BIOGRAPHY. Please contact us. But it wasn't to be. "I could not imagine [why] this guy wasn't given a better opportunity," Bassin said. He was a 4x 30-goal scorer and set career highs in 1988 with 40 . I think his biggest value to our club has been his ability to score, Blues coach Jacques Martin said. The conversation about black players in hockey is often a binary one even during Black History Month. He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. 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. "We were so influenced by Hockey Night in Canada," he said, of himself and John. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. On June 15, 1989, Tony was traded to the Detroit Red Wings along with Bernie Federko in exchange for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. When he left, he was the all-time leading scorer. 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. And that was the Buffalo Sabres. Want to more about Him? I'd been chasing that red light since I started playing hockey at 3 years old. He believes the colour of his skin is part of the reason he didn't. Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. Complete record of every goal scored or assisted by the player. I wanted to be the best hockey player from my hometown. 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. He has three 30-goal seasons. Jets, Hockey Night in Canada: Maple Leafs vs. Canucks on Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada: Oilers vs. McKegney was selected 32nd overall in 1978 after scoring 92 points with the Kingston Canadians. In retrospect, I can now see how it was an important milestone for people who look like me: No Black player had ever scored 40 goals in a season not until that game against Winnipeg, where a little chip-in ended up making history. - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. And it wasn't hard to find a different place to live in St. Louis, which is a wonderful city that I've always enjoyed. 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. My older brother, Mike, was drafted in the NHL, first black player ever drafted by the Montreal Canadians. He is 64 years old. Saunders scored twice in his debut, and it quickly became clear to Bassin he should have been playing at a higher level. The Bulls released McKegney from his contract, and he joined the Sabres as their second-round draft choice. (OHL). He is vaguely aware of the recent push to change hockey culture. Gambling problem? His best season came with the St. Louis Blues in 1987-88, when he had NHL career highs of 40 goals and 78 points. SN: Trevor was able to persevere. "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. Height, Weight & Physical Stats: Tony McKegney is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weight 90.7 kilograms. (approx 1 - 2 per week). Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. Highlighting Black players throughout Buffalo Sabres history. You have permission to edit this article. John Kreiser, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. 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. 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. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. Will the Sabres make some moves today to improve their post-season chances? If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. But I had a rink in my backyard, my own playground. The Buffalo Sabres recently unveiled a partnership with local artist Edreys Wajed in honor of Black History Month. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 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 was assigned to the Syracuse Firebirds, one of the Nordiques' farm teams, where he became a fan favourite. 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. Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments. 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. (Born onFebruary 15, 1958) -- Tony McKegney was something of a pioneer in the world of hockey. It's the number of Black players who have ever scored 40 goals in an NHL season. Tony McKegney has never won a Stanley Cup as a player. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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. Im sure it affected me. Sabres Memories is presented by BCBSWNY. Saunders was sent back to the minors, without any explanation. Relatives: Brother Ian McKegney. *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. It was wintertime and my dad had floodlights out there. They started out with walker-type things out on the ice, and then they graduated to the point where they were scrimmaging, McKegney said. Search instead in Creative? One referee, trying to break up the scuffle, grabbed Jonathan from behind. McKegney was the first Black Canadian hockey player to make an impact in the NHL. "People just forget me because I didn't play. You may have created an account with another Rogers Media account that can be used to sign in here. We had a hockey rink, actually, in our back yard that my parents made each year.. You reached out to him afterwards. 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; 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. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). I ignored that coach, of course. There was nothing special about the goal. All rights reserved. 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. McKegney left the NHL after 1990-91 with 639 points (320 goals, 319 assists). McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. Most of his limited NHL experience came with Buffalo; he also had a brief stint with the Philadelphia Flyers and their AHL affiliate. "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.". Other blacks are forward Dirk Graham of the Minnesota North Stars, goaltender Eldon Pokey Reddick and forward Paul Neufeld of the Winnipeg Jets. SN: What were the conversations like with your parents about it? Jarrett won the scoring title and says he couldn't have done it without Saunders at his side. It barely made it over the line. McKegney still does alumni work for the Sabres and Red Wings. Tony McKegney was born in Montreal, Canada. 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 *} "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. I was trying to convey something that I think is still true today: Sports can be the common denominator that brings people together. Go inside the Hockey Reference Database. 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. - Improve your search rank But Jarrett believes Saunders deserved to be there. 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. / Special to NHL.com, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. After completing the 1990-91 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, Tony would spend a season in Italy with HC Varese as well as three games with the Canadian National Team. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Right before he went to college, Mike Marson and Bill Riley, the second and third black men in the NHL, made their debuts.

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