tony mckegney family tony mckegney family

Some hockey portraits on this site are licensed from Images on Ice, Hockeys Photo Agency. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Odds & lines subject to change. Tony sun sign is Aquarius and his birth flower is Violet & Primrose. Enter your email below and we'll send you another email. And I still struggle with that to this day, with the trauma that I faced and went through. Tony McKegney is a member of famous Ice Hockey list. He would play 23 games with the San Diego Gulls in 1992-93 before retiring. If you said Tony McKegney, you are correct. Born: February 15,1958 inMontreal,Quebec ca, Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32ndoverall), 1978NHLAmateur. He believes the colour of his skin is part of the reason he didn't. 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. His best season came with the St. Louis Blues in 1987-88, when he had NHL career highs of 40 goals and 78 points. They were around five and six years old. - Improve your search rank TM: He brought up a lot of memories for me, ugly memories. Caught off balance, his foot went flying in the air. I was trying to convey something that I think is still true today: Sports can be the common denominator that brings people together. Bernie Saunders played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques, but he and others say his career would have been longer if he wasnt black. 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. Gambling problem? He got out of his contract, went back to Michigan and started playing for the Kalamazoo Wings, an International Hockey League team, while establishing himself at Upjohn, a pharmaceutical company. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. . Sabres Host Lightning in Saturday Matinee. TM: We just sort of stayed away from it. SN: How has it impacted you as youve moved on from the game? It brought back some ghosts and nightmares, memories for me, which I hadnt thought about in a while. - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) I just tried to shut everything else out. Of his 13 years in the NHL, he spent the most time with the Sabres. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. He is also aware of his role-model responsibilities as one of only five blacks currently playing in the league. He was also able to open doors and create a level of acceptance for young black players who could point to him and his contemporaries as successes. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. I always loved the game, but I didn't see myself reflected in it. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Tony currently does periodic work on behalf of the Red Wings Alumni Association and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team. 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. 8 9 25 25 10 7 14 11. Go beyond the basics. SN: When you got to the league was it a lonely existence for you? 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. 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. 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. Tony McKegney (r.) with brothers Mike (l.) and Steve in front of their house in Sarnia, Ontario in 1970. He was following in the footsteps of his older brother Ian McKegney (who had been a star with the Sarnia Legionnaires before moving on to the pros). If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Forward Born Feb 15 1958 -- Montreal, PQ [65 yrs. McKegney left the NHL after 1990-91 with 639 points (320 goals, 319 assists). There isnt enough recent news in your lineup. McKegney was selected 32nd overall in 1978 after scoring 92 points with the Kingston Canadians. My parents had three children of their own, and they adopted three children, he said. But he was reassigned to the minors. (Tony McKegney, the fourth black player, debuted in 1978). I don't talk much about the taunts and racial slurs I faced in youth and minor hockey. So, there was a lot of black athletes in town in Buffalo. Akim Aliu hasnt had the same ability to bounce back from his difficult treatment in the game. Position: LW Shoots: Left. 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. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont. I showed up there and I remember sitting on my adoptive mothers knee and looking out the dining room window at this ice rink. They had talks about what to do when the racist taunts would inevitably begin don't react, don't let them get to you but sure enough, when his son was a teenager, in the late '90s, an opponent called him the N-word on the ice. Clearly, Jarome recognized that the 'typical' hockey player could be anyone who loves the game and plays it well. Tony McKegney had 639 points over his career. These brave athletes are actively changing hockey culture for the better. An error has occurred while trying to update your details. Only once has he played in fewer than 60 of the regular season's 80 games. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. TM: I remember mentioning to Grant Fuhr, it mightve been an All-Star Game or something, I said, Youre lucky. I wanted to be as good as my brothers. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney. by Did that ever dissuade you at all from getting into the game? 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. That was my first exposure, to have a hockey rink in my backyard. McKegney needed less than a season to join Buffalo during the 1978-79 campaign. That's the biggest compliment for me.". Enter Search Term. I remember starting the season with 10 goals in the first 15 games and getting a lot of ice time. They're too neat; too objective. Like I said, numbers never tell the whole story. Height, Weight & Physical Stats: Tony McKegney is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weight 90.7 kilograms. On June 15, 1989, Tony was traded to the Detroit Red Wings along with Bernie Federko in exchange for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. He went to New Brunswick, feeling discouraged but not ready to give up. 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. Dont forget to read the Q&A we did with several Black players who spent time with the Buffalo Sabres organization. With a Premium subscription, you'll get access to over 30 tools, features and benefits. And I know they weren't alone in their thoughts. At the same time, he's disappointed that he's been excluded from conversations about the first black players in the NHL. That's how good he was.". It's something that most Black players at the time trained themselves to do, even though we shouldn't have needed to. Get all the latest stats, news, videos and more on Tony McKegney He was a 4x 30-goal scorer and set career highs in 1988 with 40 . I probably should have, and I never did that. 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. Tony McKegney. 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. He even scored 40 goals for St. Louis in 1987-88. 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 just felt defeated," he said. Saunders was a shy, quiet kid with a remarkable work ethic, Bassin recalls. I've always considered it a great compliment to play a small part in Jarome's story. The year after he graduated, he had offers from a few teams. "People just forget me because I didn't play. I remember I was tired when a shot from the point came my way. Brother: Ian McKegney Id like to make the best of the last couple of years.. A centre, he said the way they clicked on the ice was as though they'd been playing together forever. I tried to, basically, suppress a lot of those feelings back then, and I just buried a lot of things. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. We didn't recognize that password reset code. Highlighting Black players throughout Buffalo Sabres history. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. Year By Year Fight Totals. You sort of never felt like you were different. "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. Buffalo Sabres Schedule, Roster, News, and Rumors | Die By The Blade, Celebrating Black History Month: Tony McKegney, Game Thread: Sabres vs. 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. After scoring 36 goals for the Sabres in 1982-83, McKegney was traded to the Quebec Nordiques. Years later, I found out I was one of the reasons why. He was the fifth black man to play in the league. Tony McKegney (front, second from r.) and his Sarnia Bees teammates of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League in 1973. 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. Oilers' Mike Green out three to four weeks with knee injury, Islanders re-assign Josh Ho-Sang to Blues' AHL affiliate. There was nothing special about the goal. [RELATED: Black History Month coverage |Hockey Is For Everyone coverage]. From the time he was in the crib, Jonathan was obsessed with the sport, and so he followed in his father's footsteps. And if those people were wrong about his future in hockey, what else might they be wrong about? 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. It seemed very normal to me, and no one in our neighborhood or city really treated us any different, he said. After playing for 15 years professionally, it was a hard transition and Im sure Ive made some mistakes and would do some things differently. There weren't many black players in the junior league at the time. Bassin knew Saunders was getting racist taunts, but said Saunders always handled it in stride and never let it get to him. I wanted to be the best hockey player from my hometown. It was never published. Saunders didn't seem bitter or disappointed about not quite making it in the NHL, Jarrett said. Approaching the All-Star break, McKegney led the club with 26 goals. I was too timid to talk to a girl. Sign up for EP Premium and verify your profile to access these benefits. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. However, the team now had a new farm team, the Fredericton Express, and the organization wanted Saunders to play there. 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. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. 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. 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. This is especially true for a sport like hockey, where community, respect, and teamwork have always been important values. But I had a rink in my backyard, my own playground. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. You have permission to edit this article. Contents 1 Playing Career 2 Post-Playing Career 3 Career Statistics 4 Accolades 5 Personal Life Playing Career 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 *} We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Other than that, I hadnt played against another black hockey player my whole life. Enter your email address to get a new one. It was like, all the emotions from my career, my life: it was too much for me," the elder Saunders said. * Some data is missing to provide a correct summary. Sue maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Daniel Mckegney, Daniel Mckegney, Marilynn Habberfie, Roger Habberfield and Tony Mckegney. Go inside the Hockey Reference Database. But I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth. But on the ice, Saunders was still alone. 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. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. Browse 82 tony mckegney stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Tony McKegney player profile, stats and championships. I take my hat off to Grant. 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. That fast-forwarding tends to bypass the magical middle and the stories of many players who felt alone but nonetheless accomplished great things, opening opportunities for those who followed. "It was just time. "I could not imagine [why] this guy wasn't given a better opportunity," Bassin said. Hockey-Reference utilizes Official NHL data for current NHL seasons. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. SN: What were the conversations like between you and your brother about the abuse he faced? 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. Another referee determined he made a kicking motion and gave him a match penalty. TM: Its wonderful. But I know my brother took a lot more abuse than I did because I saw it. Other blacks are forward Dirk Graham of the Minnesota North Stars, goaltender Eldon Pokey Reddick and forward Paul Neufeld of the Winnipeg Jets. He is a member of famous with the age 63 years old group. "It felt like they were ripping out my heart. He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. I'm certainly proud to have been one of the first consistent Black players in the NHL. And that was the Buffalo Sabres. Stay tuned to Die By the Blade over the course of the month as we continue to highlight Black players in Buffalo Sabres history. 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. But by capitalizing on circumstances known by few, he has become an example for blacks who would aspire to playing in the National Hockey League. 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. All Rights Reserved. Numbers, however, never tell the whole story. McKegney was the first Black Canadian hockey player to make an impact in the NHL. Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. We had a hockey rink, actually, in our back yard that my parents made each year.. I didnt talk to many people about it. Amateur Teams: Kingston Canadians. 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. Tony McKegney was born in Montreal, Canada. 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. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. There hadnt been many blacks in the NHL when he arrived, but hopefully his talent made quite a few people color-blind. His point production dropped off, but he was still eventually called up to the big club. 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. Sign up for Stathead Hockey - first month free. SN: Trevor Daley went through a difficult, racially insensitive experience with John Vanbiesbrouck. I'd been chasing that red light since I started playing hockey at 3 years old. That's where he met Guy Carbonneau, who was in his first full professional season. A year later, the left winger was ready to join the pros. Continue reading to discover who is Tony McKegney. 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. So, we laughed about it later on over a few beers. 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. 1978 round 2 #32 overall by Buffalo Sabres, OMJHL / Special to NHL.com, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. He has a copy of a newspaper article following a game in Rochester, N.Y., that mentions a fan who heard people yelling the N-word at him all night. 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. Its a very expensive sport, and its more of a suburbia sport, McKegney said. Tony McKegney is a well known Ice Hockey. The conversation about black players in hockey is often a binary one even during Black History Month. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Lightning | Game 61, Sabres Acquire Jordan Greenway, Austin Strand. And the NHL has done a great job with helping. "We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". Comments are welcome while open. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals . Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. One was Saunders. When you and your teammates compete together, practice together, eat together, and grow up together, you start to see people for who they are. Saunders, a right-winger, played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques in 1979-80 and 1980-81. The key is for him to keep working.. Tony was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. So that support carried over all the negative stuff that happened. At age 5, I started playing organized hockey. Im sure it affected me. Complete player biography and stats. Tony McKegney weighed 200 lbs (90 kg) when playing. Theres another occasion where Ray Neufeld and I got into a scuffle. He played in Detroit for only 14 games before being traded back to the Quebec Nordiques on December 4, 1989 in exchange for Robert Picard and Greg Adams. Even reporters, players were coming up to me saying, 'What's going on, Bernie?'". It was wintertime and my dad had floodlights out there. Boards and the whole thing. So, for me, there were just so many good influences. Join our linker program. Jarome Iginla gave me a very nice compliment when he said he felt he was at home on the ice and in the school yard, because he could say, Hey, Tony McKegney, hes playing in the NHL. He felt like he belonged on a hockey rink because I was out there. It's not the 40 goals I scored. For more, check out this Q&A with McKegney & Sportsnet: While its we celebrate the historic achievements of Black players throughout Sabres history, its equally important to celebrate the Black players in the NHL today, including several with current or former ties to the Buffalo Sabres organization.