AHL Syracuse Crunch

Center Derek MacKenzie Added to Canadian AHL All-Star Roster

Published on January 23, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY (January 23, 2009) - The Syracuse Crunch announced today that center Derek MacKenzie has been added to the Canadian AHL All-Star roster for this weekend's 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

MacKenzie replaces teammate Nikita Filatov as the Crunch's lone all-star representative, who was named to the PlanetUSA team and will not participate due to currently being on recall with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.

MacKenzie, 27, has appeared in 27 games for the Crunch this season and ranks second on the club in scoring with 10 goals, 12 assists and 24 penalty minutes. He also leads the team in power play goals (6).

Currently in his eighth professional season, MacKenzie has appeared in 466 combined AHL games with the Crunch and Chicago, collecting 118 goals, 137 assists and 509 penalty minutes. Since coming to the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, MacKenzie has skated in 89 games with the Crunch, notching 35 goals, 36 assists and 68 penalty minutes.

In addition, MacKenzie has appeared in 46 combined National Hockey League contests with Atlanta and Columbus, tallying two goals, two assists and 30 penalty minutes.

A native of Sudbury, Ontario, MacKenzie was originally drafted by Atlanta in the fifth round, 128th overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He signed as a free agent with Columbus on July 11, 2007 and again on July 14, 2008.

The 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League competing in the 2009 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 25 (4:00 p.m. ET), and the 2009 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, January 26 (7:00 p.m. ET). The event will be televised nationally in the United States and Canada.

The Crunch's next game is Friday, January 23 as they battle the Toronto Marlies at the War Memorial at Oncenter at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Crunch office at 315-473-4444, stopping by the Oncenter Box Office, located on the State Street side of the War Memorial or by calling Ticketmaster at 315-472-0700.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2009


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