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I remember the dedication that my parents put into it when we were younger, driving us to rinks at 7 in the morning, he said. We had a hockey rink, actually, in our back yard that my parents made each year.. In fact, I didn't play against another Black hockey player for nearly 18 years -- when Ray Neufeld, Grant Fuhr, and I were all active in the League. Tony McKegney had 639 points over his career. I take my hat off to Grant. 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. There have been 93 black players in the NHL. I didnt talk to many people about it. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. More Tony McKegney videos. 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Buffalo Sabres Schedule, Roster, News, and Rumors | Die By The Blade, Celebrating Black History Month: Tony McKegney, Game Thread: Sabres vs. And obviously we watched the games, the Leafs and the Red Wings on TV back in the six-team league. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. Drafted 1974, 1 #2 overall by Kingston Canadians in the OHL Priority Selection, Cult/Star player for Kingston Frontenacs. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. It's the number of Black players who have ever scored 40 goals in an NHL season. I wanted to be as good as my brothers. And I still struggle with that to this day, with the trauma that I faced and went through. Complete player biography and stats. "We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". 'We've taken one step forward and two back': Willie O'Ree on fighting racism in sports, This rural Ontario black hockey line broke barriers producing generations of star players, Being Black in Canada: Highlighting the Black experience, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Tony McKegney was bom in Montreal, Quebec, in February of 1958 to a Nigerian father and Canadian mother. Buffalo looks to bounce back with a clean slate against another tough team. When Saunderswas still a teenager, the family moved back to Quebec, to Chteauguay a town on Montreal's South Shore with a strong hockey tradition. Amateur Teams: Kingston Canadians. But while Saunders was playing the role of helping others, he believes the Habs didn't really have any incentive to help him, since the team had its own players to develop. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. McKegney scored 31 goals in 1986-87, 29 of them after being traded to the New York Rangers. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. He would like for both to be able to remember their father in an NHL uniform. McKegney vividly recalls the support from his parents - Lowry McKegney, a retired chemist, and Cathy McKegney. Your existing password has not been changed. by He would play 23 games with the San Diego Gulls in 1992-93 before retiring. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. I know there werent very many [black players]. I feel that I had a pretty good upbringing. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. McKegney, a Montreal native who was raised in Sarnia by his adoptive family, was drafted by the Sabres with the 32nd overall pick in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. He was following in the footsteps of his older brother Ian, who had been a star with the Sarnia Legionnaires before moving on to the pros. Tony McKegney's birthday is on 15-Feb-1958 and was born on Saturday. But I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth. Buy his book. In fact, I think their parents were thinking about saying, Look, why dont you just go play soccer, because it was so bad as far as the remarks. McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. 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. 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. I remember starting the season with 10 goals in the first 15 games and getting a lot of ice time. 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. Back in 1988, I'm not sure if I realized what it really meant. (Tony) McKegney will need to be working on his paddle stroke or riding as a passenger. I said, "I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth. Sorry we could not verify that email address. 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. You have permission to edit this article. There is one number, though, that says a lot about the season I had in 1987-88. It was my 10th season in the League, and I'd gotten more comfortable over time. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. He talked about him, his brother Ian, and his mother who lives in Kincardine. TM: I had several concussions, so thats not been a good scenario for me. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. Until we get rinks in the inner (American) cities, I dont think thats going to change.. 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. He jumped to the AHLs Hershey Bears and then the Sabres, making his NHL debut in the 1978-79 season. We use cookies to improve your experience. "It was just time. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. It's not the 40 goals I scored. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. They were around five and six years old. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Enter your email below and we'll send you another email. 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. 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. Relatives: Brother Ian McKegney. If my career took some pressure off of him, or anyone who looks like us, I'm very proud of that. INDIANAPOLIS Along with the change in defensive coordinator with Leslie Frazier deciding to "take a step back," Bills General Manager Brando, The Buffalo Sabres' mostly injury-free season at forward took a decidedly darker turn Saturday night when the club placed top-line right winge, Frazier, who turns 64 in April, plans to return to coaching in 2024, the Bills said. 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. Lightning. Position: LW Shoots: Left. He has no evidence, he says, but he figures race had something to do with it. "I could deal with it individually, but to see my son go through it was just overwhelming.". Reality doesn't always add up. I ignored that coach, of course. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. So, I reached out. He was a 4x 30-goal scorer and set career highs in 1988 with 40 . 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. He says he doesn't watch much anymore. Part one focused on diversity and race in hockey, while part two reflected back on their time with the Sabres/Amerks. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. . Important: An official team/league url or a team document must be provided for us to update player stats. But I always wanted to be, and knew I could be, a dominant player. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. Born: February 15,1958 inMontreal,Quebec ca, Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32ndoverall), 1978NHLAmateur. One referee, trying to break up the scuffle, grabbed Jonathan from behind. Previously, in the early '80s, one of my team's assistant coaches advised me to start dating a Black woman instead of Sue for similarly ignorant and bigoted reasons. Jarrett won the scoring title and says he couldn't have done it without Saunders at his side. He learned to fight, to defend himself, but mainly he tried to keep scoring. After playing in 64 games for the Rangers, Tony was traded to the St. Louis Blues on May 28, 1987 along with Rob Whistle in exchange for Bruce Bell and future considerations. One house seemed perfect for me and my wife, Sue. When I started in the league, I never would have guessed. You get one kick at the can, as they say, in life. SN: How has it impacted you as youve moved on from the game? Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. There were three future Hall of Famers who made us all better. Today we look at former NHL forward Tony McKegney. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Tony McKegney There hadnt been many blacks in the NHL when he arrived, but hopefully his talent made quite a few people color-blind. Playing hockey at a high level is difficult enough without navigating the pressures of racism in society or figuring out how to respond to the supposed "fan" with a sign that says, "McKegney, grab a basketball" behind the Zamboni entrance. One of his teammates even offered to rent his apartment to Saunders, thinking he would need one since he'd be there long term. Wikifamouspeople has ranked Tony McKegney as of the . Audience Relations, CBC P.O. He jumped to the AHL's Hershey. I've always been a player that plays on enthusiasm, and I was just losing my zest for the game.". "I could not imagine [why] this guy wasn't given a better opportunity," Bassin said. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. When I came along, obviously there were comments made, but I was so focused on what was happening on the ice. Willie [ORee] had a good thing. Saunders said at the time, O'Ree was more of a mythical figure than anything else. Hockey made me gave me all the confidence in the world.". It can be difficult to talk about how those views affect you as a person. There weren't many black players in the junior league at the time. Right before he went to college, Mike Marson and Bill Riley, the second and third black men in the NHL, made their debuts. This is especially true for a sport like hockey, where community, respect, and teamwork have always been important values. Saunders was a shy, quiet kid with a remarkable work ethic, Bassin recalls. Tony McKegney had 320 goals over his career. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. The funny thing is that Im starting to enjoy the game more than I ever have, he said. But on the. Born 1958-02-15 in Montral, Quebec. His father eventually returned to Nigeria, and when Tony was a year old, he was adopted by the McKegneys, a white couple that lived in Sarnia, Ontario. Sign up for Stathead Hockey - first month free. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Things just felt right that year. I was trying to convey something that I think is still true today: Sports can be the common denominator that brings people together. McKegney scored 37 goals in 1980-81. 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. I pride myself in being maybe the first black player to play consistently in the league, McKegney said. That year, he also played against a team from Birmingham, Ala. His first game there, team executives told him he might be shot, so he went into the arena with extra protection. I feel for them all and support them unequivocally. I remember the reporter asking me about growing up in a town where there were only two Black families among 50,000 people. Today, Tony McKegney, the first Black player to score 40 goals in an NHL season, tells his story of overcoming racial bias and serving as inspiration for Jarome Iginla, the only other Black player to hit the 40-goal milestone. 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. How does that make you feel? Tony McKegney is an Ice Hockey Player who was born on February 15, 1958 in Canada. The focus was just on playing hockey. "Tony McKegney showed me it was possible for someone like me to play in the NHL," future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla said in author Cecil Harris' book, "Breaking The Ice, The Black Experience in Professional Hockey." "He set the example. During my career, I know I tried my hardest not to think about them at all. A year later, the left winger was ready to join the pros. I wanted to be the best, that was a driving force. 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. The Buffalo native was drafted by the Sabres 52nd overall in 2013 and began his pro career with the Sabres and Amerks. Economics and demographics - there are far fewer blacks in his native Canada than in the United States - still keep blacks from following him to the pro ranks. He is a member of famous with the age 63 years old group. Year By Year Fight Totals. Unlimited access for the whole family until Feb 21. Hes won Stanley Cups.. Brent Jarrett played with him in Kalamazoo, Mich.,that season. Fast forward to 1987-88, and my performance in the NHL was helping to prove the stereotypes wrong. When you and your teammates compete together, practice together, eat together, and grow up together, you start to see people for who they are. Sue maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Daniel Mckegney, Daniel Mckegney, Marilynn Habberfie, Roger Habberfield and Tony Mckegney. "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. SN: If you had a chance to talk to the young African-Canadian and African-American kids coming into the game, what would you tell them that you wish youd known? Sabres Memories is presented by BCBSWNY. He is 64 years old. He signed with the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association, but that news generated a great deal of hate mail, etc., in the South. SN: When you got to the league was it a lonely existence for you? Then he was dealt to the Nordiques in a massive swap involving Quebecs Real Cloutier. Saunders decided that was it. by Tony McKegney is a well known Ice Hockey. He says he has moved on. 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. And the NHL has done a great job with helping. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to your inbox! BIOGRAPHY. My dad felt he could do something for the amount of kids that were homeless or without parents per se.. During his first stint in Quebec, he played for the team until December 14, 1984 when he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars along with Bo Berglund in exchange for Brad Maxwell and Brent Ashton. Caught off balance, his foot went flying in the air. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Go beyond the basics. Saunders was part of a wave of black players who debuted after Willie O'Ree became the first black player in the National Hockey League in 1958. At the age of 20, Tony signed a contract with the now defunct World Hockey Associations (WHA) team in Birmingham, Alabama only to see the owner illegally renege on the deal after fans threatened to boycott the team for having added a black player to its roster. {* traditionalSignIn_signInButton *}, Comment and participate in our online community. TM: I just would tell them to persevere. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. Oilers' Mike Green out three to four weeks with knee injury, Islanders re-assign Josh Ho-Sang to Blues' AHL affiliate. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tony McKegney, 1958-02-15 Montral, QC, CAN Canada. He went to New Brunswick, feeling discouraged but not ready to give up. NHL Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Since then, he has played for five NHL teams - Buffalo, Quebec, Minnesota, New York and St. Louis - scoring a career-high 37 goals in 1980-81. "I think for us growing and trying to make it into the NHL, guys like [Bernie], who help you and calm you at the right time, it was huge.". TM: He brought up a lot of memories for me, ugly memories. SN: What were the conversations like with your parents about it? NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. 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. Subscribe: bit.ly/3925J0FVisit Sabres.com for moreFollow: twitter.com/BuffaloSabresLike: facebook.com/buffalosabresF. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. I always said that the game is tough enough as it is just trying to survive and make it outside of having that stuff on the sidelines. Bassin knew Saunders was getting racist taunts, but said Saunders always handled it in stride and never let it get to him. - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) (approx 1 - 2 per week). This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney. Well give you the latest news when it becomes available, or feel free to add some more selections to My Favourites. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Saunders was born in Montreal in 1956. Pioneers like Willie O'Ree, Angela James and Grant Fuhr will be featured. He was told teams were interested in trading for him, but the Nordiques didn't let him go. I've always considered it a great compliment to play a small part in Jarome's story. Saunders spent most of his career thinking he was the only black player out there. I just pushed the stereotypes to the background and kept hockey in the forefront. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Comments are welcome while open. But he was reassigned to the minors. - Connect directly with players, coaches, teams, scouts and agents (optional) By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Bernie Saunders played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques, but he and others say his career would have been longer if he wasnt black. I suppressed a lot of things over the years. McKegney left the NHL after 1990-91 with 639 points (320 goals, 319 assists). It's the kind of impact that wins, losses, and point totals can't capture. After scoring eight goals in 52 games as a rookie in 1978-79, he scored 23 in his second NHL season 37 in 1980-81. Customize your lineup with your favourite leagues and teams. Approaching the All-Star break, McKegney led the club with 26 goals. As a teenager, he played for Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. Saunders, a right-winger, played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques in 1979-80 and 1980-81. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. By midseason, people started to notice. He retired from the NHL in 1991 with 320 goals and 639 points. Take control of your EliteProspects profile! Height, Weight & Physical Stats: Tony McKegney is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weight 90.7 kilograms. I'm certainly proud to have been one of the first consistent Black players in the NHL. When the last road trip started, I thought about how meaningful it would be to end the season with a goal total that was a round number. And I said to myself, Geez, this is great. It was awesome to see these guys and theyre all good players. "I literally got through the game, went into this closet, and I just cried. 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. Halls contract with the Bills had expired, although left unanswered is whether the team made an effort to retain him or Hall simply was rea. "I was just this shy, quiet kid in Chteauguay. And the support I got from teammates just carried me through some difficult situations. Do you have a blog? McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont. Its a very expensive sport, and its more of a suburbia sport, McKegney said. Saunders says he is happy and has had a good life, thanks in large part to the sport that broke his heart. 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. SN: What were the conversations like between you and your brother about the abuse he faced? His point production dropped off, but he was still eventually called up to the big club. Coming into the next season, he thought he was a shoo-in to make the team. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. Part of the reason McKegney wants to continue a while longer is because of sons Daniel, 2 1/2 , and Robert, 7 months. People weren't used to seeing a Black player succeed on the ice. He believes his call up was a reward for his performance in the minors. He played in St. Louis for two years. TM: No, not really. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. All Rights Reserved. It was like, all the emotions from my career, my life: it was too much for me," the elder Saunders said. And my teammates treated me like I was not any different than anybody. TM: I remember mentioning to Grant Fuhr, it mightve been an All-Star Game or something, I said, Youre lucky. TM: Its wonderful. The next day, the other team's coach called to apologize for what had happened, which Saunders found promising a sign that things were changing, albeit slowly. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! At age 5, I started playing organized hockey. I probably should have, and I never did that. The McKegney brothers (l-r), Mike, Tony, Ian and friends on their backyard rink in Sarnia, Ontario in 1962. Who was the first Black player to top 40 goals in an NHL season? Hockey-Reference utilizes Official NHL data for current NHL seasons. Brother: Ian McKegney Tony was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. * Some data is missing to provide a correct summary. I think his biggest value to our club has been his ability to score, Blues coach Jacques Martin said. Of his 13 years in the NHL, he spent the most time with the Sabres. 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. It appears the Sabres have made a few late deals. Youre going to do well in the NHL. I just praised him, knowing that he was a great player and he was going to play in the NHL for a long time. Im sure it affected me. So, there was a lot of black athletes in town in Buffalo. SN: When you were playing hockey as youngster, there werent many black faces for you to see when you watched NHL games on Saturday nights. He stayed through 1983 and was a regular almost all of the time. Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday that former Buffalo Sabres winger Tony McKegney was arraigned before a Buffalo City Court Judge back on. Theres another occasion where Ray Neufeld and I got into a scuffle. I just had this conversation with one of my former teammates, and he said, We just treated you like one of us brothers.. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. But hockey was a window of opportunity because we saw people from our area making it. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. After playing for Pickering, Saunders got a full scholarship to Western Michigan University and played there for four years. 2023 Getty Images. Because you never forget scoring 40 in one year. And that was the Buffalo Sabres. Will the Sabres make some moves today to improve their post-season chances? We only use official stats. I don't talk much about the taunts and racial slurs I faced in youth and minor hockey. He was following in the footsteps of his older brother Ian, who had been a star with the Sarnia Legionnaires before moving on to the pros.

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