Curtis McKenzie Named Playing Captain for AHL All-Star Classic

(Credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars)

Coming off his inclusion in the Spengler Cup for Team Canada, Texas Stars captain Curtis McKenzie has been named a playing captain for the AHL's All-Star Classic next month in Palm Desert, CA.

McKenzie has been an all-everything player for Texas for years, but this is his first All-Star selection. Part of the reason why is the unfortunate timing of his breakout rookie season. In 2014, the AHL decided to change their All-Star format and send a team of AHL standouts to St. John's, NL to play against Färjestad BK. This cut the size of the All-Star squad in half. McKenzie, who won Rooke of the Year that season, would have certainly gone if not for this change. Instead, only Colton Sceviour and Travis Morin went.

This is an honor selected by the league president, Scott Howson. Zac Dalpe is the other playing captain named today.

Here's the release:

American Hockey League President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson announced today that Texas Stars forward Curtis McKenzie and Charlotte Checkers forward Zac Dalpe have been selected as the playing captains for the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Spotlight 29 Casino, to be held February 2-3 in Palm Desert, Calif.

Captains for the American Hockey League All-Star teams are selected by the league president each year in recognition of their outstanding leadership and service.

A 12th-year pro from Golden, B.C., McKenzie has played in 612 games in the AHL with Texas, Chicago and Utica, recording 186 goals and 279 assists for 465 points. Now in his fifth year as captain of the Stars, McKenzie won the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding rookie in 2013-14, capturing a Calder Cup championship that season as well. He made additional Calder Cup Finals appearances with Texas in 2018 and with Chicago in 2019, and has tallied 65 points in 90 career postseason games in the AHL. Chosen by Dallas in the 2009 NHL Draft, McKenzie has played 99 games in the NHL with the parent Stars. This will be his first trip to the AHL All-Star Classic.