Who is Mackenzie MacEachern?

The St. Louis Blues recalled forward Mackenzie MacEachern to slot in on their fourth line to provide some speed and grit. MacEachern played alongside Nathan Walker and Alexei Toropchenko on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks.

MacEachern is a little-known player outside of Blues fans. He’s a 6’2” and 190 lb left wing. He was drafted 67th overall by the Blues in the 2012 NHL Draft, after playing college hockey at Michigan State University post playing a brief stint with the USHL’s Chicago Steel in 2012-13. He played high school hockey for — and graduated from — Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Township, Michigan. He’s a native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

MacEachern forwent his senior season at Michigan State to sign a two-year, entry-level contract worth $1.85 million with the Blues on March 30, 2016. He finished his college hockey career with back-to-back Academic All-Big Ten Honors, along with his first NCAA hat trick in a 3-2 win over Penn State on February 14, 2015.

MacEachern’s professional hockey career began with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves in 2016-17. He recorded 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 55 games. He then recorded 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 26 games.

After a brief stint with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage (now Henderson Silver Knights) from 2018-19, St. Louis recalled MacEachern. As a member of the Rampage, he scored two goals in a 5-4 win over the Iowa Wild and subsequently helped his team set a new franchise record for most consecutive home wins.

While MacEachern didn’t skate in the Blues’ postseason games in 2019, he ended up receiving his day with the Stanley Cup anyway. He not only took the Cup to his home state, but he also took it to the Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, where he posed for pictures and even put a baby in it.

MacEachern told MIHockey.com: “I started the year in San Antonio, and we kind of had a buddy-buddy program at the children’s hospital (there).”

“It kind of gave me the idea to give back to them. I had a cool experience with it. Just to bring joy to them, and they brought joy to me, and just to bring [the Cup] through here and see the smiles on the kids’ faces is pretty cool.”

MacEachern later brought the Cup to his gym in Madison Heights and a car dealership in Troy before hosting a private party for family and friends in Pontiac. He found a way to thank his friends and family while giving back to his local community.

Fast forward to 2020. MacEachern signed a two-year, $1.8 million contract extension with the Blues on April 17, 2020. He finished 2019-20 with 10 points (seven goals, three assists) in 51 games. He followed up with only two points (one goal, one assist) in 21 games in 2020-21.
As of March 29, 2022, MacEachern has just one point (one assist), a zero rating, two penalty minutes, and eight shots in eight games.

Although I want to see what MacEachern can do on offense with his offensive play, I can understand why the Blues have scratched him, sent him down to Springfield, and all that. He has something to offer offensively, but his job seems to be on the fence. His spot in the lineup isn’t 100% safe for the foreseeable future.

MacEachern appears to know the Blues’ style of play. Plus he has NHL experience under his belt. But I believe he has to show the team his worth on the ice if he wants to stick around and continue to make money in the $1.8 million range.