OMG PLAYER OF THE MONTH- JANUARY
Thrashers’ Dawson McKenzie:
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
He’ s looking forward to getting a shot with a Western Hockey League franchise next fall and like most elite players, he dreams of one day playing in the National Hockey
League. For Winnipeg Thrashers’ forward Dawson McKenzie, it’ s all about hockey. And for good reason.
McKenzie not only leads the Thrashers in scoring this season but he’ s also the No. 2 scorer Manitoba Midget Triple A Hockey League with 19 goals and 48 points in his first 31 games.
As a result of his superb start, McKenzie has been named the first OMG Player of the Month for 2017.
McKenzie started skating at four-years old and his first organized team, at the age of six, was the AW Wildcats. He fell in love with hockey because he and his dad went skating together and watched Hockey Night in Canada together.
“ My favorite team was the Leafs and I watched them every Saturday,” he said with a wide smile.“ I just fell in love with the game.”
His dad played some hockey and his sister is a track athlete, but clearly Dawson in the hockey star in the family. His coach, Jim Berezowsky believes he has a solid future in the game if he wants it badly enough.
“ He’ s one of the leaders on our hockey club and he wears a letter, an assistant captain,” said the coach.“ Dawson brings an acute awareness to the offensive side of the game. He’ s one of those individuals who reads the offensive side of hockey better than most kids. And definitely, the results of his offensive skills are directly apparent in his scoring totals. On our hockey club, he has twice as many points as the next player on the list.
“ For Dawson, the biggest thing is his conditioning. If he can improve his foot speed and his body strength, the skills are definitely there. For him, he has to continue to improve his conditioning and speed. If he does that, he’ ll have a chance to make it at the next level.”
For McKenzie, it’ s clear that his favorite part of the game is scoring goals.
“ Finishing off those plays is the best part of the game, by far,” he said.“ There’ s no better feeling that scoring goals.”
McKenzie played for the Assiniboine Wildcats, the St. James Canadians( 11 and 12) and the Bantam Hawks at 13 and 14 and Triple A Hawks at 15 and now two years with the Thrashers.
“ My No. 1 goal is to play in the WHL next year,” McKenzie said bluntly.“ I wasn’ t drafted but I went to camp this year with Prince George and Moose Jaw. I really liked being around those guys, just seeing their work ethic and what it takes to play at that level. One day, I want to play in the NHL.” n
Larry Finnson and OMG Candy of Winnipeg are outstanding supporters of amateur hockey throughout our province. Game On Magazine is proud to partner with OMG to select the Manitoba Player of the Month. Our Player of the Month will appear in every issue of Game On, Manitoba’ s Hockey Magazine, in 2017.
2016- 17 ROSTER DEADLINE EDITION GAME ON 5