van Ryn (born May 14, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers, and Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. Playing career College and junior c ...

. McKenzie remained as an assistant coach, and was also named the assistant general manager. The Rangers had a very successful season in 2015-16, as the club earned a 44-17-7 record, accumulating 95 points and a fourth place finish in the Western Conference. Kitchener made the second round of the playoffs, however, they were swept by the

in four games. Following the season,

stepped down as head coach of the team, and was replaced by

Jay McKee Jay McKee (born September 8, 1977) is a Canadian coach and former professional ice hockey defenceman. He last played for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, and was previously with the Buffalo Sabres and the St. Louis Blues. Th ...

. McKenzie remained an assistant coach on the coaching staff. Kitchener had another solid season in 2016-17, as the team had a record of 36-27-5, earning 77 points and sixth place in the Western Conference. The Rangers lost to the

Owen Sound Attack The Owen Sound Attack are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. Based in Owen Sound since 1989, and operating under the current name since 2000, the Attack play their home games at the J.D. M ...

in the first round of the post-season. Following this season, McKenzie was promoted to the position of general manager after Murray Hiebert stepped down. In his first season as general manager in 2017-18, McKenzie made a number of trades, bringing in players such as

Kole Sherwood Kole Sherwood (born January 22, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey right winger who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played with the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Na ...

Logan Stanley Logan Stanley (born May 26, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Stanley was drafted 18th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Jets. He ...

Logan Brown Logan Mathers Brown (born March 5, 1998) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey player currently playing for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 11th overall, by the Ottawa Senator ...

Givani Smith Givani Smith (born February 27, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 46th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2016 NHL Entry Dra ...

, and Mario Culina, as Kitchener finished the regular season with a 43-21-4 record, earning 90 points and finishing first place in the Midwest Division for the first time since the 2007-08 season. In the post-season, the Rangers defeated the

Guelph Storm The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre. History The franchise started as the Toronto Marlb ...

and

Sarnia Sting Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron flo ...

before matching up with the heavily favoured

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (often shortened to Soo Greyhounds) are a Junior ice hockey#Major junior, major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was ...

. The Rangers lost a memorable seven game series, as the Greyhounds scored in double overtime in game seven in the Western Conference finals to eliminate Kitchener from the post-season. In 2018-19, the Rangers slid back in the standings, as the club finished the season with a 34-30-4 record, earning 72 points and fifth place in the Western Conference. In the post-season, the rebuilding club was swept by the

in the first round. Prior to the 2019-20 season, McKenzie acquired goaltender Jacob Ingham from the

Mississauga Steelheads The Mississauga Steelheads are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The Steelheads play their games at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga. History The OHL originated in Missi ...

to solidify the position. Also, due to the uncertainty of overage forward Joseph Garreffa returning to Kitchener for the season, McKenzie acquired overage forward

Liam Hawel Liam is a short form of the Irish name Uilliam or the old Germanic name William. Etymology The original name was a merging of two Old German elements: ''willa'' ("will" or "resolution"); and ''helma'' ("helmet"). The juxtaposition of these elem ...

from the

, as the Rangers boasted three of the top overage players in the league, with

Greg Meireles Greg is a masculine given name, and often a shortened form of the given name Gregory. Greg (more commonly spelled " Gregg") is also a surname. People with the name * Greg Abbott (disambiguation), multiple people *Greg Abel (born 1961/1962), Canad ...

and Jonathan Yantsis as the other overage players on the club. The Rangers eventually traded Garreffa to the

Ottawa 67's The Ottawa 67's are a major junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Established during Canada's Canadian Centennial, centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's c ...

for draft picks. Kitchener drafted import defenseman and

Arizona Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...

prospect Axel Bergkvist at the 2019 CHL Import Draft to help out the blue line. The club got off to a slow start, posting a 7-10-2-2 record and sitting in last place through their first 21 games. On November 25, 2019, McKenzie relieved head coach

of his duties and named himself as the interim head coach. In his first game as head coach of the Rangers on November 28, Kitchener defeated the

Erie Otters The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the North Am ...

5-4 in a shootout, as McKenzie earned his first career OHL victory. Under McKenzie, Kitchener had a very impressive 33-6-3-0 record, as the team climbed from last place in the Midwest Division to finish the season with a 40-16-5-2 record, earning 87 points, and second place in the division. Due to the

2020 coronavirus pandemic in North America The first cases of the COVID-19 pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 in North America were reported in the United States on 23 January 2020. Cases were reported in all North American countries after Saint Kitts and Nevis confirmed a case on 2 ...

, the post-season was cancelled. On June 10, 2020, McKenzie announced that he would remain the head coach of the Rangers for the next season. At the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, the Rangers selected twin brothers Andrew Leblanc and Jacob Leblanc in the first and third rounds respectively. At the 2020 CHL Import Draft, Kitchener selected goaltender Pavel Cajan from the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

. Due to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, the 2020-21 season was cancelled. The Rangers selected Carson Rehkopf with their first selection of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. During the 2021-22 season with Kitchener struggling, the club traded away defenseman

Arber Xhekaj Arber Xhekaj ( al, Arbër Xhekaj, pronounced , , born January 30, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career Amateur While playing minor hockey with the Hamil ...

to the

Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that began to play in the 2015–16 OHL season, 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at FirstOntario Cent ...

for Navrin Mutter and five draft picks. Kitchener managed to earn a spot in the post-season, as they finished the season in seventh place in the Western Conference with a 30-31-5-2 record, earning 67 points.

Career statistics

Coaching record

Ontario Hockey League

Notable awards and Honors

*2007-2008: NCAA (ECAC) All-Academic Team *2008-2009: NCAA (ECAC) All-Academic Team *2010-2011: ECHL Rookie of the Month (December)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mckenzie, Mike 1986 births Living people Albany River Rats players Canadian ice hockey left wingers Charlotte Checkers (2010–) players Florida Everblades players Ice hockey people from Ontario Sportspeople from Whitby, Ontario St. Lawrence Saints men's ice hockey players