Allow us to clarify that statement. North Bay Battalion bench boss Stan Butler and last year’s top forward, Brett McKenzie, are not feuding. Butler’s comments about hoping to never see McKenzie again, other than at alumni events, are meant as encouraging words. Butler hopes that McKenzie catches on with the Vancouver Canucks with a strong showing at their pro camp.
McKenzie led the Troops in scoring with 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points. McKenzie was a point-per-game offensive catalyst in a down season for the Battalion.
Butler is impressed with the way McKenzie approached his offseason and says that the overage junior player came to camp in good shape and was an eager participant in preseason games in Buffalo, N.Y., at the OHL Showcase.
Other players currently on the 25-skater roster that are heading off to rookie camps include Cam Dineen, Brady Lyle, Justin Brazeau and Adam Thilander. McKenzie was drafted by Vancouver while Dineen is the property of the Arizona Coyotes. The others received free-agent invitations, Lyle with the Anaheim Ducks, Thilander with the Carolina Hurricanes, and Brazeau is at Columbus Blue Jackets rookie camp.
Besides good wishes for McKenzie, Butler says the experience of attending rookie camp for the others will be a good barometer on how hard they must work to be invited to the pro training camps.
The Troops have three exhibition games left before opening the regular season at home on Friday, September 22, against the Barrie Colts. The Battalion visits the Sudbury Wolves next Wednesday night and the Owen Sound Attack on Saturday the 16th, before hosting Owen Sound the next day.
With files from BattalionHockey.com
