The Miramichi Timberwolves have announced that defenseman Sam McKinney has committed to the University of Waterloo for 2023-24.
The 20-year-old from Fredericton, N.B. was a territorial selection of the Campbellton Tigers in the 2018 MHL Entry Draft, selected 30th overall. McKinney played just one game with Campbellton in the 2018-19 season, but registered an assist. In 2019-20, he was named to the MHL’s Rookie All-Star Team on defense. McKinney finished eighth in league scoring with 32 after tallying seven goals and 25 assists in 43 games for the Tigers.
He spent the next two seasons in the QMJHL, and his rights were acquired by Miramichi in a massive trade before the 2021-22 trade deadline. Players involved included the Tigers acquiring Jeremie Jacob and Jeremie Hebert and the Timberwolves acquiring Daryk Dube-Plouffe.
McKinney was named an Eastlink North All-Star in 2022-23 after totalling 66 points in 50 games. He was third in goals for blueliners with 15, behind Summerside’s Ed McNeill and Isaac Wilson who each had 16, and was second in assists behind McNeill. McKinney ranked third for defensemen in both powerplay assists (23) and powerplay points (26). He was tied with three other defensemen with three game-winning goals. McKinney was named the league’s Top Defenseman in February, which later earned him 3rd Star of the Month by the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). He was named to the Eastlink North’s Team of the Week seven times.
The MHL congratulates McKinney on his post-secondary commitment.