Matt MacKenzie will now not play for the Steinbach Black Wings subsequent season. The 32-year-old, who had a sound contract for the approaching season, requested for his contract to be terminated as a result of he’ll finish his profession for household causes.
The Canadian got here to the metal metropolis from Slovan Bratislava earlier than the final season and completed the season with 23 factors (7 objectives, 16 assists) in 45 video games and a plus-minus score of +29. “It was a really, very troublesome resolution for me and my household, however sadly we needed to make it. We determined collectively that I’d finish my profession and keep in my dwelling nation. It was essential for me to present the staff sufficient time earlier than the brand new season. Philipp Lukas is among the greatest coaches I’ve ever had and I knew that he understood my resolution in favor of my household. It is a unusual feeling for me that 13 years {of professional} ice hockey are actually over and I do not but know the place my path will take me. I wish to thank all my supporters from the underside of my coronary heart. I used to be in a position to get to know so many stations and I’m overjoyed that I spent my final yr in Linz with such distinctive followers and other people within the group,” says the third-round choose of the Buffalo Sabres in 2010.
On YouTube, MacKenzie shared his resolution in a video message:
Championship title in Slovakia
In complete, MacKenzie has performed 244 video games within the North American AHL, 147 video games within the ICE Hockey League (for Bozen, Dornbirn and Linz) and 116 video games within the Slovakian Extraliga. Within the latter, he was twice chosen for the All-Star staff and gained the championship as soon as.
Head Coach Philipp Lukas: “It is a bitter loss for us, each humanly and athletically. Matt has good causes which can be greater than comprehensible to us. Household all the time comes first for us. We want him and his household solely the perfect for the long run and he’s all the time a welcome visitor on the Linz AG Ice Enviornment. That is now a brand new problem for us and we’re in search of a substitute for the hole he leaves behind.”
The seek for two needles in a haystack
Expertise has proven that the seek for an ample substitute is hard. Proper-shooting defenders are usually in demand available on the market. The higher they’re at build up the sport and the extra offensive they convey, the extra sought-following they’re. And that’s precisely what chief scout Rick Nasheim and the Black Wings are actually in search of – in two variations. As a result of Martin Stajnoch was additionally a right-shooter.
Black Wings squad for 2024/25
Tor:
- Rasmus Tirronen
- Thomas Höneckl
Protection:
- Gerd Kragl
- Niklas Wuerschl
- Patrick Söllinger
- Logan Roe
- Raphael Wolf
Assault:
- Brian Lebler
- Shawn St-Amant
- Niklas Bretschneider
- Nico Feldner
- Sean Collins
- Julian Pusnik
- Jacob Mitsch
- Graham Knott
- Andreas Kristler
Departures:
- Martin Stajnoch (Fehervar AV19)
- Dennis Sticha
- Marco Brucker (profession finish)
- Matt MacKenzie (retirement)
Entry:
It’s also possible to take heed to the OÖN evaluation of the Ice Hockey World Championships in Prague within the Eisbrecher podcast:
Writer
Markus Prinz
On-line Editor
Markus Prinz
