As Canadian hockey fans held their breath during the final moments of the gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, hopes of another dramatic victory over the United States came to an end. Just 1:41 into overtime, the Americans scored the winning goal, claiming Olympic gold in Milano Cortina, Italy, while Canada settled for silver.
For Huntsville resident Jack McKenzie, the game brought back memories of another Olympic tournament in the very same Italian region—70 years earlier.
John William “Jack” McKenzie, who turns 96 on July 22, captained Canada’s Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The team won its eighth consecutive Olympic ice hockey medal and its first bronze medal.
MacKenzie scored seven goals in the eight games he participated in. In a poll of Olympic hockey officials, he was unanimously named as the best forward of the tournament, despite playing the majority of the matches as a defenceman. He actually played both positions and was sometimes on the ice for most of the period.
“It was certainly a different game when we went to Cortina because it was outdoor ice, and temperatures were very cool. And the ice was very hard—easy skating. Oh, you could skate all day,” recalls MacKenzie
Skating on open ice was the lure that drew him forward in his love for hockey. “I grew up in the prairies (in Brandon, Manitoba). And in Brandon, that was one of the only things to do— skate,” he says matter-of-factly. Living close to the ice rink, he would often sneak onto the “fresh” ice, late at night, just to enjoy the elation of the speed that new ice allows.
With his exceptional skill as a skater, Jack was recruited to the Toronto Marlboros in 1949, after two years with the Brandon Wheat Kings. He was transferred to their senior team as an added skill in their quest to win the Allan Cup — one of the oldest and most revered trophies in the sport of amateur hockey. MacKenzie won three Allan Cups with the Marlboros.
After university, MacKenzie decided to become a high school teacher, but continued to play amateur hockey. He moved to Kitchener-Waterloo, joining the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen in 1952. “They had a gorgeous rink in Kitchener. That’s the reason I went to Kitchener because it had a nice big ice surface,” MacKenzie adds, recalling the ice surface and the size of the rink as the lure. He played amateur hockey and taught from 1952 to 1957, earning himself another two Allan Cups. Those wins led to an invitation to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1956 Winter Olympics as the team’s captain, a position earned primarily for his actions as a quiet example of true Canadian athleticism.
Olympic hockey was measurably different in 1956. One major difference MacKenzie noted was the fans. “I can remember all the boos that we got whenever there was a contact and the other guy fell down. Anytime anybody fell down, the Europeans would… cry for a penalty even if he tripped on his own stick. But European hockey fans were not nearly as knowledgeable as Canadians; I mean, in Canada, we allow a certain amount of contact. Players wore toques, not helmets, and with an outdoor arena, the ice was very fast. But sadly, for MacKenzie, the event was somewhat discouraging: “I can recall the disappointment of the medal presentation, when Canadian teams always won. We didn’t win. And so, we were on the stand to accept a bronze medal, which was well below our expectations.”
When MacKenzie returned to Canada from the Olympics, his first child, a daughter, Sharon, was born. He joined the Whitby Dunlops of the Eastern Ontario Hockey League in 1957. As a member of the Dunlops, who were sent to represent Canada at the 1958 World Ice Hockey Championships in Oslo, Norway, MacKenzie won a gold medal as Canada won the World Championship for the 17th time. Canada beat the Soviet Union four to two, with a perfect 7-0 record.
In an astounding turn of events, Mackenzie was contacted by a Swedish photographer, Tomas Larson, who was captivated by his playing style and had several photographs from the 1958 championships. Mackenzie’s hockey career garnered him much attention, but the photos and subsequent long-distance Zoom meeting with Mr. Larson have a special place in MacKenzie’s memory of a ten-year career playing amateur hockey.
MacKenzie was also a high school teacher in Ontario for many years. He taught physical education, math, and English in Sudbury, then moved to Huntsville and became vice-principal at Huntsville High School in 1967. After a knee injury, he hung up his skates for good.
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I believe Jack was the forebearer of the Canadian “elbows up” tradition. Even though they won the gold medal, I’m sure a number of Russians got a taste of Jack’s elbows in that game. OBill Colvin was a teammate of Jack’s on that 1956 Canadian Olympic team,
It’s wonderful to see Jack McKenzie’s story preserved. To many of us in Huntsville, he wasn’t first an Olympian or world champion. He was our vice principal at Huntsville High School. Long before I knew about his remarkable hockey career, I knew him simply as a quiet, respected leader who treated students with dignity, led by example, and earned the respect of students and staff alike.
Only later did many of us learn just how extraordinary his hockey career had been. Some people leave a legacy through trophies. Others leave it through the lives they touch. Mr. McKenzie managed to do both. Thank you, Douglas McLean, for preserving an important piece of Huntsville’s history while we still have the privilege of hearing it from the man himself.
Happy 96th Birthday, Mr. McKenzie! You are looking good!
P.S. I couldn’t help but notice your little Pomeranian best pal by your side. It somehow seems fitting to me. Kudos.
What a wonderful story and tribute to a great Canadian hockey player!
As former Captain of Team Canada 80+ and having been on the Team for 3 Championships at the Canada Cup/Coupe 150, I would love to have Jack be par of
Team in an honourary position!
The Cup is being played at the Canada Summit Centre November 3-6, 2026. Canada leads the Series 4-3.
David Mallette 🏒🇨🇦
Jack was also part of an Olympic postcard writing campaign that I organized at HPS to bring the Olympic Torch to Huntsville in 210. Along with Jack writing on the special post cards were Olympic Coach Doug Leigh, Olympian Dan Roycroft and I believe Robert Tebby. Jack and his late wife were regular volunteers that helped run the breakfast club at HPS. Good community minded people with good hearts.