Mackey has been a real bright spot for the Flames to this point, appearing in three preseason games and munching big minutes against top players. The 26-year-old - who's entering his third pro camp after three years at Minnesota State - has done everything asked of him in his pursuit of a full-time spot on the Flames blueline. That includes Friday's pulsating workload of 21-plus minutes, with nearly half coming against the NHL's reigning Art Ross champ and two-time 50-goal scorer Leon Draisaitl.
Mackey defended them well in all situations, including on the penalty-kill, where the Oilers went oh-fer on three opportunities.
But the prevailing image - for this reporter, at least - was the bounty of rush attempts that were casually snuffed out by the stoic rearguard. McDavid, showcasing his unmistakeable and outlandish top-end speed, would gather velocity in the neutral zone, cut across the blueline and look to make a fool of the defenceman with a series of head fakes, crossovers and lively stick work.
But Mackey never bit.
"We saw a lot of each other," he laughed. "Honestly, I just tried to keep a good gap on him. He's pretty shifty and tried to go between my stick and my legs a few times. Really, you have to keep your eyes on the body and stay with him without getting caught watching the puck too closely. I think I did well against that line. I played a lot against him, and then Draisaitl on the other line. It was a great test for myself.
"They're arguably the two best players in the world, so I definitely gained some confidence coming out of that game."
You know what they say: Confidence is king.
"It's everything in this game," Mackey says, "and it comes and goes fast.
"Right now, I feel I've taken advantage of my opportunities after making some pretty big strides last year."
Mackey had a strong year in Stockton, scoring 36 points (5G, 31A) in 53 regular-season games with the Heat, before adding another four points (1G, 3A) in seven playoff games. He was recalled to Calgary late in the season, playing three games (and recording an assist), and was around the Flames throughout the first and second rounds of the playoffs.
"Last year was big for me," said Mackey, who would have to pass through waivers if we were sent to the minors. "We had a really good team in Stockton and being up here for the playoffs, too, and getting a few games at the end of the year was nice. Overall, it was a special year. I'm thankful for the other D we had. We had some veteran D down in Stockton that helped me a lot and really showed me the way."
"Obviously, going into the summer, I had a lot of confidence and I trained hard, and feel I came to camp ready to put my best foot forward."
With all that experience and personal growth under his belt, it's less about 'making' the team out of camp as it is being a difference-maker.
Like he was the other night.
Certainly, the Flames have a lot of bodies on the backend, making the task just that much harder. Even after 15 players were assigned to the AHL's Calgary Wranglers on Sunday, 10 defencemen were sharing the ice, rotating through drills in the Flames' first practice with what more closely resembles an opening-night lineup.
Mackey wants nothing more to be a part of that 23-man squad that will be announced after Thanksgiving.
But not as a 'seven' or 'eight,' and snacking on popcorn 80 feet about the freeze at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
He feels he's ready for primetime.
"I want to help this team win hockey games," Mackey said. "I feel like I'm ready to take that step and that's what I'm trying to do here."
