North Bay Battalion forward Brett McKenzie has been named to the OHL Canada/Russia team, and Battalion Coach Stan Butler has been named an assistant coach. Team OHL will compete against the Russian National Junior Team in Game 3 of the series in North Bay on Thursday November 10th, with Game 4 to be played in Hamilton on Monday November 14th.
Stan Butler says he’s happy for McKenzie. He also says he’s glad Hockey Canada’s director of player personnel Ryan Jankowski has noticed McKenzie’s strong play and given him the opportunity to play in both games. As far as his position as assistant coach, Butler joked he’s happy that all he has to do is change the defence and not worry about much else. Butler says the experience should be fun, and that he hasn’t been an assistant coach since the 1999 World Juniors when he was on Tom Renney’s staff.
Brett McKenzie came out of the dressing room wearing the OHL team jersey. He says honoured to represent not only the Battalion, but the OHL as well. He’s hoping that a strong performance here will show scouts that he should be in the conversation for this year’s World Junior team. McKenzie says the fact the game is on home ice in North Bay will help a lot. He says it will be nice to sleep in his own bed, and hopes that the big crowd can really give the OHL an advantage over the Russians.
