Hockey star Nathan MacKinnon turned down a chance to play for the Quebec League's, Baie-Comeau Drakkar last summer and was subsequently traded to the Halifax Mooseheads.

Last week, MacKinnon played in Baie-Comeau for the first time as a Moosehead and the fans let him have it.

The 16-year-old knew when he said "thanks, but no thanks" to the Drakkar that this day would come, but the crowd took it further than he had anticipated.

"I've gotten booed, but never had things thrown at me," says MacKinnon.

When the Mooseheads faced off against the Drakkar, MacKinnon got ripped all night by fans who were livid that the hockey player had spurned the team and the city,

"It was definitely a fun game for sure," recalls Mackinnon. "I don't let the fans bother me too much."

MacKinnon arrived back home in Cole Harbour Monday, still somewhat amused by all the fuss. The teen has taken abuse before - it goes with the territory of being a star hockey player - but it is not everyday that fans dress up in diapers and call you a baby.

"That was funny," laughs MacKinnon. "I saw them in the warm-up. The guys were laughing at me. They call me McChicken now."

In the world of hockey players refusing to play for teams is nothing new. In 1991, Eric Lindros took a pass on the Quebec Nordiques and his reputation in the province never recovered. According to his former coach Jon Greenwood, neither will MacKinnon's, at least in Baie-Comeau.

Greenwood says the fans don't have to respect his decision not to play there, but that is separate from how he plays the game.

"People have to respect the way he plays," says Greenwood.

Amidst all the "boos," MacKinnon gave his team something to cheer about as he scored the lone goal for the Mooseheads in a 2-1 shootout loss.

"I knew he would score," says Greenwood. "He's such a self-motivated athlete. That little bit of extra he gets drive him to the next level."

The same drive has propelled the rookie to early junior success. With 65 points in 46 games in his rookie season, although not appreciated in Baie-Comeau, MacKinnon has had the kind of success many hockey fans expected.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Paul Hollingsworth