Derek MacKenzie

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image = Derek MacKenzie 2013-11-01.JPG

| image_size = 230px

| caption = MacKenzie with the Columbus Blue Jackets in November 2013

| played_for = Atlanta Thrashers
Columbus Blue Jackets
Florida Panthers

| position = Centre

| shoots = Left

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 180

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|6|11|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

| draft = 128th overall

| draft_year = 1999

| draft_team = Atlanta Thrashers

| career_start = 2001

| career_end = 2019

| career_start_coach = 2019

| career_end_coach =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{ih|CAN}} }}

}}

Derek MacKenzie (born June 11, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who most notably played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is currently an assistant coach for the NHL's Nashville Predators.

He was drafted 128th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He also played in the American Hockey League (AHL) for Columbus' and Atlanta's farm teams, the Syracuse Crunch and Chicago Wolves respectively. While with the Wolves, MacKenzie was part of a Calder Cup championship team in 2002 and also spent time as the team's captain. He set franchise records in career shorthanded goals for both AHL teams.

MacKenzie's father Ken is the assistant general manager of the Ontario Hockey League's Sudbury Wolves. He served as an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers until the {{NHL Year|2021}} NHL season, for whom he previously served as captain from 2016 to 2018. He was the head coach of the Sudbury Wolves during the 2022–23 season, and was named an assistant coach for the Predators in June 2023.

Playing career

=Amateur=

MacKenzie began his junior career playing for his hometown Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Following his second season, in which he increased his point production from 20 to 87, he was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in the fifth round, 128 overall, in the 1999 National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft.{{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=19212|title=Derek MacKenzie player profile|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|access-date=June 13, 2012}} In his final season, he registered 40 goals and 89 points leading the Wolves in points and finishing sixth in the OHL. He also finished with a face-off winning percent of 67%, winning both the OHL and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Face-off Awards.

=Professional=

File:Jackets-Canucks Face-off.JPG and prepping for a face-off in a game against former teammate Manny Malhotra in December 2011]]

==Atlanta Thrashers==

Following his final season with Sudbury, MacKenzie joined the Thrashers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. He registered 13 goals and 25 points. He also made his NHL debut for the Thrashers during the season, against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 12, 2002.{{cite web|url=http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=533503|title=Blue Jackets Re-Sign Center Derek MacKenzie to a Two-Year, Two-Way NHL-American Hockey League Contract|publisher=Columbus Blue Jackets|access-date=June 19, 2012|date=July 1, 2010}} By season's end, the Wolves finished with 86 points and qualified for the playoffs.{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/ahl19412002.html|title=2001-02 American Hockey League Standings|publisher=Internet Hockey Database|access-date=June 19, 2012}} In the playoffs, MacKenzie helped the Wolves win their first Calder Cup championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagowolves.com/features/2049-alumni-spotlight-derek-mackenzie|title=Alumni Spotlight: Derek MacKenzie|publisher=Chicago Wolves|access-date=June 19, 2012|date=June 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121233548/http://chicagowolves.com/features/2049-alumni-spotlight-derek-mackenzie|archive-date=November 21, 2010|url-status=dead}} Over the next three seasons, MacKenzie played mainly with the Wolves, helping them back to the Calder Cup finals in 2005. The following season, he was named team captain. In the opening minutes of his first home game as captain, MacKenzie crashed into the opposing team's net and broke his ankle.{{cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/AHL/2005/10/16/1264866-sun.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115061647/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/AHL/2005/10/16/1264866-sun.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 15, 2013|title=Moose cap successful first trip |publisher=Canoe Slam|work= Winnipeg Sun|access-date=June 19, 2012|last=Wiebe|first=Ken}}{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10D56294266C4DC0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Bad break for MacKenzie, Wolves in home opener |newspaper=Daily Herald|access-date=June 19, 2012|date=October 16, 2005|last=Powers|first=Scott}} He returned later in the season and helped the Wolves to the franchise's 500th win. In the game, MacKenzie scored his third career hat-trick in the 7–3 victory over the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights.{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/01/19/wolves-win-500th-game/|title=Wolves win 500th game|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=January 19, 2006}}{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagowolves.com/team/roster/170-ticket-a-arena-information|title=MacKenzie Ignites Wolves 500th Win|publisher=Chicago Wolves|access-date=June 26, 2012}} He finished the season playing 36 games and registering 10 goals and 22 points, while the Wolves finished with 86 points and missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_standings.php?tmi=5236|title=Chicago Wolves all-time standings (IHL)|publisher=Internet Hockey Database|access-date=June 19, 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_standings.php?tmi=5237|title=Chicago Wolves all-time standings (AHL)|publisher=Internet Hockey Database|access-date=June 19, 2012}} MacKenzie spent one more season in the Thrashers system before becoming a free agent. He finished his Thrashers career with 2 assists and 20 penalty minutes (PIMs) in 28 NHL games, and 377 games played, 83 goals, and 184 points for Chicago.{{cite web |url=http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=478484|title=Blue Jackets Sign Center Derek MacKenzie, Defenseman Dan Smith|publisher=Columbus Blue Jackets|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=July 11, 2007}} He also set a franchise record for shorthanded goals with 21.

==Columbus Blue Jackets==

In the off-season, MacKenzie was signed by the Columbus Blue Jackets to one-year, two-way contract. He began the season in the AHL playing for the Syracuse Crunch. He made his Blue Jackets debut on December 10, 2007, against the Anaheim Ducks; he was reassigned to Syracuse the following day.{{cite web |url=http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=478587|title=Columbus Blue Jackets Assign Forwards Derek MacKenzie, Joakim Lindstrom to AHL's Syracuse Crunch|publisher=Columbus Blue Jackets|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=December 10, 2007}} Later in the season, he was re-called and scored his first career NHL goal against Mike Smith in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores108/108069/NHL773137.htm|title=Chimera leads Blue Jackets to a 5-3 win over Lightning|newspaper=USA Today|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=March 9, 2008}} At the end of the season, Columbus re-signed MacKenzie to a two-year contract.{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3681317|title=Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Left Wing Craig MacDonald and Re-Sign Center Derek MacKenzie|publisher=Our Sports Central|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=July 14, 2008}} He continued to split time between Columbus and Syracuse until the 2010–11 season. During his time in Syracuse, he set the Crunch team record with 11 career shorthanded goals. He established himself as an NHL regular in 2010–11 and finished the season with career highs in goals (9), assists (14), points (23) and plus-minus rating. His +14 was the highest for a forward and third-highest total in Blue Jackets history. After establishing himself, MacKenzie became a fixture on the Blue Jackets' fourth line and an integral part of their penalty kill.{{cite web|url=http://www.bluejacketsxtra.com/content/blogs/puck-rakers/2012/05/mackenzie-deal-done.html|title=MacKenzie Deal Done|publisher=The Dispatch Printing Company|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=June 13, 2012|date=May 29, 2012|last=Portzline|first=Adam|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531101944/http://www.bluejacketsxtra.com/content/blogs/puck-rakers/2012/05/mackenzie-deal-done.html|archive-date=May 31, 2012|url-status=dead}} The following season, he spent the entire year with the Blue Jackets. Towards the end of the season, MacKenzie suffered a concussion and missed the final 16 games of the season. He finished with 7 goals and 14 points in a career-high 66 games while leading the Blue Jackets with a +4 rating. After passing an off-season physical, due to concussion concerns, Columbus re-signed MacKenzie to a two-year deal.{{cite web |url=http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=633291|title=Blue Jackets Re-Sign Center Derek MacKenzie To A Two-Year Contract |publisher=National Hockey League|access-date=June 13, 2012|date=May 31, 2012}}

==Florida Panthers==

On July 1, 2014, MacKenzie signed a three-year contract as a free agent with the Florida Panthers.{{cite web| url = http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=724955 | title = Derek MacKenzie agrees to three-year contract with the Panthers| publisher = Florida Panthers | date = 2014-07-01 | access-date = 2014-07-01}} Two years later, on October 9, 2016, he was named the ninth captain in Panthers' history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/panthers/news/florida-panthers-name-derek-mackenzie-captain/c-282509776|title=Florida Panthers Name Derek MacKenzie Captain|website=NHL.com|access-date=2016-10-28}} On September 17, 2018, he was replaced as captain by Aleksander Barkov.{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Barkov takes over as captain of Florida Panthers |url=https://apnews.com/c9eac1280a3e4e7eb6978f0c9947abe6 |website=AP News |access-date=September 18, 2018 |date=September 17, 2018}} After playing only one game that season, he retired in the offseason and was named an assistant coach for the Panthers on June 4, 2019.

International play

Internationally, MacKenzie represented Canada at the 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He registered a goal and three points in seven games.{{cite web |url=http://www.iihf.com/hockey/x/0001/W20/gs/pg000076.htm|title=2001 IIHF World U20 Championship Team Canada Player Statistics|publisher=International Ice Hockey Federation|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=May 1, 2001}} He also won 58.1% of his face-offs, the eight-highest percentage in the tournament.{{cite web |url=http://www.iihf.com/hockey/x/0001/W20/gs/pg000019.htm|title=2001 IIHF World U20 Championship Face-Off Leaders|publisher=International Ice Hockey Federation|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=May 1, 2001}} In group play, Canada went 2–1–1 to finish third in Group B.{{cite web |url=http://www.iihf.com/hockey/x/0001/W20/cs/pg000006.htm|title=2001 IIHF World U20 Championship Group B|publisher=International Ice Hockey Federation|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=May 1, 2001}} In the playoff round, Canada defeated the United States 2–1 before losing to Finland in the semi-final. Following the loss, Canada played Sweden in the bronze medal game, winning 2–1 and earning MacKenzie his lone international medal.{{cite web |url=http://www.iihf.com/hockey/x/0001/W20/cs/pg000007.htmm|title=2001 IIHF World U20 Championship Play Off Round|publisher=International Ice Hockey Federation|access-date=June 28, 2012|date=May 1, 2001}}

Personal

MacKenzie is married with two children.{{cite web |url=http://www.sudburysports.com/?content=articles.php&articleId=3916&PHPSESSID=6qenq5l7sr22ebb9s2g9u5a574|title=Derek MacKenzie enjoys breakthrough season|publisher=Sudbury Sports.com|access-date=June 13, 2012|date=August 11, 2011|last=Pascal|first=Randy}} His father, Ken MacKenzie, is the assistant general manager of the OHL's Sudbury Wolves.{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=618020|title=MacKenzie Finds His Niche in Columbus|publisher=National Hockey League|access-date=June 13, 2012|date=February 21, 2012|last=Malinowski|first=Mark}} Mackenzie is also good friends with former NHL forward Mike Fisher, whom he played with in Sudbury.{{cite news|url=http://www.thesudburystar.com/2012/06/13/mackenzie-earns-some-job-security|title=Mackenzie Earns Some Job Security|newspaper=Sudbury Star|access-date=July 11, 2012}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/38489-Derek-MacKenzie.html|title=Getting to Know Derek MacKenzie|magazine=The Hockey News|access-date=June 13, 2012|date=February 20, 2011|last=Pascal|first=Randy}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1996–97

| Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats

| NOJHL

| 40

| 23

| 32

| 55

| 40

| 9

| 2

| 11

| 13

| 12

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1997–98

| Sudbury Wolves

| OHL

| 59

| 9

| 11

| 20

| 26

| 10

| 0

| 1

| 6

1998–99

| Sudbury Wolves

| OHL

| 68

| 22

| 65

| 87

| 74

| 4

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1999–2000

| Sudbury Wolves

| OHL

| 68

| 24

| 33

| 57

| 110

| 12

| 5

| 9

| 14

| 16

2000–01

| Sudbury Wolves

| OHL

| 62

| 40

| 49

| 89

| 12

| 6

| 8

| 14

| 16

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001–02

| Atlanta Thrashers

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| 2

| —

2001–02

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 68

| 13

| 12

| 25

| 80

| 25

| 4

| 2

| 6

| 20

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2002–03

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 80

| 14

| 18

| 32

| 97

| 9

| 0

| 4

2003–04

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 63

| 19

| 16

| 35

| 67

| 10

| 7

| 1

| 8

| 13

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2003–04

| Atlanta Thrashers

| NHL

| 12

| 0

| 1

| 10

| —

2004–05

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 78

| 13

| 20

| 33

| 87

| 18

| 5

| 6

| 11

| 33

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005–06

| Atlanta Thrashers

| NHL

| 11

| 0

| 1

| 8

| —

2005–06

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 36

| 10

| 12

| 22

| 48

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2006–07

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 52

| 14

| 23

| 37

| 62

| —

2006–07

| Atlanta Thrashers

| NHL

| 4

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2007–08

| Syracuse Crunch

| AHL

| 62

| 25

| 24

| 49

| 46

| 13

| 6

| 8

| 14

| 22

2007–08

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 17

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 8

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| Syracuse Crunch

| AHL

| 64

| 22

| 30

| 52

| 50

| —

2008–09

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| Syracuse Crunch

| AHL

| 47

| 17

| 30

| 47

| 30

| —

2009–10

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 18

| 1

| 3

| 4

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 63

| 9

| 14

| 23

| 22

| —

2011–12

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 66

| 7

| 14

| 40

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 43

| 3

| 5

| 8

| 36

| —

2013–14

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 71

| 9

| 18

| 47

| 6

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 82

| 5

| 6

| 11

| 45

| —

2015–16

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 64

| 6

| 7

| 13

| 36

| 6

| 0

| 1

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 82

| 6

| 10

| 16

| 50

| —

2017–18

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 75

| 3

| 11

| 14

| 31

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | AHL totals

! 550

! 147

! 185

! 332

! 567

! 75

! 22

! 17

! 39

! 92

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 611

! 51

! 74

! 125

! 337

! 12

! 1

! 2

! 6

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1998

| Canada

| U18

| {{gold1}}

| 3

| 0

| 1

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001

| Canada

| WJC

| {{bronze3}}

| 7

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 4

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Junior totals

! 10

! 1

! 3

! 4

! 8

References

External links

{{Ice hockey stats}}

{{succession box|before=Willie Mitchell|title=Florida Panthers captain|years=2016–18|after=Aleksander Barkov}}

Category:1981 births

Category:Living people

Category:Atlanta Thrashers draft picks

Category:Atlanta Thrashers players

Category:Canadian ice hockey centres

Category:Chicago Wolves players

Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players

Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States

Category:Florida Panthers players

Category:Ice hockey people from Greater Sudbury

Category:Sudbury Wolves players

Category:Syracuse Crunch players

Category:Florida Panthers coaches

Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen