McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. 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. Most of his limited NHL experience came with Buffalo; he also had a brief stint with the Philadelphia Flyers and their AHL affiliate. The key is for him to keep working.. 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 probably should have, and I never did that. Tony was adopted by the McKegney family when he was an infant. All Rights Reserved. SN: Trevor Daley went through a difficult, racially insensitive experience with John Vanbiesbrouck. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Reality doesn't always add up. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. I was too timid to talk to a girl. TM: We just sort of stayed away from it. Brother: Ian McKegney
He is to appear in court in Belleville, Ontario, on May 18. Saunders scored twice in his debut, and it quickly became clear to Bassin he should have been playing at a higher level. Tony McKegney is a well known Ice Hockey. And my teammates treated me like I was not any different than anybody. The Bulls released McKegney from his contract, and he joined the Sabres as their second-round draft choice. 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. The Buffalo Sabres recently unveiled a partnership with local artist Edreys Wajed in honor of Black History Month. Bailey, who is biracial, currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks and is in his second season with the organization. The funny thing is that Im starting to enjoy the game more than I ever have, he said. Tony was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. 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. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Instead, he was drafted 32nd-overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 1978 and went on to score over 320 goals. When I came along, obviously there were comments made, but I was so focused on what was happening on the ice. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 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? More Tony McKegney videos. While in Chteauguay, he played for Jacques Demers, who went on to coach the Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Anytime I faced adversity, I said, Okay, Im going to put a couple of pucks in the net today for sure. And I was just going to show everybody that I was as good or better than them. That's where he met Guy Carbonneau, who was in his first full professional season. Sue maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Daniel Mckegney, Daniel Mckegney, Marilynn Habberfie, Roger Habberfield and Tony Mckegney. 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. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tony McKegney, 1958-02-15 Montral, QC, CAN Canada. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Enter Search Term. 710K subscribers Tony McKegney is one of the pioneers of breaking the colour barrier within the NHL. I guess, if you could say, the guy thats done the best is probably Grant Fuhr, McKegney said of the Edmonton goalie. But he was reassigned to the minors. I feel that I had a pretty good upbringing. When sports are at their best, that's what they can do. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. 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. You reached out to him afterwards. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. So, I reached out. Thats basically what got me where I am today., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Sometimes what has been said in the past is that once hes established he doesnt produce as much. Tony McKegney. I wanted to be the best hockey player from my hometown. I just tried to shut everything else out. McKegney, while striving to help provide black youths more opportunity, will never forget the chance given him by Lowry McKegney, 70. Hockey was like that for me -- I was constantly focused on numbers. I tried to, basically, suppress a lot of those feelings back then, and I just buried a lot of things. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. McKegney was the first Black Canadian hockey player to make an impact in the NHL. He is not dating anyone. 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. He talked about him, his brother Ian, and his mother who lives in Kincardine. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. McKegney spent less than two years with the Nordiques, and had several more stops around the NHL during the next several seasons. - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) 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. 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. We didn't recognize that password reset code. With a Premium subscription, you'll get access to over 30 tools, features and benefits. NHL Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. He sat down with Donnovan Bennett to discuss the struggles, success and lessons that came. After scoring 36 goals for the Sabres in 1982-83, McKegney was traded to the Quebec Nordiques. Your existing password has not been changed. Hes won Stanley Cups.. 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. There were a few other (skaters) that were sort of up and down.. 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. SN: What were the conversations like between you and your brother about the abuse he faced? A t-shirt with this logo is available for purchase here, with a portion of proceeds going to Breaking Barriers. Showing Editorial results for sabres tony mckegney. It barely made it over the line. 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. Did that ever dissuade you at all from getting into the game? Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. Tony sun sign is Aquarius and his birth flower is Violet & Primrose. I didnt talk to many people about it. 32) of the 1978 NHL Draft. 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? "We were so influenced by Hockey Night in Canada," he said, of himself and John. And there was a ton of it, ugly stuff. The judge ordered McKegney, while on probation, to complete all assessments, counselling and treatments directed by his probation supervisor to deal with issues arising from domestic. BIOGRAPHY. It was a personal best for me -- the first and only time I'd join the NHL's 40-goal club. SN: Was there a brotherhood among the black players in the league? 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. It's a big deal that Grant, Willie, and now Jarome have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Until we get rinks in the inner (American) cities, I dont think thats going to change.. Odds & lines subject to change. Transaction information may be incomplete. Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. 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. He even scored 40 goals for St. Louis in 1987-88. By checking this box, I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy of Rogers Media. 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. (approx 1 - 2 per week). They were around five and six years old. All Rights Reserved. '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. He learned to fight, to defend himself, but mainly he tried to keep scoring. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. Lightning. Another referee determined he made a kicking motion and gave him a match penalty. I just pushed the stereotypes to the background and kept hockey in the forefront. 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. Tony McKegney was bom in Montreal, Quebec, in February of 1958 to a Nigerian father and Canadian mother. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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. Some may find that number low. When he was still a toddler, his family moved to the Toronto area. And between the benches, one of the guys said it would be termed as a black-on-black crime. Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments. 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. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. So I did the only thing I could do: I focused on perseverance. Bailey has appeared in three games with the Canucks this season and was placed on injured reserve on February 12 with an upper-body injury. I was scared to say a peep in class. He paved the way for me. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Enter Search Term. I think his biggest value to our club has been his ability to score, Blues coach Jacques Martin said. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, City mourns Buffalo firefighter Jason Arno as investigation into fatal fire launches, Buffalo firefighter makes 'ultimate sacrifice' in blaze that may have sparked backdraft, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Vandal damages 'brokenhearted' Russell Salvatore's tribute park in Lancaster, Chad Hall's departure from Buffalo Bills to Jaguars remains a bit of a mystery. 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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. Customize your Sportsnet lineup for the latest news from your favourite leagues and teams. His supporters created a fan club. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Do you have a sports website? 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. 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. "The theme for the next few days is clear: Hey Kevyn, the lonely eyes of Sabres fans are turned to you,"Mike Harrington writes. 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. My first time playing against another black hockey player was probably my third year in the NHL, Grant Fuhr and Ray Neufeld. He was inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame in 1994. Go inside the Hockey Reference Database. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The goal is to make stereotypes disappear by making people from all backgrounds feel welcome, celebrated, and empowered on an equal playing field. Id like to make the best of the last couple of years.. By midseason, people started to notice. Tony McKegneny (c.) with his sons, Dan (l.), and Robert. Enter your email address to get a new one. Hockey made me gave me all the confidence in the world.". / Special to NHL.com, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. The coach noticed Saunderscrying in the stands, wanting to be with John, and invited him to play, too. It's also available for football, basketball and baseball. McKegney was arrested June 23 and pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree criminal contempt on July 8, according to court records. "I literally got through the game, went into this closet, and I just cried. It was a simple chip-in that just dribbled through the goalie's pads. - Improve your search rank Want to more about Him? Numbers, however, never tell the whole story. 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. When submitting content, please abide by our, Hockey Night in Canada: Senators vs. Blue Jackets on Sportsnet, Watch Hockey Night in Canada with Steve Dangle: Oilers vs. 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. On June 15, 1989, Tony was traded to the Detroit Red Wings along with Bernie Federko in exchange for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Get access to our unique free agency lists and many more premium features. Subscribe to Stathead Hockey: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Hockey Reference Database. Then he was dealt to the Nordiques in a massive swap involving Quebecs Real Cloutier. I'd been chasing that red light since I started playing hockey at 3 years old. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. 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. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. Most recently in the IHL with San Diego Gulls. Youre a great player. He played six games and didn't score, but played well. Oilers' Mike Green out three to four weeks with knee injury, Islanders re-assign Josh Ho-Sang to Blues' AHL affiliate. 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. "It was just time. 8 9 25 25 10 7 14 11. One of his teammates even offered to rent his apartment to Saunders, thinking he would need one since he'd be there long term. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. Of course, sports will never make us color blind, and colorblindness is not the goal. At the same time, he's disappointed that he's been excluded from conversations about the first black players in the NHL. He stayed through 1983 and was a regular almost all of the time. However, the team now had a new farm team, the Fredericton Express, and the organization wanted Saunders to play there. It can be difficult to talk about how those views affect you as a person. If you said Tony McKegney, you are correct. It's like a catch-22.". Position: LW Shoots: Left. 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. It seemed very normal to me, and no one in our neighborhood or city really treated us any different, he said. 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. They started out with walker-type things out on the ice, and then they graduated to the point where they were scrimmaging, McKegney said. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. 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. Saunders, 63, who now lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has since retired and written a book about his life. He has three 30-goal seasons. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. "It felt like they were ripping out my heart. Tony McKegney was born on February 15, 1958. SN: Trevor was able to persevere. Its basically black children. He was assigned to the Syracuse Firebirds, one of the Nordiques' farm teams, where he became a fan favourite. Jonathan freaked out. McKegney was selected 32nd overall in 1978 after scoring 92 points with the Kingston Canadians. McKegney was born in Montreal and adopted by a white family in Sarnia. And if those people were wrong about his future in hockey, what else might they be wrong about? He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Do you have a blog? Clearly, Jarome recognized that the 'typical' hockey player could be anyone who loves the game and plays it well. - Ability to add additional data to your career profile: Videos, Images, Social Media, Referrals, Fitness Testing Results and much more! TM: I just would tell them to persevere. Amateur Teams: Kingston Canadians. Even reporters, players were coming up to me saying, 'What's going on, Bernie?'". But I always wanted to be, and knew I could be, a dominant player. He went to New Brunswick, feeling discouraged but not ready to give up. My dad felt he could do something for the amount of kids that were homeless or without parents per se.. TM: We never really talked about it much. As a teenager he played Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont. 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 loved the game, but the game didn't love me.". Statistics of Tony McKegney, a hockey player from Montreal, PQ born Feb 15 1958 who was active from 1973 to 1993. I feel for them all and support them unequivocally. He has no evidence, he says, but he figures race had something to do with it. 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. 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. Dont forget to read the Q&A we did with several Black players who spent time with the Buffalo Sabres organization. It's the kind of impact that wins, losses, and point totals can't capture. Today we look at former NHL forward Tony McKegney. Bernie Saunders played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques, but he and others say his career would have been longer if he wasnt black. Drafted 1974, 1 #2 overall by Kingston Canadians in the OHL Priority Selection, Cult/Star player for Kingston Frontenacs. Approaching the All-Star break, McKegney led the club with 26 goals. The McKegney brothers (l-r), Mike, Tony, Ian and friends on their backyard rink in Sarnia, Ontario in 1962. However, the Bills' statement does not specify that Frazi. There hadnt been many blacks in the NHL when he arrived, but hopefully his talent made quite a few people color-blind. Its just something I never envisioned when I was growing up seeing five black hockey players playing in the same game. Looking back on his incredible career and contribution, McKegney shared with me the pleasure, pain and purpose hockey brought to his life. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Only once has he played in fewer than 60 of the regular season's 80 games. 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. I remember starting the season with 10 goals in the first 15 games and getting a lot of ice time. There isnt enough recent news in your lineup. Its a very expensive sport, and its more of a suburbia sport, McKegney said. The more hockey lives up to those ideals, the better we'll all be. Back in 1988, I'm not sure if I realized what it really meant. My mother and father -- who adopted me from an orphanage in Montreal, and who happen to be white -- built a hockey rink in our backyard every winter, where I'd skate with my siblings. And I'll always be proud of the 40-goal season I had in 1987-88, the wonderful camaraderie of that Blues team, and the little chip-in that somehow found its way into the net. Well give you the latest news when it becomes available, or feel free to add some more selections to My Favourites. Brent Jarrett played with him in Kalamazoo, Mich.,that season. But it wasn't to be. 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. He believes his call up was a reward for his performance in the minors. I've always considered it a great compliment to play a small part in Jarome's story. "I was just this shy, quiet kid in Chteauguay. 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. He was the fifth black man to play in the league. TM: Its wonderful. Saunders was born in Montreal in 1956. I was trying to convey something that I think is still true today: Sports can be the common denominator that brings people together. Most historical data provided by Dan Diamond and Associates. 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. From the time he was in the crib, Jonathan was obsessed with the sport, and so he followed in his father's footsteps. It brought back some ghosts and nightmares, memories for me, which I hadnt thought about in a while. Lightning | Game 61, Sabres Acquire Jordan Greenway, Austin Strand. Who was the first Black player to top 40 goals in an NHL season? (Tony McKegney, the fourth black player, debuted in 1978). All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. TM: I liked all sports. 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. Still, I'd been thinking about that particular goal mark for a while. Saunders doesn't want to come off as someone lamenting what could have been. "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. So I found myself focused on a number, 40, throughout the last stretch of games. Tony McKegney is an Ice Hockey Player who was born on February 15, 1958 in Canada. But Jarrett believes Saunders deserved to be there. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Part of the reason McKegney wants to continue a while longer is because of sons Daniel, 2 1/2 , and Robert, 7 months. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. "We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". I'm certainly proud to have been one of the first consistent Black players in the NHL. To see your localized preferences, please enable geolocation services in your browser settings. 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. So, we laughed about it later on over a few beers. I always loved the game, but I didn't see myself reflected in it. 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. McKegney scored 31 goals in 1986-87, 29 of them after being traded to the New York Rangers. John Kreiser, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. Born 1958-02-15 in Montral, Quebec. Tony McKegney (front, second from r.) and his Sarnia Bees teammates of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League in 1973. Saunders says it's tremendous. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont.