Mackenzie Skapski

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| alt =

| name = Mackenzie Skapski

| image = Mackenzie Skapski.jpg

| caption = Skapski with the Hartford Wolf Pack during the 2015-16 season

| image_size = 230px

| position = Goaltender

| catches = Left

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 192

| played_for = New York Rangers
HKM Zvolen

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|6|15}}

| birth_place = Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

| draft = 170th overall

| draft_year = 2013

| draft_team = New York Rangers

| career_start = 2014

| career_end = 2020

}}

Mackenzie Skapski (born June 15, 1994) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and goaltending coach who last played for HKM Zvolen in the Tipsport Liga (Slovak). He has formerly played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Skapski was born in Abbotsford, British Columbia. While playing Major Midget for the Fraser Valley Bruins as a 15-year-old, Skapski suffered serious injuries which threatened his career when the team bus crashed on December 11, 2009. He suffered a broken nose and orbital bone and required surgery to relieve a blood clot near his brain.{{cite web|title=Skapski's Next Step Comeback From Bus Accident Leads to Hockey Canada Camp|url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/2012-wjc-001-en|author=LaRose, J.|date=June 8, 2012|access-date=2015-02-07|publisher=Hockey Canada}} Although able to play again in less than a year, the injuries delayed his career progression.

Skapski played junior hockey for the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League (WHL).{{cite web|title=Broadway Bound|url=http://www.dailytownsman.com/breaking_news/290828731.html|publisher=Cranbrook Daily Townsman|author=Rocca, T.|date=February 4, 2015|access-date=2015-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207191820/http://www.dailytownsman.com/breaking_news/290828731.html|archive-date=February 7, 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Mackenzie Skapski|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=137665|publisher=hockeydb|access-date=2015-02-07}} He was drafted by the New York Rangers in the sixth round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He had been rated as the 17th best draft-eligible goalie in North America by Central Scouting.{{cite web|title=Mackenzie Skapski|url=http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/mackenzie-skapski|publisher=Hockey's Future|access-date=2015-02-07}} He previously played minor ice hockey in his hometown of Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Skapski began the 2014-15 season with the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL but was called up to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) after playing just one game to replace Jason Missiaen, who was demoted to Greenville.{{cite web|title=New York Rangers have strong group of prospects in pipeline|url=http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/115859/new-york-rangers-strong-group-prospects-pipeline/|author=Treff, L.|publisher=Hockey's Future|date=December 5, 2014|access-date=2015-02-07}} He made his AHL debut on October 24 and recorded his first shutout on October 26. He played well enough at Hartford to remain with the team until his promotion to the Rangers, with a 2.38 goals against average and a .914 save percentage in 24 games. Ranger staff felt he was making "good progression" at Hartford prior to his promotion. According to sportswriter Paul Doyle, Skapski's "even demeanor" was key to his successful transition to the AHL.{{cite web|title=After Tough Break, Wolf Pack's Skapski Has Turned It Around|author=Doyle, P.|url=http://www.courant.com/sports/hockey/hc-wolf-pack-1121-20141120-story.html|newspaper=Hartford Courant|date=November 20, 2014|access-date=2015-02-07}}

He was called up from Hartford on February 4, 2015, when the Rangers' starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist went down with a damaged blood vessel in his neck.{{cite news|title='Pred' Alert for Klein|author=Cygalis, B.|newspaper=New York Post|date=February 7, 2015|page=42}}{{cite web|title=Rangers Recall Mackenzie Skapski from Hartford|url=http://www.msg.com/teams/rangers/rangers-news/rangers-recall-mackenzie-skapski-from-hartford-.html|date=February 4, 2015|access-date=2015-02-07|publisher=Madison Square Garden|archive-date=2015-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207204717/http://www.msg.com/teams/rangers/rangers-news/rangers-recall-mackenzie-skapski-from-hartford-.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Lundqvist, Hit in Throat, Will Miss at Least 3 Weeks|newspaper=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/07/sports/hockey/rangers-henrik-lundqvist-is-out-at-least-three-weeks.html|date=February 6, 2015|access-date=2015-02-07|author=Kreda, A.}} His first appearance with the Rangers was as the backup to Cam Talbot in a game against the Boston Bruins.{{cite web|title=Abby goalie gets call-up to NHL's Rangers|url=http://www.abbynews.com/sports/290853971.html|author=Beddall, J.|publisher=Abbotsford News|date=February 4, 2015|access-date=2015-02-07|archive-date=2016-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233146/http://www.abbynews.com/sports/290853971.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Talbot helps Rangers beat Bruins 3-2|newspaper=Boston Herald|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bruins_nhl/nhl_coverage/2015/02/talbot_helps_rangers_beat_bruins_3_2|date=February 4, 2015|access-date=2015-02-07}} He made his NHL debut on February 20, 2015 against the Buffalo Sabres, in which he made 24 saves en route to a 3-1 win.{{cite news|title=Rangers' Skapski recovers from laughable start for 1st NHL win|author=Brooks, L.|newspaper=New York Post|date=November 20, 2015|url=https://nypost.com/2015/02/20/rangers-skapski-recovers-from-laughable-start-in-1st-win/|access-date=2015-02-27}}{{cite magazine|title=Rangers' Mackenzie Skapski wins in NHL debut|author=Hecht, J.|magazine=Sporting News|date=February 21, 2015|access-date=2015-02-27|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2015-02-21/mackenzie-skapski-wins-nhl-debut-new-york-rangers-buffalo-sabres-24-saves}} Skapski earned his first NHL shutout in his second NHL game, also against the Sabres, in a game on March 14, 2015.{{cite web|title=Skapski, Yandle help lift Rangers past Sabres 2-0|author=Mendola, N.|publisher=Associated Press|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/yandle-helps-lift-rangers-past-sabres-2-0-013939589--nhl.html|date=March 14, 2015|access-date=2015-03-15|archive-date=2016-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305092622/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/yandle-helps-lift-rangers-past-sabres-2-0-013939589--nhl.html|url-status=dead}} When Lundqvist returned from his injury, Skapski was returned to the Wolf Pack on March 25, 2015.{{cite news|title=NHL notes: FBI investigating threats to Isles' Leddy|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2015/03/25/nhl-notes-fbi-investigating-threats-to-isles-leddy|newspaper=Toronto Sun|access-date=27 March 2015|date=25 March 2015}}

At the conclusion of his entry-level contract, Skapski became a free agent after he was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Rangers. On September 25, 2017, he agreed to an AHL invite to attend the Toronto Marlies 2017 training camp.{{cite web| url = http://marlies.ca/article/marlies-training-camp-roster | title = Marlies announce training camp roster | website = Toronto Marlies | date = 2017-09-25 | access-date = 2017-09-25}} On November 3, 2017, he was belatedly signed to a one-year AHL contract with the Marlies for the 2017–18 season. He was immediately re-assigned to ECHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears.{{cite web| url = https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/orlando-solar-bears/2017/11/3/16604734/toronto-marlies-sign-training-camp-invite-mackenzie-skapski-to-an-ahl-contract-goalie-depth | title = Marles sign training camp invite Mackenzie Skapski to AHL contract | website = Toronto Marlies | date = 2017-11-03 | access-date = 2017-11-03}}

As a free agent in the following off-season, Skapski opted to embark on a European career, agreeing to a one-year deal with Slovakian club, HKM Zvolen of the Tipsport Liga, on July 18, 2018.{{cite web| url = http://www.hkmzvolen.sk/clanok/zvolensku-branu-bude-hajit-kanadan-mackenzie-skapski | title = Zvolen sign Canadian Goaltender Mackenzie Skapski | website = HKM Zvolen | date = 2018-07-18 | access-date = 2018-07-18 | language = sk}}

On December 18, 2020, Skapski was announced as the new goaltending coach for the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-18|title=Chiefs Hire New Goaltending Coach|url=https://chilliwackchiefs.net/chiefs-hire-new-goaltending-coach/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Chilliwack Chiefs|language=en-CA}}

International play

He represented Canada Pacific in the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, winning a bronze medal.{{cite magazine|title=Mackenzie Skapski|url=http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.php?9517|magazine=The Hockey News|access-date=2015-02-07}}