Sometimes people are paying attention.

Like with Edmonton Oil Kings’ defenceman Ethan MacKenzie, who had never been on Hockey Canada’s radar until he found out earlier this week he was going to the U20 selection camp in Niagara Falls for the world junior in Minnesota over Christmas.

“I told Ethan I knew a guy just like that who had been through the same thing,” said Jason Smith, the Oil Kings head coach and former Oilers captain.

“I didn’t tell him that guy was me. Yup, that was me, until I played in the world junior in Gavle, Sweden in 1993,” said Smith, who won a gold medal that year.

Smith had a bit of advice for MacKenzie.

“Don’t dip your toes in the water. Go all out.”

MacKenzie didn’t need the comforting instruction from Gator about it being a once-in-a-lifetime deal. The teena

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