When I started in the league, I never would have guessed. I'm certainly proud to have been one of the first consistent Black players in the NHL. He vowed his sons would never play, but his eldest, Jonathan, had other plans. Subscribe: bit.ly/3925J0FVisit Sabres.com for moreFollow: twitter.com/BuffaloSabresLike: facebook.com/buffalosabresF. 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. McKegney was the first Black Canadian hockey player to make an impact in the NHL. I was too timid to talk to a girl. So I did the only thing I could do: I focused on perseverance. 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. 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. But on the. 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. Tony McKegney was born on February 15, 1958. TM: He brought up a lot of memories for me, ugly memories. Tony McKegney player profile, stats and championships. McKegney scored 31 goals in 1986-87, 29 of them after being traded to the New York Rangers. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. 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. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:33AM. 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. Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. Hockey was like that for me -- I was constantly focused on numbers. 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. McKegney spent less than two years with the Nordiques, and had several more stops around the NHL during the next several seasons. Who was the first Black player to top 40 goals in an NHL season? However, the team now had a new farm team, the Fredericton Express, and the organization wanted Saunders to play there. He paved the way for me. I suppressed a lot of things over the years. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tony McKegney, 1958-02-15 Montral, QC, CAN Canada. One was Saunders. "It felt like they were ripping out my heart. TM: No, not really. Of course, sports will never make us color blind, and colorblindness is not the goal. "They always came up with their hardest stuff, their elbows and what-not, and tried to punish me.". Why did you feel like that was necessary? Sabres Send Asplund to Nashville for 7th Rounder, 2023 NHL Trade Deadline: Open Thread & How To Watch. 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 appears the Sabres have made a few late deals. Tony McKegneny (c.) with his sons, Dan (l.), and Robert. 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. However, the Bills' statement does not specify that Frazi. The subtext of the situation was clear: Because I'm a Black man, there were certain things the homeowner felt like I couldn't or shouldn't do. It barely made it over the line. One of his teammates even offered to rent his apartment to Saunders, thinking he would need one since he'd be there long term. He believes the colour of his skin is part of the reason he didn't. It made me angry, made me sad. Tony McKegney (r.) with brothers Mike (l.) and Steve in front of their house in Sarnia, Ontario in 1970. Other than that, I hadnt played against another black hockey player my whole life. '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. 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. A centre, he said the way they clicked on the ice was as though they'd been playing together forever. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Reality doesn't always add up. Go inside the Hockey Reference Database. As of this date, Sue is single. Find out more. Would you like to create an account so you can see these Favourites on your other devices too? I pride myself in being maybe the first black player to play consistently in the league, McKegney said. My mindset was focused on maintaining a consistent level of play to succeed in the National Hockey League. Height, Weight & Physical Stats: Tony McKegney is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weight 90.7 kilograms. Other blacks are forward Dirk Graham of the Minnesota North Stars, goaltender Eldon Pokey Reddick and forward Paul Neufeld of the Winnipeg Jets. Thats basically what got me where I am today., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. It's something that most Black players at the time trained themselves to do, even though we shouldn't have needed to. Odds & lines subject to change. Tony McKegney's birthday is on 15-Feb-1958 and was born on Saturday. He talked about him, his brother Ian, and his mother who lives in Kincardine. Wikifamouspeople has ranked Tony McKegney as of the . There were a few other (skaters) that were sort of up and down.. [RELATED: Black History Month coverage |Hockey Is For Everyone coverage]. 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. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals . They were around five and six years old. - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) He retired from the NHL in 1991 with 320 goals and 639 points. 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. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. He played in St. Louis for two years. My older brother, Mike, was drafted in the NHL, first black player ever drafted by the Montreal Canadians. The goal is to make stereotypes disappear by making people from all backgrounds feel welcome, celebrated, and empowered on an equal playing field. As a teenager he played Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals, 77 assists) in 66 games with Kingston of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League in 1976-77 and 92 points (43 goals, 49 assists) in 55 games the following season, when he also played for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship. 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 signed with the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association, but that news generated a great deal of hate mail, etc., in the South. "I could deal with it individually, but to see my son go through it was just overwhelming.". "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. In fact, I think their parents were thinking about saying, Look, why dont you just go play soccer, because it was so bad as far as the remarks. You may have created an account with another Rogers Media account that can be used to sign in here. 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 supposed to play in the WHA for the Birmingham Bulls, but the team illegally voided his deal after fans in Alabama threatened a boycott. My first time playing against another black hockey player was probably my third year in the NHL, Grant Fuhr and Ray Neufeld. Enter your email below and we'll send you another email. He appeared in 363 regular-season games with Buffalo, putting up 127 goals and adding 141 assists. So, we laughed about it later on over a few beers. I was trying to convey something that I think is still true today: Sports can be the common denominator that brings people together. 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 197879 until 199091. McKegney needed less than a season to join Buffalo during the 1978-79 campaign. Tony McKegney is a member of famous Ice Hockey list. Some hockey portraits on this site are licensed from Images on Ice, Hockeys Photo Agency. Tony McKegney has never won a Stanley Cup as a player. 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. SN: What were the conversations like with your parents about it? It was wintertime and my dad had floodlights out there. Theres another occasion where Ray Neufeld and I got into a scuffle. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. So that support carried over all the negative stuff that happened. The funny thing is that Im starting to enjoy the game more than I ever have, he said. The second person to achieve (and ultimately surpass) this milestone? Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. Bassin knew Saunders was getting racist taunts, but said Saunders always handled it in stride and never let it get to him. Youre a great player. After scoring 36 goals for the Sabres in 1982-83, McKegney was traded to the Quebec Nordiques. 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). As of 2018 Tony McKegney is 59 years years old. 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 . All rights reserved. Approaching the All-Star break, McKegney led the club with 26 goals. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. Submit changes (incorrect DOB, missing stats, incorrect stats, social media links etc) using a web form and we will review your update request within 24 hours and update accordingly. Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32nd overall), 1978 NHL Amateur. By checking this box, I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy of Rogers Media. John Kreiser, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. And I said to myself, Geez, this is great. It was awesome to see these guys and theyre all good players. The people in our hometown of Sarnia, Ont., were so supportive through sports. All Rights Reserved. (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. My parents had three children of their own, and they adopted three children, he said. He has three 30-goal seasons. 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. 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. He would like for both to be able to remember their father in an NHL uniform. 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. SN: The numbers of black players at all levels has increased. 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. All Rights Reserved. Saunders was the third highest-scorer at training camp. He believes his call up was a reward for his performance in the minors. 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. Complete record of every goal scored or assisted by the player. It's also available for football, basketball and baseball. 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. Will the Sabres make some moves today to improve their post-season chances? 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. 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. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. Some may find that number low. Hockey-Reference utilizes Official NHL data for current NHL seasons. Tony McKegney had 639 points over his career. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. Jonathan freaked out. The next season, his agent Art Kaminsky told him that must have meant the Nordiques wanted to keep him, so he went into training camp intent on making an impression. I showed up there and I remember sitting on my adoptive mothers knee and looking out the dining room window at this ice rink. 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. And I still struggle with that to this day, with the trauma that I faced and went through. Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. So Bassin gave him that chance. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. Akim Aliu hasnt had the same ability to bounce back from his difficult treatment in the game. Do you have a sports website? Fast forward to 1987-88, and my performance in the NHL was helping to prove the stereotypes wrong. I was there in the audience watching the games, and I heard the comments that were [made about him]. I wanted to be as good as my brothers. I just pushed the stereotypes to the background and kept hockey in the forefront. 2023 Getty Images. 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. With a Premium subscription, you'll get access to over 30 tools, features and benefits. "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. 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. Hes had the most success. Hes been an All-Star. Most recently in the IHL with San Diego Gulls. 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 was told teams were interested in trading for him, but the Nordiques didn't let him go. He is 64 years old. We had a hockey rink, actually, in our back yard that my parents made each year.. Highlighting Black players throughout Buffalo Sabres history. I take my hat off to Grant. SN: How did it make you feel when you saw it? Browse 82 tony mckegney stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. 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.