Willie [ORee] had a good thing. You get to keep that mask on and Im out there for everybody to see. So, I told Grant, jokingly, that I was envious of him. In Tony's second stint in Quebec, he played in 98 games for the team until January 29, 1991 when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Jacques Cloutier. TM: It just made me want to be better. Approaching the All-Star break, McKegney led the club with 26 goals. It's something that most Black players at the time trained themselves to do, even though we shouldn't have needed to. They were there for me for the most part. He says he doesn't watch much anymore. Check out the Black Girl Hockey Club, a non-profit organization that focuses on making hockey more inclusive for Black women, their family, friends and allies. Customize your lineup with your favourite leagues and teams. Complete player biography and stats. The people in our hometown of Sarnia, Ont., were so supportive through sports. Wikifamouspeople has ranked Tony McKegney as of the . Reality doesn't always add up. There was nothing special about the goal. - Improve your search rank Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. Most of his limited NHL experience came with Buffalo; he also had a brief stint with the Philadelphia Flyers and their AHL affiliate. If I could be half the man my father was, Id be doing pretty well, he said. Highlighting Black players throughout Buffalo Sabres history. People weren't used to seeing a Black player succeed on the ice. ago] Height 6.01 -- Weight 200 [185 cm/91 kg] Drafted by Buffalo Sabres - round 2 #32 overall 1978 NHL Amateur Draft Regular Season Playoffs; McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont. Caught off balance, his foot went flying in the air. 'I loved the game, but the game didn't love me': How hockey shaped one of NHL's first black players on and off the ice | CBC News Loaded. Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. Did that ever dissuade you at all from getting into the game? It was my 10th season in the League, and I'd gotten more comfortable over time. I suppressed a lot of things over the years. One of his greatest disappointments is not being included in conversations about the first black NHL hockey players, but he insists he feels no animosity. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The hockey portion and the support from teammates and my parents and other hockey parents all the way along got me through it. Numbers, however, never tell the whole story. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. The focus was just on playing hockey. Akim Aliu hasnt had the same ability to bounce back from his difficult treatment in the game. Im sure it affected me. McKegney left the NHL after 1990-91 with 639 points (320 goals, 319 assists). Editor's note: As part of the NHL celebrating Black History Month throughout February, NHL.com will present first-person essays by some of the game's key Black players and executives. Lightning | Game 61, Sabres Acquire Jordan Greenway, Austin Strand. "It was just time. Id like to make the best of the last couple of years.. It certainly didn't add up when I was moving to St. Louis before the start of the season. In this article, we covered Tony McKegney's net worth, wiki, bio, career, height, weight, pics, family, affairs, car, salary, age, facts, and other details in 2022. Saunders scored twice in his debut, and it quickly became clear to Bassin he should have been playing at a higher level. He was inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame in 1994. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. There have been 93 black players in the NHL. "I could deal with it individually, but to see my son go through it was just overwhelming.". But I had a rink in my backyard, my own playground. McKegney was supposed to play in the WHA for the Birmingham Bulls, but the team illegally voided his deal after fans in Alabama threatened a boycott. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. They're too neat; too objective. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tony McKegney, 1958-02-15 Montral, QC, CAN Canada. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. For more, check out this Q&A with McKegney & Sportsnet: While its we celebrate the historic achievements of Black players throughout Sabres history, its equally important to celebrate the Black players in the NHL today, including several with current or former ties to the Buffalo Sabres organization. Part one focused on diversity and race in hockey, while part two reflected back on their time with the Sabres/Amerks. 20 Sabres Tony Mckegney Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images All News Archival Browse 20 sabres tony mckegney stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Hockey players like Akim Aliu, Mark Fraser, and Matt Dumba are just a few of the guys using their voice in meaningful ways. Its basically black children. The more hockey lives up to those ideals, the better we'll all be. Most recently in the IHL with San Diego Gulls. He has no evidence, he says, but he figures race had something to do with it. Two years ago, when he scored 15 times and had 25 assists, was the only season he scored fewer than 23 goals or compiled fewer than 45 points. Bernie Saunders played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques, but he and others say his career would have been longer if he wasnt black. 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This is especially true for a sport like hockey, where community, respect, and teamwork have always been important values. Saunders, 63, who now lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has since retired and written a book about his life. "I was just this shy, quiet kid in Chteauguay. He learned to fight, to defend himself, but mainly he tried to keep scoring. by And there was a ton of it, ugly stuff. SN: What were the conversations like between you and your brother about the abuse he faced? TM: I had several concussions, so thats not been a good scenario for me. Because you never forget scoring 40 in one year. Subscribe to Stathead Hockey: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Hockey Reference Database. Look, there's a Black player who did what some people said he couldn't. - Connect directly with players, coaches, teams, scouts and agents (optional) It can be difficult to talk about how those views affect you as a person. Stay tuned to Die By the Blade over the course of the month as we continue to highlight Black players in Buffalo Sabres history. I probably should have, and I never did that. "I literally got through the game, went into this closet, and I just cried. Get access to our unique free agency lists and many more premium features. Following his time in Buffalo, he spent two seasons with the Quebec Nordiques, then made stops in Minnesota (North Stars), New York (Rangers), St. Louis and Detroit before finding his way back to Quebec. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals . His NHL career ended with nine games with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1990-91, but he went on to play for the Canadian National Team, overseas in Italy with Varese HC and in the IHL with the San Diego Gulls before hanging up the skates in 1993. That was my first exposure, to have a hockey rink in my backyard. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. I just felt defeated," he said. The second person to achieve (and ultimately surpass) this milestone? TM: Everything. I relied on the support of my teammates who were always there for me. Get all the latest stats, news, videos and more on Tony McKegney Its just something I never envisioned when I was growing up seeing five black hockey players playing in the same game. It's the kind of impact that wins, losses, and point totals can't capture. I went to [Daley] and said, Hey, how are you doing and how are you feeling? I just wanted to reach out and say, Been there, just keep at it. He appeared in 363 regular-season games with Buffalo, putting up 127 goals and adding 141 assists. Still, I'd been thinking about that particular goal mark for a while. 1978 round 2 #32 overall by Buffalo Sabres, OMJHL Right before he went to college, Mike Marson and Bill Riley, the second and third black men in the NHL, made their debuts. Sue maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Daniel Mckegney, Daniel Mckegney, Marilynn Habberfie, Roger Habberfield and Tony Mckegney. Today we look at former NHL forward Tony McKegney. They were playing Ottawa and there were five black players in the game on the two teams combined. I showed up there and I remember sitting on my adoptive mother's knee and looking out the dining . The Nordiques didn't have a farm team that year, so he was sent to play for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, one of the Montreal Canadiens' farm teams. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. They were around five and six years old. Tony McKegney has never won a Stanley Cup as a player. Take control of your EliteProspects profile! Tony currently does periodic work on behalf of the Red Wings Alumni Association and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team. I just had this conversation with one of my former teammates, and he said, We just treated you like one of us brothers.. Then the Buffalo Braves were there, the basketball team. I said, "I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth. SN: Trevor was able to persevere. There were a few other (skaters) that were sort of up and down.. He was told teams were interested in trading for him, but the Nordiques didn't let him go. I was trying to convey something that I think is still true today: Sports can be the common denominator that brings people together. Right before he went to college, Mike Marson and Bill Riley, the second and third black men in the NHL, made their debuts. Join our linker program. As of 2018 Tony McKegney is 59 years years old. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32nd overall), 1978 NHL Amateur. Showing Editorial results for sabres tony mckegney. Tony McKegney (born Anthony Syiid McKegney on February 15, 1958) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, who played in the NHL for 13 seasons from 197879 until 199091. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He scored a goal in that game and got a standing ovation from the crowd. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. It was a personal best for me -- the first and only time I'd join the NHL's 40-goal club. Enter Search Term. But he was reassigned to the minors. But I always wanted to be, and knew I could be, a dominant player. Sabres Memories is presented by BCBSWNY. 32) of the 1978 NHL Draft. He decided to sign as a free agent with the Nordiques because he felt they would give him the best opportunity to play right away plus, he would be reunited with Demers. It appears the Sabres have made a few late deals. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. To see your localized preferences, please enable geolocation services in your browser settings. A year later, the left winger was ready to join the pros. Today, were giving a quick shoutout to former Buffalo Sabres forward Justin Bailey. I'd been chasing that red light since I started playing hockey at 3 years old. Dont forget to read the Q&A we did with several Black players who spent time with the Buffalo Sabres organization. "One of the nicest things I hear from young people is they felt because I was there playing they felt they could be accepted in hockey," McKegney told The Buffalo News in 2017. 1989-1990 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (1) 1987-1988 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (4) 1986-1987 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (1) 1985-1986 Postseason Fight Card NHL (2) 1983-1984 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (1) We didn't recognize that password reset code. I was scared to say a peep in class. "We were so influenced by Hockey Night in Canada," he said, of himself and John. He is a member of famous with the age 63 years old group. It's the number of Black players who have ever scored 40 goals in an NHL season. 2023 Getty Images. I've always considered it a great compliment to play a small part in Jarome's story. Never fully comfortable: Maple Leafs Kerfoot and the trade he dodged, Canucks commit to re-tooling over re-building with Hronek addition, On a career heater, Nugent-Hopkins four-point night helps Oilers ground Jets. TM: I liked all sports. (Born onFebruary 15, 1958) -- Tony McKegney was something of a pioneer in the world of hockey. Tony played for the Buffalo Sabres for 5 years until June 8, 1983 when he was traded to the Quebec Nordiques along with Andre Savard, Jean-Francois Sauve and Buffalo's third-round choice in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Real Cloutier and Quebec's first-round pick in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. We celebrate Willie ORee, the first black player in the NHL, and maybe mention Mike Marson, who was the second, then the conversation shifts all the way to the unprecedented diversity we see in the game today. McKegney vividly recalls the support from his parents - Lowry McKegney, a retired chemist, and Cathy McKegney. Even reporters, players were coming up to me saying, 'What's going on, Bernie?'". He would like for both to be able to remember their father in an NHL uniform. Data Provided By The funny thing is that Im starting to enjoy the game more than I ever have, he said. He played in St. Louis for two years. TM: No, not really. McKegney was selected 32nd overall in 1978 after scoring 92 points with the Kingston Canadians. I remember the reporter asking me about growing up in a town where there were only two Black families among 50,000 people. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. After scoring 36 goals for the Sabres in 1982-83, McKegney was traded to the Quebec Nordiques. Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. A centre, he said the way they clicked on the ice was as though they'd been playing together forever. He went to New Brunswick, feeling discouraged but not ready to give up. Before Jarome was an NHL superstar and represented Canada in three Olympics, he was just like every other Canadian kid playing ball hockey in the school yard -- except he stood out for looking different than the 'typical' hockey player. And my brother was four years older than me and and took a lot more abuse than I did. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. A couple of weeks ago, Ron MacLean from Hockey Night in Canada gave the McKegney family a shout out during the Saturday night broadcast, recognizing McKegney as part of Black History month. He heard the N-word on the ice and from fans in the stands, and opponents always made sure to finish their checks on him. It takes time to grow a sport, he says, and now young black kids have something he didn't: the opportunity to play the game they love with people who look like them, and to see more than one black person playing it at the highest level. It was like, all the emotions from my career, my life: it was too much for me," the elder Saunders said. Height, Weight & Physical Stats: Tony McKegney is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weight 90.7 kilograms. When he was still a toddler, his family moved to the Toronto area. As of this date, Sue is single. But by capitalizing on circumstances known by few, he has become an example for blacks who would aspire to playing in the National Hockey League. Why did you feel like that was necessary? With St. Louis, a team decimated this season by injuries, his presence has been more valued than ever was expected. I tried to, basically, suppress a lot of those feelings back then, and I just buried a lot of things. Jarome Iginla. Do you have a blog? My dad felt he could do something for the amount of kids that were homeless or without parents per se.. He played in Detroit for only 14 games before being traded back to the Quebec Nordiques on December 4, 1989 in exchange for Robert Picard and Greg Adams. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. He says he has moved on. Gambling problem? The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2023. I think his biggest value to our club has been his ability to score, Blues coach Jacques Martin said. He is vaguely aware of the recent push to change hockey culture. "We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". The next season, his agent Art Kaminsky told him that must have meant the Nordiques wanted to keep him, so he went into training camp intent on making an impression. Tony McKegney (front, second from r.) and his Sarnia Bees teammates of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League in 1973. Things just felt right that year. It was wintertime and my dad had floodlights out there. That's where he met Guy Carbonneau, who was in his first full professional season. Bassin knew Saunders was getting racist taunts, but said Saunders always handled it in stride and never let it get to him. Another referee determined he made a kicking motion and gave him a match penalty. I just tried to shut everything else out. Of course, I also thought about the bonus clause in my contract, which promised $15,000 if I happened to score 40 goals (that was a lot of money in those days). It made me angry, made me sad. Not a lot from opposing, players, but more so from fans, that they just couldnt handle the fact that the pure white sport, was being dominated by a black kid and that was me. TM: I knew John because we were teammates, we were roommates, and it seemed out of character for him. (approx 1 - 2 per week). Part of the reason McKegney wants to continue a while longer is because of sons Daniel, 2 1/2 , and Robert, 7 months. Jets on Sportsnet, Marchment, Pavelski end droughts as Stars dominate Avalanche, Cooper on benching Stamkos, Kucherov, Point: 'Weren't giving us the best chance to win', Bertuzzi sets up goal, Bruins stretch winning-streak in win over Rangers, Lightning fall to Sabres, bench Kucherov, Stamkos, Point for third period, {* backButton *} He believes his call up was a reward for his performance in the minors. There weren't many black players in the junior league at the time. It's a big deal that Grant, Willie, and now Jarome have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. An error has occurred while trying to update your details. One was Saunders. But I cherish everything about that goal that found my stick in the last minute of the last game of my 1987-88 season with the St. Louis Blues. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. McKegney spent less than two years with the Nordiques, and had several more stops around the NHL during the next several seasons. "I loved the game, but the game didn't love me.". Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. That is a great start and I am looking forward to rooting for the Black players drafted in the past few years who are going to carry on this legacy. Tony McKegney was born on February 15, 1958. McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. Jarome told me that he felt comfortable at the school yard because he could point to me and say, "Look, Tony McKegney's playing in the NHL.". I was there in the audience watching the games, and I heard the comments that were [made about him]. As a teenager, he played for Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. The sport that Saunders loved so much, the sport he says shaped him into the person he has become, has also broken his heart many times. Fast forward to 1987-88, and my performance in the NHL was helping to prove the stereotypes wrong. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. While in Chteauguay, he played for Jacques Demers, who went on to coach the Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens. Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey League, Bienvenue LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockey, Tervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiin, Vlkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sida, Vtejte na NHL.com, oficilnch strnkch National Hockey League, Vitajte na NHL.com, oficilnych strnkach National Hockey League, Willkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey League, Bienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey League. "I believe if he wasn't a black individual he would have played [more] in the NHL. McKegney was 20, playing junior hockey for Kingston in the Ontario Hockey Association, when the Buffalo Sabres made him their second-round choice in the 1978 draft. So, there was a lot of black athletes in town in Buffalo. NHL Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Saunders says Demers is one of the people who taught him the work ethic and discipline that carried him until he lost his enthusiasm for the game. I ignored that coach, of course. He is not dating anyone. One referee, trying to break up the scuffle, grabbed Jonathan from behind. tony mckegney family https://iccleveland.org/wp-content/themes/icc/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 ICC ICC https://iccleveland.org/wp-content/themes/icc/images . Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. His point production dropped off, but he was still eventually called up to the big club. All rights reserved. That's how good he was.". The year after he graduated, he had offers from a few teams. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Search instead in Creative? So I did the only thing I could do: I focused on perseverance. I just pushed the stereotypes to the background and kept hockey in the forefront. He talked about him, his brother Ian, and his mother who lives in Kincardine. Season Players Videos. I was the second to be adopted, McKegney, a St. Louis Blues forward, said of the white family in Sarnia, Ontario, he became part of before he was 1 year old. McKegney had been expected to sign with Birmingham of the World Hockey Association, but the deal fell through and he was taken by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round (No. Two years ago, when he scored 15 times and had 25 assists, was the only season he scored fewer than 23 goals or compiled fewer than 45 points. He still remembers, almost 50 years later, the smile on Saunders's face when he was told he wasn't going back to his old team. So, we laughed about it later on over a few beers. Youre a great player. I dont have any theory why Tony has played with so many teams. At the same time, he's disappointed that he's been excluded from conversations about the first black players in the NHL. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. NHL 2023.