Moose Jaw Warriors’ Pavel McKenzie opens up about his Indigenous roots & WHL journey on MyHockeyHero Podcast

As the 2024-25 regular season nears its conclusion, Moose Jaw Warriors’ forward Pavel McKenzie jumped on the MyHockeyHero podcast (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music) to chat with Dean Barnes about the pride he has as a member of Cumberland House Cree Nation, his journey to the Western Hockey League (WHL), and the time he’s enjoyed playing for the reigning WHL champions in Moose Jaw.

Unlike many of his peers currently competing in the WHL, McKenzie wasn’t drafted into the league. The 19-year-old from Cumberland House, Sask., had to battle his way not only to earn his spot but also to draw the attention of WHL clubs and their decision-makers. 

The left winger managed to do the latter by registering 14 goals and 29 points in 46 games with the Yorkton Terriers as a 17-year-old rookie in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). His performance in the SJHL caught the eyes of Moose Jaw Warriors’ GM Jason Ripplinger and head coach Mark O’Leary, who extended an invite to McKenzie to come to their camp at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. It was an opportunity that the young Saskatchewan hockey player made sure to make the most of as he sought to fulfill one of his childhood dreams.

“You know I wanted to make the WHL since I was a little kid. So, when I heard [Moose Jaw] wanted to sign me, it was an unreal feeling,” shared McKenzie, who has already set new career highs in goals (16), assists (23), and points (39) with eight games left in the Warriors’ season. “I came into the [WHL], my shot was a little bit weaker, and it’s definitely gone up. Also my speed. We had a lot of workouts and a lot of great skates [in Moose Jaw]. So, that’s definitely helped.

“[The WHL] is a very fast and strong league – so just being able to adjust to it is awesome.”

Adjust he has. 

During his rookie season in the WHL a year ago, McKenzie was identified by O’Leary as one of the Warriors’ most improved players. Thanks to his growth over the 2023-24 campaign, the 19-year-old left winger developed into an important piece for Moose Jaw at an all-important time, as last spring the club managed to win its first-ever Ed Chynoweth Cup in the franchise’s 40-year history in Moose Jaw. By being crowned WHL Champions, McKenzie and the Warriors also punched their ticket to what was their first-ever trip to the Memorial Cup, the CHL’s championship event.

“It’s not every day somebody goes into the Western Hockey League in their first year, and they’re already in the Memorial Cup,” recounted McKenzie about his experience at the 2024 Memorial Cup in Saginaw, Michigan, where the Warriors fell in the semi-final to the eventual CHL champions, the Saginaw Spirit. “Just being there and being able to play all the [OHL] teams and [QMJHL] teams was just really cool. I just couldn’t believe I was there.”

Part of what made the trip to Saginaw and the 2024 Memorial Cup so special for McKenzie was likely in part due to the fact that his family got to share in the experience with him. 

Having grown up in Cumberland House, a community of roughly 2000 people located in the northeastern part of Saskatchewan, McKenzie often relied on many family members (such as his parents, his uncle Rene Chaboyer & his grandparents) to help him chase his hockey dreams as he played in rinks across the province (in Tisdale, Nipawin & Saskatoon to name a few) along with neighboring ones found in Manitoba and Alberta.

It’s for that reason, and more, that it shouldn’t surprise anyone the immense level of affection and love that McKenzie has for his hometown given how much they have supported him over the years.

“It means a lot. It’s definitely a smaller place, but I have family there and I still live there today,” shared McKenzie about Cumberland House, which is 600 kilometres north of Moose Jaw and considered the oldest permanent settlement in Saskatchewan having been established in 1774. “Just being able to go back in the summer and at Christmas time is always awesome. They’re always doing so much for me, supporting me through all these years, and just being able to still say that I’m from there honestly is an honour.”

McKenzie’s pride for Cumberland House Cree Nation is something that he carries with him wherever he travels across the WHL. Ultimately, his Aboriginal roots have allowed him to create some unique bonds with Indigenous players across the ‘Dub’.

“Everywhere around the league, I just try to say ‘hi’ to all the Indigenous players,” stated McKenzie. “Zackary Shantz, he plays for the Everett Silvertips. He was just with the Regina Pats this year. I know that every time we played each other, we would always give a little wink at each other, or tap each other on the pads. Connor Bear is on the Regina Pats right now. I played an Indigenous tournament with him and he’s just a really great kid. Keaton Dowhaniuk – he was with us at the start of the year. We just picked him up  – I’m not sure for how many games –  but he’s just an unreal guy. I was making a couple of jokes with him to say it was nice to have a little cousin on the team.”

McKenzie is one of more than 50 players of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit descent currently playing in the WHL, according to Hockey Indigenous’ database. This large Indigenous representation, which is the biggest of any of the CHL Member League, is something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by McKenzie.

“There’s quite a bit of players in the [WHL] now that are Indigenous. It is really awesome. There are big ones like Gavin McKenna and Carter Bear. Those two players are just awesome to watch,” said the 19-year-old about 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers) and 2025 NHL Draft prospect Carter Bear (Everett Silvertips). “Both are putting up crazy numbers. It’s great to see the Indigenous succeed.”

The success of Indigenous players in the WHL is nothing new as McKenzie was quick to point out. In highlighting former players such as Portland Winterhawks alumnus Kishaun Gervais and Seattle Thunderbirds graduate Ethan Bear, who is a former WHL Defenceman of the Year and a fellow WHL Champion, McKenzie hopes to follow in their footsteps and serve as an inspiration for future Indigenous stars – whether they be from Cumberland House or from elsewhere.

“Seeing [Gervais and Bear] do it – it is obviously an inspiration to me as an Indigenous person,” shared the Moose Jaw Warriors forward. “So, making it here today is hopefully an inspiration to a lot of young youth and Aboriginal kids. I know it is helping a lot of kids back home [in Cumberland House]. You know a lot of them are wearing my jersey and playing hockey – and it is so cool to see that back home. It’s meant a lot to me to see Indigenous people succeed at that high of a level.”

As part of the CHL’s continued efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the sport of hockey, the CHL along with its Member Leagues (Western Hockey League / WHL, Ontario Hockey League / OHL, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League / QMJHL) are working alongside Dean Barnes and his My Hockey Hero podcast (available on all major podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music) to tell stories of Indigenous and racialized players as a way to help expose more fans to the growing impact that people of colour are having on the game of hockey.

To view clips from various episodes and guests on the My Hockey Hero Podcast, be sure to check out the podcast on Instagram @myhockeyhero_. To see some of the unique hockey cards found in Barnes’ extensive collection, be sure to follow @diversityhockeycards on Instagram. You can also visit MyHockeyHero.com for more about Dean Barnes, the MyHockeyHero podcast, and more.