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DarkCanuck29 · 08-16-2021, 09:25 AM

Duncan Mackenzie had a decent year in the SMJHL, putting up some points, delivering some hits and supporting his teammates. He did not feel he stood out as anything amazing, but he was content with the numbers and ready to work hard over the summer for the draft. So when the phone hadn't so much as rung at the beginning of draft week, he was not surprised.

The first call from a GM or scout came on Wednesday, as the Philadelphia Forge rang to kick the tires. The usual conversations occurred and Mackenzie was left feeling excited, but not truly sold on Philly as a destination. Soon other calls began to filter in. The same basic questions, the same basic answers. Yes, I plan to be active. Yes, I like an active, friendly locker room, no I don't expect to be a superstar by tomorrow.

Some teams managed to stand out by making Mackenzie wonder why they were even scouting him, asking one or maybe two half baked questions and then hanging up the phone. Mackenzie was starting to feel uncertain about the draft. Originally, he thought he might be a second rounder, but now he was wondering if he would fall to the third round or below. His agent assured him that, even though the scouting was happening late this year, it would be fine. He would get drafted.

Then Mackenzie got a call from the GM of the Atlanta Inferno, Hotdog, sitting at 17th in the Draft Order. The conversation flowed easily and, despite the usual questions, a good conversation took place. DMack was intrigued with Atlanta as a decent place to play.

And then the Dragons called. The Dragons had been at the top of Mackenzie's places to play since early in Junior, when the Dragons began interacting on Social Media. Their former GM and current Head of Scouting When Required and Chicken Parm Relations @Steelhead77 started the conversation and sold the Dragons as the top destination in the SHL, a place of history, friendship and Chicken Parm. They discussed fishing and the old West Coast Express line. Things clicked.

On Friday, after the initial conversations, the GM of the Dragons followed up. @~~Mike Izzy~~ continued the conversation and, by the time the conversations wrapped up, Duncan Mackenzie wanted nothing more than to be a Calgary Dragon. Calgary was due to draft three times in the first round, at 5, 6 and 18. DMack knew he would not be a choice at 5 or 6. It was widely expected that future superstar Grogu Mandosson would be the choice at 5, and despite the debate about who might go at 6, Duncan Mackenzie's name was not one that was in the discussion.

Duncan Mackenzie was fine waiting for 18 to be picked, but there was just one problem. DMack's name was in the conversation for picks 16, and 17. It was a tense Saturday, spent pacing the floor of his hotel room in Montreal and drinking coffee. Finally it was time to head to the stadium for the draft.

The draft began as expected, with pick 1 to 4 falling as expected and then Calgary picking up Mandosson. Mocks were thrown into array when the Dragons used their 6 pick to snag the highly skilled Darwin Koff. Already, Calgary had aready had a fantastic draft and it was only six picks in. Then the tension really ramped up for Duncan Mackenzie, as each name off the board came with a sigh of relief. Hamilton made their picks and took Jay Cue with pick 16, a player many thought would go to Atlanta. Would Atlanta then opt to move on to DMack?

DMack prayed to the hockey gods and his prayers were answered [editors note: a very strange feeling for a Canucks fan] as Atlanta opted for Towlie, a literal towel. Dmack had heard of a bag of pucks being related to hockey, but to be passed over for a towel did sting slightly. Fortunately, the feeling did not last long, as Calgary immediately submitted their pick and took Duncan Mackenzie. The celebrations were huge as Calgary had hit on their top 3 targets in the first round and then snagged talented and hardworking Scarecrow Sam Stone with their other pick in the draft at 38 overall.

@Steelhead77 was heard to say that Calgary was close to having a deal in place to move up to 14 to ensure they could get DMack, but with the surprise of Patya Perevalov still being on the board, the Minnesota Monarchs elected to stay and make that selection. It was fortunate for all that things worked out the way they did. The four players selected by Calgary seem to fit into the Locker Room well, and with the Draft Week addition of Superstar Forward Alexis Saint-Michel, the future looks very bright indeed for both Duncan Mackenzie and the Calgary Dragons.

Winnipeg Aurora Aurora

Steelhead77 · 08-16-2021, 01:48 PM

Great inside look at your draft experience!

We definitely lost a few more hairs in Calgary waiting to see if you'd be on the board at 18!

So pumped with how the draft worked out and that you're now a Calgary Dragon!

Dragonite

---> ParmBorg Highlights <---

#1 All-Time SHL Goal & Point Scorer
- First 2,000 TPE Player in SHL History -
- First 400 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- Only 500 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- First GM to Win 5 & 6 Challenge Cups -
Esa Anrikkanen Award - SMJHL ROY - Est. S34
Vidrik Onoprienko Award Winner - S45

Dragonite