Incoming Minnesota Duluth forward Parker Mackay was named the Alberta Junior Hockey League Playoffs Most Valuable Player Sunday night after he and the Spruce Grove Saints won their second-straight AJHL Championship via a 2-1 overtime win over the Brooks Bandits in Game 6 of the best-of-seven finals series.
Mackay confirmed with the News Tribune Monday he signed a National Letter of Intent this spring to play at UMD starting in the fall. He captained the Saints in 2014-15 to an AJHL regular season title and was named the AJHL’s Most Dedicated Player.
Mackay posted a league-best 12 goals in 18 postseason contests, plus 10 assists. Two goals and two assists came in the AJHL finals series.
He has a total of 28 goals and 37 assists in 62 games this year with Spruce Grove, which will now play in the Western Canada Cup against the champions of the British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba junior hockey leagues.
The BCHL champion Penticton Vees feature two Bulldogs verbal commits in goaltender Hunter Miska and defenseman Jarod Hilderman, who are projected to join UMD for the 2016-17 season.
