The Fort McMurray Oil Barons have announced that forward Jackson McKinstry has committed to play for the SAIT Trojans of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference this coming season.
The 21 year old spent three seasons with the MOB and was the longest serving Oil Baron on last year’s team.
“It’s exciting,” said McKinstry. “I’m very excited to go to SAIT and get to stay home for a couple years but I’m going to miss Fort McMurray a lot but I can’t wait to get it going and get school going.”
During McKinstry’s three seasons with the MOB, he scored 24 goals and added 36 assists for 60 points in 153 games.
McKinstry registered 17 points in 38 games last season and chipped in four points in 11 playoff games as the MOB advanced to the North Division final.
“It was the best, I loved every minute of it,” said McKinstry of his time with the Barons. “I loved my teammates every year but that last year was something special. First place in the North (Division) and the coaches (Tom) Keca, (Dave) Dupas, (Mike) Brodeur, (Steven) Garcia, it was the best three years of my life and I’m going to miss it.”
The Calgary, Alberta native’s final junior season got off to a rough start. After scoring two goals in the second game of the season against the Grande Prairie Storm, McKinstry got tangled up along the boards and injured his shoulder. The veteran missed the next 21 games but during that time, he continued to help lead a young MOB team.
“Jack (Jackson) is an exceptional individual both on and off the ice,” said Oil Barons Head Coach and General Manager Tom Keca. “As a coaching staff, Jack was one guy we could always count on. Whether that was putting the extra effort in at practice, helping our trainer Petey with tasks off the ice, or mentoring our younger players – he was always there to tow the line.”
Despite the injury in his final junior season, McKinstry says he would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
“The only tough part about it was losing in the North Final but everything else with the injury and taking first place I wouldn’t change a thing if we finished first place, I loved it,” said McKinstry.
When McKinstry returned from his injury, he became a part of one of the best checking lines in the Alberta Junior Hockey League alongside Hayden Ursulak and Brett Edwards.
As he continues on with his hockey career at SAIT, McKinstry will be re-united with two former MOB teammates in Zach Wittenburg and Connor McCallum.
“I’m excited to have a couple more years with those guys, I only got one year with both of them and this is hopefully going to be a long time with each of them which is good,” said McKinstry.
The Calgarian is the third member of last season’s MOB team to commit to a post-secondary school joining captain Brandon Ralph (NAIT) and Will Conley (Holy Cross Div. 1).
McKinstry will be taking a pre-electrical apprenticeship at SAIT this fall.
