The meeting ended, the phone rang, and by five o’clock that night, Landon Mackie was already on a ferry.
That is how fast life changed for the Langford-raised forward.
On Jan. 22, the Victoria Grizzlies traded their captain to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in exchange for 20-year-old forward Maddux Martin.
Two weeks later, the move is working on the ice for both teams.
Off it, Mackie is still processing what it meant to leave home for the first time.
“I kind of had an idea a couple days leading up,” Mackie told the Goldstream Gazette. “It was a mutual decision for the team and I.”
“That morning, I met with the coaches, went over the plan, and then it happened really fast. I got a call from Salmon Arm’s head coach and general manager (Tyler Shattock), and I was on a ferry at five o’clock that night.”
The speed of the trade left little time to reflect. What lingered were the goodbyes.
“As a leader, that was the hardest part,” Mackie said. “Saying goodbye to people who had invested so much into me over three years. They’re my brothers… that was tough.”
Mackie was more than just another player moved before the deadline.
Over four seasons in black and gold, Mackie played 133 games, scoring 29 goals, and 40 assists.
Grizzlies head coach and general manager Geoff Grimwood said moving on from him was not taken lightly.
“Landon has been a big part of our program for the last three plus years,” Grimwood said. “Coming in as an affiliated player, earning an NCAA Division 1 scholarship, and becoming our captain speaks to his commitment and dedication. Collectively, we came to a decision where Landon would benefit from a fresh start in Salmon Arm.”
That fresh start was something Mackie felt he needed, even if it meant leaving the comfort of home.
“I’ve been living at home and playing hockey at home for 19 years,” he said. “That’s been amazing, and I’ve been really fortunate. But I think it was important for me to get a new perspective. Living on my own, seeing something different. I think it’s going to help me going to college next year. It was time for something new.”
For the first time in his junior career, Mackie is living with a billet family, sharing a home with teammate Luca DeCubbelis.
“They’ve been unbelievable,” he said. “Their entire family have been so welcoming. It’s such a privilege. I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better situation.”
On the ice, Mackie has had to reintroduce himself.
No captain’s ‘C’. No hometown expectations. Just a new role with a group that didn’t know him before.
“There’s definitely some proving myself again,” he said. “New systems, new teammates, people that don’t really know me yet. But the guys I’m playing with have been great, and the pace here is fast. It’s been good to put my foot in the door and just work.”
The results have followed.
Mackie recorded four goals and two assists in his first four games with Salmon Arm, while Martin has responded with three goals and an assist in five games for Victoria.
Both players were born and raised in the communities they played junior hockey in, making the swap an unusual one for the league.
Salmon Arm’s fan base has helped ease the transition.
“It’s been unreal,” Mackie said. “The crowd is loud, they’re welcoming, and you feel the support right away. Even around town, you walk into a restaurant and people recognize you. That community aspect has been awesome.”
“I was out for lunch at Hungry Panda one of my first days after being traded,” Mackie recalled. “I walked in, placed my order, and they said, ‘Hey, you’re the new guy. What can we get you?’ That was pretty cool. They really embrace the team, and knowing how hard it was to leave the Grizzlies, it meant a lot to be welcomed like that.”
Despite the excitement of a new chapter, Mackie said his time in Victoria will always stay with him.
“I’m so appreciative of my time there,” he said. “The staff – especially David (Michaud) and Geoff (Grimwood) – everyone who invested so much into me over my three years. It really won’t ever be a place I forget.”
And for the Grizzlies fans who watched a Langford kid grow into a captain, his message remains simple.
“Thank you for watching me grow as a player and as a person,” Mackie said. “For always being by my side. I couldn’t have asked for a better community to start my junior hockey career.”
Mackie is committed to Stonehill University for 2026-27.
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