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Tag: Jim McKenzie

Golden Knights Hire New Head Equipment Manager, Two Scouts, And Promote Professional Scout

As the Golden Knights head into Season 8, a few changes have been made to the hockey operations staff. Every year new people come in, others leave, and some see their titles shift in the organization. Here’s a quick rundown of the new additions to the Golden Knights staff.

Scott Boggs – Head Equipment Manager

Photo from SJBarracuda.com

Boggs’ career as an equipment manager dates back to 1988. He first reached the NHL as an assistant in 2005-06 with the Chicago Blackhawks and went on to become the head equipment manager for the New York Islanders from 2006 to 2022. Boggs celebrated his 2000th professional game in April 2022. After leaving New York he worked for the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears in 2022-23 and the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda last year.

Jim McKenzie – Promoted from Professional Scout to Director of Pro Scouting

McKenzie has been with the Golden Knights since their inception, starting as a scout the season before Vegas played their first game. He scouted for the Florida Panthers before coming to Vegas. His NHL career started as a broadcaster for the Nashville Predators.

Alex Kromm – Amatuer Scout

The 32-year-old from British Columbia will become a scout for the first time in his hockey career. He played in the ECHL for seven seasons before retiring to take a job as an assistant coach with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Kromm comes from a family of NHLers including his father, Richard, who played in the league for nine seasons and then coached for 19 more, and his grandfather, Bobby, who was the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets and Detroit Red Wings in the late 70’s.

Evgeny Artyukhin – European Scout

Artyukhin played 199 games in the NHL for Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Anaheim between 2005 and 2010. He racked up more than 1,000 penalty minutes in 430 games in the KHL in his 12-year career. Artyukhin was a decorated junior player as well winning gold with Russia as a U17, U18, and the 2003 World Junior Championships. He was selected 94th overall by the Lightning in 2001. This will be his first job as an NHL scout.

Departed: Connor Jones (College Scout) – Now an assistant coach for the Princeton University men’s hockey team.

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Meet The Professional Scouting Staff

Despite being reported last week, the Las Vegas franchise has spent much of this week sending out press releases confirming the hires of four new professional scouts. They are Jim McKenzie, Vince Williams, Mike Foligno, and Václav Nedomanský and they join Kelly Kisio and David Conte rounding out the staff tasked with scouting NHL players in preparation for the Expansion Draft in June.

We’ve already told you a little bit about both Kisio and Conte, now lets take a look at the new quartet joining the front office.

Jim McKenzie – Most recently a scout with the Florida Panthers, working with fellow Las Vegas staff members Scott Luce and Erin Ginnell. McKenzie played in the NHL for 15 years for the Whalers, Stars, Penguins, Jets, Coyotes, Ducks, Capitals, Devils, and Predators. He won the Stanley Cup in 2003 as a member of the Devils. In January of 2000 he was claimed off waivers by George McPhee and the Washington Capitals.

Vince Williams – Most recently the head coach of the Orlando Solar Bears, the ECHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had an extended minor league hockey career but never broke through to the NHL. 

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