Mackenzie Skapski

Mackenzie Skapski (born June 15, 1994) is a goaltending coach and former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who last played for HKM Zvolen in the Tipsport Liga (Slovak). He has formerly played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Mackenzie Skapski
Skapski with the Hartford Wolf Pack during the 2015-16 season
Born (1994-06-15) June 15, 1994
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for New York Rangers
HKM Zvolen
NHL Draft 170th overall, 2013
New York Rangers
Playing career 2014–2020

Playing career

Skapski was born in Abbotsford, British Columbia. While playing Major Midget for the Fraser Valley Bruins as a 15-year-old, Skapski suffered serious injuries which threatened his career when the team bus crashed on December 11, 2009.[1] He suffered a broken nose and orbital bone and required surgery to relieve a blood clot near his brain.[1][2] Although able to play again in less than a year, the injuries delayed his career progression.[1]

Skapski played junior hockey for the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League (WHL).[3][4] He was drafted by the New York Rangers in the sixth round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.[4] He had been rated as the 17th best draft-eligible goalie in North America by Central Scouting.[5] He previously played minor ice hockey in his hometown of Abbotsford, British Columbia.[1][6]

Skapski began the 2014-15 season with the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL but was called up to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) after playing just one game to replace Jason Missiaen, who was demoted to Greenville.[3][7] He made his AHL debut on October 24 and recorded his first shutout on October 26.[6] He played well enough at Hartford to remain with the team until his promotion to the Rangers, with a 2.38 goals against average and a .914 save percentage in 24 games.[3][7] Ranger staff felt he was making "good progression" at Hartford prior to his promotion.[8] According to sportswriter Paul Doyle, Skapski's "even demeanor" was key to his successful transition to the AHL.[1]

He was called up from Hartford on February 4, 2015, when the Rangers' starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist went down with a damaged blood vessel in his neck.[8][9][10] His first appearance with the Rangers was as the backup to Cam Talbot in a game against the Boston Bruins.[6][11] He made his NHL debut on February 20, 2015 against the Buffalo Sabres, in which he made 24 saves en route to a 3-1 win.[12][13] Skapski earned his first NHL shutout in his second NHL game, also against the Sabres, in a game on March 14, 2015.[14] When Lundqvist returned from his injury, Skapski was returned to the Wolf Pack on March 25, 2015.[15]

At the conclusion of his entry-level contract, Skapski became a free agent after he was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Rangers. On September 25, 2017, he agreed to an AHL invite to attend the Toronto Marlies 2017 training camp.[16] On November 3, 2017, he was belatedly signed to a one-year AHL contract with the Marlies for the 2017–18 season. He was immediately re-assigned to ECHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears.[17]

As a free agent in the following off-season, Skapski opted to embark on a European career, agreeing to a one-year deal with Slovakian club, HKM Zvolen of the Tipsport Liga, on July 18, 2018.[18]

On December 18, 2020, Skapski was announced as the new goaltending coach for the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League.[19]

International play

He represented Canada Pacific in the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, winning a bronze medal.[2][20]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T/OT MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2010–11 Kootenay Ice WHL 4 3 1 0 247 13 0 3.16 .882 — — — — — — — —
2011–12 Kootenay Ice WHL 19 9 6 2 1020 53 0 3.12 .890 — — — — — — — —
2012–13 Kootenay Ice WHL 65 34 25 1 3642 169 7 2.78 .910 5 1 4 258 17 0 3.95 .892
2013–14 Kootenay Ice WHL 53 28 20 4 3018 136 1 2.70 .916 10 3 5 540 34 0 3.78 .882
2014–15 Greenville Road Warriors ECHL 1 0 1 0 57 3 0 3.17 .906 — — — — — — — —
2014–15 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 28 15 8 1 1522 61 3 2.40 .914 2 0 1 77 7 0 5.43 .821
2014–15 New York Rangers NHL 2 2 0 0 119 1 1 0.50 .978 — — — — — — — —
2015–16 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 13 4 7 0 708 36 0 3.05 .902 — — — — — — — —
2015–16 Greenville Swamp Rabbits ECHL 27 5 14 5 1544 84 1 3.26 .901 — — — — — — — —
2016–17 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 13 2 8 0 660 52 0 4.73 .856 — — — — — — — —
2016–17 Greenville Swamp Rabbits ECHL 33 18 11 0 1884 106 1 3.38 .904 1 0 1 60 6 0 6.00 .829
2017–18 Orlando Solar Bears ECHL 33 12 14 3 1783 90 2 3.03 .906 3 1 1 127 9 0 4.25 .877
2018–19 HKM Zvolen Slovak 34 — — — 1917 68 0 2.13 .928 12 7 5 — — — 1.67 .932
NHL totals 2 2 0 0 119 1 1 0.50 .978 — — — — — — — —

International
Year Team Event Result GP W L OT MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2011 Canada Pacific U17 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 4 — — — — — — 3.30 .878
Junior totals 4 — — — — — — 3.30 .878

References
  1. Doyle, P. (November 20, 2014). "After Tough Break, Wolf Pack's Skapski Has Turned It Around". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  2. LaRose, J. (June 8, 2012). "Skapski's Next Step Comeback From Bus Accident Leads to Hockey Canada Camp". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  3. Rocca, T. (February 4, 2015). "Broadway Bound". Cranbrook Daily Townsman. Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  4. "Mackenzie Skapski". hockeydb. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  5. "Mackenzie Skapski". Hockey's Future. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  6. Beddall, J. (February 4, 2015). "Abby goalie gets call-up to NHL's Rangers". Abbotsford News. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  7. Treff, L. (December 5, 2014). "New York Rangers have strong group of prospects in pipeline". Hockey's Future. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  8. Cygalis, B. (February 7, 2015). "'Pred' Alert for Klein". New York Post. p. 42.
  9. "Rangers Recall Mackenzie Skapski from Hartford". Madison Square Garden. February 4, 2015. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  10. Kreda, A. (February 6, 2015). "Lundqvist, Hit in Throat, Will Miss at Least 3 Weeks". New York Times. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  11. "Talbot helps Rangers beat Bruins 3-2". Boston Herald. February 4, 2015. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  12. Brooks, L. (November 20, 2015). "Rangers' Skapski recovers from laughable start for 1st NHL win". New York Post. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
  13. Hecht, J. (February 21, 2015). "Rangers' Mackenzie Skapski wins in NHL debut". Sporting News. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
  14. Mendola, N. (March 14, 2015). "Skapski, Yandle help lift Rangers past Sabres 2-0". Associated Press. Retrieved 2015-03-15.
  15. "NHL notes: FBI investigating threats to Isles' Leddy". Toronto Sun. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  16. "Marlies announce training camp roster". Toronto Marlies. 2017-09-25. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
  17. "Marles sign training camp invite Mackenzie Skapski to AHL contract". Toronto Marlies. 2017-11-03. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
  18. "Zvolen sign Canadian Goaltender Mackenzie Skapski". HKM Zvolen (in Slovak). 2018-07-18. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  19. "Chiefs Hire New Goaltending Coach". Chilliwack Chiefs. 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  20. "Mackenzie Skapski". The Hockey News. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
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