Prospect Info: Brett McKenzie (Center) (7th round, 194th Overall)

[timw33]

This is great news. Let's see if he is ready to turn pro. My understanding is that McKenzie doesn't need to be signed to an ELC until next summer?

Yep. He just turned 20 so he can still play an overage year in the CHL.

Would have to sign an ELC to play in the AHL.

 

[F A N]

I guess it's important to note that Neill was signed to an ATO last season and he got zero games with the Comets.

 

[denkiteki]

I guess it's important to note that Neill was signed to an ATO last season and he got zero games with the Comets.

That's a good point and like Neill, McKenzie is likely to go back for his overage year. Plus him going back will help North Bay with their rebuild (like Neill/Sherbrooke... he got them quite a few picks from Charlottetown).

 

[Bad Goalie]

Signing an ATO doesn't mean they can't play in a game for the Comets and then go back to Jrs. It also doesn't start their ELC.

Therefore McKenzie can sign an ATO, practice, and if it comes to it, play games with the Comets. Then he reports to training camp in the Fall and that's where Benning will have to decide between another year of Jrs. or send him to the Comets' camp where he either makes the roster or is sent to the ECHL, wherever that may be when the time comes.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Can someone tell me what specific position he played this season. Was he a C or LW.

 

[Bad News Benning]

Can someone tell me what specific position he played this season. Was he a C or LW.

He's rather poor on faceoffs so I expect he would play lw in Utica.

 

[ihaveyuidonttouchme]

Can someone tell me what specific position he played this season. Was he a C or LW.

center all season. would be good at wings imo though. north bay never really tried him on the wings due to their lack of center depth

 

[Bad Goalie]

He's rather poor on faceoffs so I expect he would play lw in Utica.

Thank you. was just trying to see who would have to sit out for him to get playing time.

Archibald - team's top goal scorer and 1 pt off the team lead
Kunyk- #3/4 in scoring and a lot of his points in the second half of the season.
Zalewski - Suffered a major concussion late last season, but recovered for the playoffs. Than got another one this season and has just put his game legs and play back together and has surpassed Carcone's seasonal point total in a flash. 4G/12A, 43 GP. Gets 2nd PP time. Is a key PK guy.
Carcone - Has put up points lately meaning he is just starting to show something. 3G/12A on the season, 50 GP. Gets PP time on the RW side in their 1-3-1 setup.
Roy - Replaceable in a puck drop. He only plays when the numbers dictate he has to, but has been injured on and off, was sent to Alaska and quickly recalled due to #s in Utica and Vancouver. 1G/5A in 21 GP which is actually a better scoring pace than Carcone.

When comparing Carcone and Zalewski, it is much more noticeable when Z is out of the lineup than Carcone. Z does so many more things and is defensively superior to any of the Comets LWs with Archi at second. Roy has rotated with Carcone and you didn't notice much difference. The difference is drastic when Roy and Carcone were both in the lineup and Z was not on the left side. They both are very poor defensively.

LaBate - In Vancouver at the moment, but he has 13 points in 29 games and plays with an attitude, plays a PP role in front either on 1st or 2nd units, and is defensively better than Roy or Carcone.

My guess is if he gets game time, he will be in for Carcone.

 

[denkiteki]

Signing an ATO doesn't mean they can't play in a game for the Comets and then go back to Jrs. It also doesn't start their ELC.

Therefore McKenzie can sign an ATO, practice, and if it comes to it, play games with the Comets. Then he reports to training camp in the Fall and that's where Benning will have to decide between another year of Jrs. or send him to the Comets' camp where he either makes the roster or is sent to the ECHL, wherever that may be when the time comes.

Don't think anyone implied that he wouldn't play just that there's a decent chance he might not using Neill as an example. Of course McEneny did play (1 game) on a ATO after signing a ELC then went back for his overage year.

Its probably more likely he heads back for his overage year over ECHL since we already have a few players destined to the ECHL next year (i.e. Stewart). Laplante is also borderline ECHL/AHL (probably closer to ECHL). If we wait till next year at least Cederholm and Stewart will be off the books (@ the end of the season), freeing up 2 contract slots.

If Green thinks McKenzie can actually make the team, then its a different story.

 

[denkiteki]

Thank you. was just trying to see who would have to sit out for him to get playing time.

Archibald - team's top goal scorer and 1 pt off the team lead
Kunyk- #3/4 in scoring and a lot of his points in the second half of the season.
Zalewski - Suffered a major concussion late last season, but recovered for the playoffs. Than got another one this season and has just put his game legs and play back together and has surpassed Carcone's seasonal point total in a flash. 4G/12A, 43 GP. Gets 2nd PP time. Is a key PK guy.
Carcone - Has put up points lately meaning he is just starting to show something. 3G/12A on the season, 50 GP. Gets PP time on the RW side in their 1-3-1 setup.
Roy - Replaceable in a puck drop. He only plays when the numbers dictate he has to, but has been injured on and off, was sent to Alaska and quickly recalled due to #s in Utica and Vancouver. 1G/5A in 21 GP which is actually a better scoring pace than Carcone.

When comparing Carcone and Zalewski, it is much more noticeable when Z is out of the lineup than Carcone. Z does so many more things and is defensively superior to any of the Comets LWs with Archi at second. Roy has rotated with Carcone and you didn't notice much difference. The difference is drastic when Roy and Carcone were both in the lineup and Z was not on the left side. They both are very poor defensively.

LaBate - In Vancouver at the moment, but he has 13 points in 29 games and plays with an attitude, plays a PP role in front either on 1st or 2nd units, and is defensively better than Roy or Carcone.

My guess is if he gets game time, he will be in for Carcone.

One thing to note about Carcone however is he spent majority of his games on the 4th line. He started producing when he was moved to the 3rd line/off Cassels line.

He has 4 points in his last 4 games (same as Z), so not someone you expect to be taken out of the line-up.

Roy is the only one who Stewart is likely to replace unless its just for rest (after all 3 games in 3 nights). Not that anyone really expects McKenzie to be more than a replacement player at this point (or more precise, a sub in to rest someone).

Plus being realistic, with Goldobin going down to Utica (assuming Utica makes the playoffs), there's a good chance both Roy and McKenzie not seeing any playing time.

 

[Jyrki21]

So I bumped the Gadjovich thread, thinking I’d be seeing him when the Owen Sound Attack came to play Ottawa yesterday, and he was out with the flu:

So this guy is visiting Ottawa in OHL action today, and I will be there with my usual attempt to do some amateur analysis, get blurry photos and a few videos. Cheers!

Aaaaaaaaand he’s not playing.

Brett McKenzie is, though.

But yeah, Owen Sound acquired Brett McKenzie this year, so I saw him instead.

Not too much to observe, particularly as I knew little about him coming in, but he did score a goal, get into something of a fight, and with a helmet on I found he even looks a bit like Gadjovich, so there’s that.

Interestingly, Owen Sound seems to lean on him a fair bit for important minutes. Obviously Nick Suzuki is their guy for most situations (guy must have played 30 minutes yesterday), but as they were chasing in the final few minutes, and even got a power play at one point – and here I’ll pause to mention that they blew a 3-0 third period lead and lost in regulation (!) – and McKenzie pretty much played with Suzuki on the point for the entirety of this time (so 5 or 6 forwards out the whole time).

A couple pics:

Playing the point with Suzuki in the final minutes:

He’s a local kid, so he met up with friends/family in the concourse after, as a lot of players do:

And a couple shots of golden boy knight Suzuki:

 

[M2Beezy]

So I guess he aint gonna be much thats too bad had hope for him at one point

 

[Lindgren]

With 2 assists tonight, McKenzie now has 5/7/12 after 7 playoff games with Owen Sound. He's fifth in points per game in the OHL playoffs, and he's the points leader on his team.

 

[M2Beezy]

With 2 assists tonight, McKenzie now has 5/7/12 after 7 playoff games with Owen Sound. He's fifth in points per game in the OHL playoffs, and he's the points leader on his team.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[Lindgren]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Indeed. If he keeps it up, I think he'll get a shot with Utica. I'm not saying he should be signed, but I think he will be, if only to a deal with the Comets.

 

[me2]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Small sample size. He has had an underwhelming regular season for someone his age. 88th in PPG in OHL as 20/21 is not good (0.77, min 20 games). Can't hurt to have another look at him but I wouldn't offer him an NHL contract, you only get 50 and we are clogged up with filler eating slots and we don't have much to spare.

While checking out the OHL leaders, Vilardi is having a great playoffs, 2 PPG. Not bad for an 18yo (August birthday).

 

[Verviticus]

I highly doubt he's given a single game unless we're mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Like, I'd honestly be shocked.

ridiculous. every 19 or 20 year old is necessarily better than their exact counterparts with three more years of development!!

 

[Lindgren]

McKenzie was pointless (and -3, for those who want to know) in Owen Sound's 5-2 loss tonight.

 

[M2Beezy]

McKenzie was pointless (and -3, for those who want to know) in Owen Sound's 5-2 loss tonight.

Too bad. One bad game only tho so far it seems hes been playing with some pretty sweet numbers these playoffs but guess is a overager so gotta be careful with the hype

 

[MS]

He can't skate and couldn't crack 50 points in the OHL as an overager. There shouldn't even be a thought about giving him a contract.

 

[Lindgren]

McKenzie was pointless in Owen Sound's 4-1 loss to Sault Ste Marie tonight. The Sault leads the series 3-2.

 

[M2Beezy]

McKenzie was pointless in Owen Sound's 4-1 loss to Sault Ste Marie tonight. The Sault leads the series 3-2.

Season on the brink now. Hes been shut down for two games now and the team lost em too

 

[Lindgren]

Brett McKenzie has Owen Sound up 1-0 vs Sault Ste Marie in the deciding 7th game of their OHL match-up.

I was thinking McKenzie might do enough to convince management to give him an AHL opportunity after his OHL season ended, but it's so crowded at forward right now in Utica, even that doesn't look likely. And if Owen Sound pulls off the upset, then the AHL opportunity might not even be a possibility by the time McKenzie's junior season/career is done.

Update: It's now 3-1 for Sault Ste Marie. Not looking good for McKenzie and Owen Sound.