"We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". It brought back some ghosts and nightmares, memories for me, which I hadnt thought about in a while. 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 1978-79 until 1990-91. Until we get rinks in the inner (American) cities, I dont think thats going to change.. We present them here for purely educational purposes. And obviously we watched the games, the Leafs and the Red Wings on TV back in the six-team league. Your existing password has not been changed. Like I said, numbers never tell the whole story. 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. It's like a catch-22.". Then the Buffalo Braves were there, the basketball team. 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. I remember I was tired when a shot from the point came my way. *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. Jarrett won the scoring title and says he couldn't have done it without Saunders at his side. I ignored that coach, of course.
Tony McKegney | NHL Wiki | Fandom Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. He was a role model." Embed from Getty Images Getty Images Sport Graig Abel 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? McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32nd overall), 1978 NHL Amateur. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. With St. Louis, a team decimated this season by injuries, his presence has been more valued than ever was expected. Forward Born Feb 15 1958 -- Montreal, PQ [65 yrs. Find out more. I pride myself in being maybe the first black player to play consistently in the league, McKegney said. Part of the reason McKegney wants to continue a while longer is because of sons Daniel, 2 1/2 , and Robert, 7 months. 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. It seemed very normal to me, and no one in our neighborhood or city really treated us any different, he said. So Bassin gave him that chance. by 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. McKegney scored 37 goals in 1980-81. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). He learned to fight, to defend himself, but mainly he tried to keep scoring.
Sabres Tony Mckegney Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images 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. Caught off balance, his foot went flying in the air.
This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney 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). 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. 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.
Tony McKegney Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Lightning. There were five centermen on that team who were great passers, and when you're playing with so many good centermen, you're going to get chances every game.
82 Tony Mckegney Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images There isnt enough recent news in your lineup. All rights reserved. There were three future Hall of Famers who made us all better. "They always came up with their hardest stuff, their elbows and what-not, and tried to punish me.". Sorry we could not verify that email address. Tony McKegney. As a teenager, he played for Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. I always loved the game, but I didn't see myself reflected in it. Just like society as a whole, the hockey community still has a lot of hard work to do.
Tony McKegney - Wikipedia the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He believes the colour of his skin is part of the reason he didn't. "Everything Bernie Saunders has, he earned, in spite of [whether] there's been prejudice along the way.". 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. If I could be half the man my father was, Id be doing pretty well, he said. 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. Most historical data provided by Dan Diamond and Associates. Tony was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. SN: How has it impacted you as youve moved on from the game? Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. His point production dropped off, but he was still eventually called up to the big club. 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. TM: He brought up a lot of memories for me, ugly memories. All Rights Reserved. by I said, "I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth. I remember the reporter asking me about growing up in a town where there were only two Black families among 50,000 people. He is not dating anyone. But he was reassigned to the minors. Brent Jarrett played with him in Kalamazoo, Mich.,that season. People had a certain amount of respect for us athletically.". On June 15, 1989, Tony was traded to the Detroit Red Wings along with Bernie Federko in exchange for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. My older brother, Mike, was drafted in the NHL, first black player ever drafted by the Montreal Canadians. 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. Browse 82 tony mckegney stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images.
Tony McKegney Goal vs. Toronto 12/13/80 - YouTube It was a simple chip-in that just dribbled through the goalie's pads.
Tony Mckegney - ABC7 Chicago Or write about sports? All Rights Reserved. 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 remember starting the season with 10 goals in the first 15 games and getting a lot of ice time. 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. He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. 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. 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. McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. I just had this conversation with one of my former teammates, and he said, We just treated you like one of us brothers.. To see your localized preferences, please enable geolocation services in your browser settings. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. It's a big deal that Grant, Willie, and now Jarome have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals . Get access to our unique free agency lists and many more premium features. The things he went through were things I experienced in my time. I take my hat off to Grant. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments. 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. McKegney vividly recalls the support from his parents - Lowry McKegney, a retired chemist, and Cathy McKegney. "The theme for the next few days is clear: Hey Kevyn, the lonely eyes of Sabres fans are turned to you,"Mike Harrington writes. I relied on the support of my teammates who were always there for me. I guess, if you could say, the guy thats done the best is probably Grant Fuhr, McKegney said of the Edmonton goalie.
Tony S McKegney, 64 - East Amherst, NY - Has Court or Arrest Records McKegney scored 31 goals in 1986-87, 29 of them after being traded to the New York Rangers. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Buffalo looks to bounce back with a clean slate against another tough team. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. Complete record of every goal scored or assisted by the player. Saunders says he is happy and has had a good life, thanks in large part to the sport that broke his heart. Hockey-Reference utilizes Official NHL data for current NHL seasons. Enter your email below and we'll send you another email.
Clearly, Jarome recognized that the 'typical' hockey player could be anyone who loves the game and plays it well.
Enter Search Term. 32) of the 1978 NHL Draft. When sports are at their best, that's what they can do. Bernie Saunders played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques, but he and others say his career would have been longer if he wasnt black. Hes won Stanley Cups..
Tony McKegney - Net Worth February 2023, Salary, Age, Siblings, Bio SN: Was there a brotherhood among the black players in the league? 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; Saunders was a shy, quiet kid with a remarkable work ethic, Bassin recalls.
Position: LW Shoots: Left. However, the team now had a new farm team, the Fredericton Express, and the organization wanted Saunders to play there. Another referee determined he made a kicking motion and gave him a match penalty. Stay tuned to Die By the Blade over the course of the month as we continue to highlight Black players in Buffalo Sabres history. Would you like to create an account so you can see these Favourites on your other devices too? Unlimited access for the whole family until Feb 21. He played in St. Louis for two years. He says he has moved on. TM: I just would tell them to persevere.