By Cami Kepke via Western Hockey League

MOOSE JAW, Sask. – More than 600 kilometers north of Moose Jaw sits the small northern community of Cumberland House, Sask.

Nestled on the banks of the Saskatchewan River and Cumberland Lake, Cumberland House is the oldest permanent settlement in Saskatchewan.

The community was established in 1774 and is home to the first inland Hudson’s Bay Company fur trade post. Today, the town itself is home to 540 people, according to the 2021 census.

That includes Moose Jaw Warriors forward Pavel McKenzie.

For McKenzie, a member of the Cumberland House Cree Nation, chasing his hockey dream meant playing elsewhere. First, he played in locales a few hours away, like Nipawin and Tisdale, then left home to venture much further south to Yorkton.

Even though he wasn’t drafted into the Western Hockey League, McKenzie was fine with playing where he could and biding his time.

“I wasn’t disappointed,” McKenzie said of being passed over in the WHL Prospects Draft. “I knew if I kept working hard, there’d be teams looking at me, so I didn’t think it was the end of the world. More doors opened up.”

In his first season with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Yorkton Terriers, McKenzie netted 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points in 46 games.

Sure enough, Warriors General Manager Jason Ripplinger and Head Coach Mark O’Leary took notice, and McKenzie was able to make the squad out of training camp.

“When he was playing Junior A, certainly there were some things that he did that got you a little bit excited,” O’Leary said. “You see the skill set and he’s able to make plays in tight areas.

“He’s one of the most improved players, for sure, since the start of the year. He’s a guy that has skill and a real hockey sense... I just think that he’s a guy that can play in many different situations.”

In his rookie WHL season, the 6-foot, 176-pound winger earned opportunities to play alongside NHL prospects like Jagger Firkus (Seattle) and Brayden Yager (Pittsburgh), netting 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in 63 regular season games, and another two goals in the postseason—including the game-winning goal in Game 2 of the WHL Championship Series against the Portland Winterhawks.

“It was an awesome feeling,” McKenzie said of the game-winning tally. “The boys battled really hard all game, and just to be able to score the game-winner is really huge.

“It’s a really fast-paced game, a lot of skill here and strong guys, a lot of cool players to play against too. I thought I carried the puck a little more and got a little more confident as the year went on.”

He’s also ranked 176th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

While hockey has now taken McKenzie across North America, he still holds a piece of home close to his heart.

On game days, he sports a traditional beaded necklace depicting the Moose Jaw Warriors logo.

“A really special lady made it for me in Alberta,” McKenzie explained. “I wear it to bring me back to memories back home and all the support they’ve given me.”

McKenzie says it reminds him of his grandmother, Marie Louise, a vivacious woman remembered as a talented beader and champion paddler who took part in Queen Trapper competitions, which include events like heavy flour packing.

She passed away in 2023.

“My late grandma passed on, and she’s been with us all my life,” McKenzie said. “She was a really strong woman and I always think of her.”

He’s also proud to combine his passion for hockey with his Indigenous heritage and be a role model for other young athletes.

The 18-year-old helped Team Saskatchewan win silver at the 2022 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in Membertou, N.S.

“I love it,” McKenzie added. “Just being able to be Indigenous and play in this kind of league, you know, there’s not many of us. So, I’m really glad to be here.”

McKenzie and the Warriors look to take a commanding 3-0 series lead as the WHL Championship Series shifts to Moose Jaw.

Game 3 is set for Tuesday, May 14, at 8:00 p.m. ST.