I relied on the support of my teammates who were always there for me. To me, there is no better example of such a player than Tony McKegney, who played 13 seasons in the NHL and was the first star of colour. It was my 10th season in the League, and I'd gotten more comfortable over time. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. SN: Given what you went through in your career, does it make it tougher to hear stories of the abuse faced by players who came after you? 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; Tony McKegney was born in Montreal, Canada. I loved basketball, football, baseball, golf. Tony McKegney. They were there for me for the most part. He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. While in Chteauguay, he played for Jacques Demers, who went on to coach the Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens. But Jarrett believes Saunders deserved to be there. Transaction information may be incomplete. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. "I could not imagine [why] this guy wasn't given a better opportunity," Bassin said. I think his biggest value to our club has been his ability to score, Blues coach Jacques Martin said. One was Saunders. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Want to more about Him? Even now, when I tell the story of the 1987-1988 season, I use a lot of numbers to explain why the season turned out so special. I just felt defeated," he said. ST. LOUIS (AP) _ If not for an early twist of fate, Tony McKegney would probably not be plying his talents in a sport that is essentially all white. Your existing password has not been changed. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Customize your Sportsnet lineup for the latest news from your favourite leagues and teams. He went to New Brunswick, feeling discouraged but not ready to give up. Continue reading to discover who is Tony McKegney. 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. NHL Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Saunders said at the time, O'Ree was more of a mythical figure than anything else. Saunders, 63, who now lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has since retired and written a book about his life. The year after he graduated, he had offers from a few teams. 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. Instead, he was drafted 32nd-overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 1978 and went on to score over 320 goals. He was told teams were interested in trading for him, but the Nordiques didn't let him go. He was coaching the Pickering Panthers, a Junior B team, when he suspended four players for breaking a rule and got four replacements from a lower-level team. Some may find that number low. As a teenager he played Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. Akim Aliu hasnt had the same ability to bounce back from his difficult treatment in the game. Tony McKegney Makes His Mark in the NHL | AP News He would like for both to be able to remember their father in an NHL uniform. He continued to score despite playing no more than three seasons with the same team for the rest of his career. "They always came up with their hardest stuff, their elbows and what-not, and tried to punish me.". Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. Even reporters, players were coming up to me saying, 'What's going on, Bernie?'". Tony McKegney - QuantHockey 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. Sign up for EP Premium and verify your profile to access these benefits. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. There hadnt been many blacks in the NHL when he arrived, but hopefully his talent made quite a few people color-blind. Stay tuned to Die By the Blade over the course of the month as we continue to highlight Black players in Buffalo Sabres history. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. By midseason, people started to notice. There was nothing special about the goal. TM: I just would tell them to persevere. And between the benches, one of the guys said it would be termed as a black-on-black crime. I tried to, basically, suppress a lot of those feelings back then, and I just buried a lot of things. He was released on his own recognizance by City Court. His first encounter with racism happened while he was playing junior hockey after his family moved to Ajax, Ont., during his senior year of high school. Oilers' Mike Green out three to four weeks with knee injury, Islanders re-assign Josh Ho-Sang to Blues' AHL affiliate. The hockey portion and the support from teammates and my parents and other hockey parents all the way along got me through it. Tony McKegney has not been elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame. With St. Louis, a team decimated this season by injuries, his presence has been more valued than ever was expected. He was the fifth black man to play in the league. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. McKegney scored 37 goals in 1980-81. 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. All Rights Reserved. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). I remember I was tired when a shot from the point came my way. * Some data is missing to provide a correct summary. I've always been a player that plays on enthusiasm, and I was just losing my zest for the game.". Most of his limited NHL experience came with Buffalo; he also had a brief stint with the Philadelphia Flyers and their AHL affiliate. I ignored that coach, of course. The Buffalo Sabres recently unveiled a partnership with local artist Edreys Wajed in honor of Black History Month. My parents had three children of their own, and they adopted three children, he said. Looking back on his incredible career and contribution, McKegney shared with me the pleasure, pain and purpose hockey brought to his life. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. Buffalo was very interesting because we hung around with the football players. His best season came with the St. Louis Blues in 1987-88, when he had NHL career highs of 40 goals and 78 points. Complete player biography and stats. Tony McKegney had 639 points over his career. With a Premium subscription, you'll get access to over 30 tools, features and benefits. But the homeowner's and the coach's comments were unwelcomed reminders that people were constantly viewing me through the lens of my race -- even when I just wanted to be a home renter, or a hockey player. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Do you have a blog? 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. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. He retired from the NHL in 1991 with 320 goals and 639 points. The key is for him to keep working.. Tony McKegney's birthday is on 15-Feb-1958 and was born on Saturday. He scored a goal in that game and got a standing ovation from the crowd. Lightning. While in Minnesota, Tony played for the organization for 3 years until November 13, 1986 when he was traded to the New York Rangers along with Curt Giles and Minnesota's second-round pick in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Bob Brooke and Minnesota's fourth-round choice in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. If I could be half the man my father was, Id be doing pretty well, he said. I just pushed the stereotypes to the background and kept hockey in the forefront. There were a few other (skaters) that were sort of up and down.. But hockey was a window of opportunity because we saw people from our area making it. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. And that was the Buffalo Sabres. "Everything Bernie Saunders has, he earned, in spite of [whether] there's been prejudice along the way.". In February 1988, I was interviewed for an article called "Tony McKegney Makes His Mark in the NHL," where I talked about how the season was going and importance of role models. Get all the latest stats, news, videos and more on Tony McKegney 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. So that support carried over all the negative stuff that happened. When I came along, obviously there were comments made, but I was so focused on what was happening on the ice. 82 Tony Mckegney Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Keep reading with unlimited digital access. He says he has moved on. Tony McKegney Goal vs. Toronto 12/13/80 - YouTube 0:00 / 0:44 Tony McKegney Goal vs. Toronto 12/13/80 Disengage 1.53K subscribers Subscribe 947 views 8 years ago Tony McKegney ties the game. He learned to fight, to defend himself, but mainly he tried to keep scoring. One house seemed perfect for me and my wife, Sue. Tony McKegney - Net Worth February 2023, Salary, Age, Siblings, Bio Drafted 1974, 1 #2 overall by Kingston Canadians in the OHL Priority Selection, Cult/Star player for Kingston Frontenacs. Lightning | Game 61, Sabres Acquire Jordan Greenway, Austin Strand. 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. Former NHL star sent to jail | The Kingston Whig Standard Clearly, Jarome recognized that the 'typical' hockey player could be anyone who loves the game and plays it well. "It was just time. 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. Join our linker program. Part one focused on diversity and race in hockey, while part two reflected back on their time with the Sabres/Amerks. Tony McKegney is 64 years old today because Tony's birthday is on 02/15/1958.Tony McKegney currently lives in East Amherst, NY; in the past Tony has also lived in Saint Louis MO, Detroit MI and Buffalo NY.Tony also answers to Tony S Mckegney, Anthony S Mckegney and Anthony F Mckegney, and perhaps a couple of other names. TM: No, not really. But it wasn't to be. Tony McKegneny (c.) with his sons, Dan (l.), and Robert. (OHL). That's where he met Guy Carbonneau, who was in his first full professional season. Who was the first Black player to top 40 goals in an NHL season? All rights reserved. Its basically black children. When he left, he was the all-time leading scorer. One of his teammates even offered to rent his apartment to Saunders, thinking he would need one since he'd be there long term. Carbonneau, a Hall of Famer who played and coached for the Canadiens and now works as an analyst, remembers Saunders as an honest player and hard worker someone who could do pretty much anything on the ice and served as a veteran presence on the team. There have been 93 black players in the NHL. Im sure it affected me. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tony McKegney, 1958-02-15 Montral, QC, CAN Canada. McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. My dad felt he could do something for the amount of kids that were homeless or without parents per se.. After playing for Pickering, Saunders got a full scholarship to Western Michigan University and played there for four years. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Why did you feel like that was necessary? However, the Bills' statement does not specify that Frazi. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. [RELATED: Black History Month coverage |Hockey Is For Everyone coverage]. of 1 You may have created an account with another Rogers Media account that can be used to sign in here. Position: LW Shoots: Left. However, the team now had a new farm team, the Fredericton Express, and the organization wanted Saunders to play there. Subscribe: bit.ly/3925J0FVisit Sabres.com for moreFollow: twitter.com/BuffaloSabresLike: facebook.com/buffalosabresF. Odds & lines subject to change. He sat down with Donnovan Bennett to discuss the struggles, success and lessons that came. tony mckegney family All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. Sabres Tony Mckegney Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images McKegney left the NHL after 1990-91 with 639 points (320 goals, 319 assists). 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) I was there in the audience watching the games, and I heard the comments that were [made about him]. He believes the colour of his skin is part of the reason he didn't. 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. Obviously, I know Im on the back 9 - if you want to compare it to golf. You reached out to him afterwards. And if those people were wrong about his future in hockey, what else might they be wrong about? McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney - Improve your search rank Former NHL star McKegney conflicted by USA Hockey hiring of Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Comments are welcome while open. The more hockey lives up to those ideals, the better we'll all be. They were around five and six years old. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. A centre, he said the way they clicked on the ice was as though they'd been playing together forever. "I got a lot of feedback from people in Canada that they were accepted in the schoolyard or outdoor rink because they could point to me as being a person of color playing in the National Hockey League. Saunders says he is happy and has had a good life, thanks in large part to the sport that broke his heart. Throughout 15 years of professional hockey, I'm lucky enough to say that there are many moments I'm proud of. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. I was trying to convey something that I think is still true today: Sports can be the common denominator that brings people together. Then he was dealt to the Nordiques in a massive swap involving Quebecs Real Cloutier. We were all set to move, until the homeowner told us there was a problem: They didn't want to rent to us once they found out we were a biracial couple. Sorry we could not verify that email address. SN: Trevor was able to persevere. Unlimited access for the whole family until Feb 21. When he was still a toddler, his family moved to the Toronto area. Tony McKegney | Ice Hockey Wiki | Fandom 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. {* traditionalSignIn_signInButton *}, Comment and participate in our online community. Hes had the most success. John Kreiser, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. You have permission to edit this article. I don't talk much about the taunts and racial slurs I faced in youth and minor hockey. It seemed very normal to me, and no one in our neighborhood or city really treated us any different, he said. "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. Saunders spent most of his career thinking he was the only black player out there. His older brother John was the first to lace up skates. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. TM: I heard some stories about the tough guys like George Laraque, Peter Worrell and Donald Brashear, and apparently it was absolutely brutal for those guys in Quebec. You learn that what matters most is their work ethic, their commitment, their passion, their personality, maybe their sense of humor -- certainly not the way they look. He appeared in 363 regular-season games with Buffalo, putting up 127 goals and adding 141 assists. 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 . They're too neat; too objective. 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. 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. Jets, Hockey Night in Canada: Maple Leafs vs. Canucks on Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada: Oilers vs. Tony McKegney Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Salary, Title | Hockey All rights reserved. It can be difficult to talk about how those views affect you as a person. All Rights Reserved. (Born onFebruary 15, 1958) -- Tony McKegney was something of a pioneer in the world of hockey. But I know my brother took a lot more abuse than I did because I saw it. Jarome Iginla. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. 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. McKegney was the first Black Canadian hockey player to make an impact in the NHL. - Ability to add additional data to your career profile: Videos, Images, Social Media, Referrals, Fitness Testing Results and much more! Hes been an All-Star. McKegney recalls no special obstacles for him or his two adoptive brothers, who are also black, as they were growing up with a racially mixed family in a city of 50,000. So I found myself focused on a number, 40, throughout the last stretch of games. That's how good he was.". SN: How did it make you feel when you saw it? 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. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! 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. Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. Hockey made me gave me all the confidence in the world.". Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. TM: It just made me want to be better. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Go inside the Hockey Reference Database. People had a certain amount of respect for us athletically.. Please contact us. The Bulls released McKegney from his contract, and he joined the Sabres as their second-round draft choice. Tony was born on February 15, 1958 in Montreal, Quebec.. Tony is one of the famous and trending celeb who is popular for being a Ice Hockey. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:33AM. It's something that most Black players at the time trained themselves to do, even though we shouldn't have needed to. The focus was just on playing hockey. There were three future Hall of Famers who made us all better. 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. McKegney spent less than two years with the Nordiques, and had several more stops around the NHL during the next several seasons. Wikifamouspeople has ranked Tony McKegney as of the . Brent Jarrett played with him in Kalamazoo, Mich.,that season. So, we laughed about it later on over a few beers. Tony McKegney Tells His Story of How He Came to Buffalo | Sabres And I know they weren't alone in their thoughts. 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. I said, "I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth.

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