In Tony's second stint in Quebec, he played in 98 games for the team until January 29, 1991 when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Jacques Cloutier. Bernie Saunders played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques, but he and others say his career would have been longer if he wasnt black. And obviously we watched the games, the Leafs and the Red Wings on TV back in the six-team league. 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. Saunders, 63, who now lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has since retired and written a book about his life. - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) Saunders says it's tremendous. And I said to myself, Geez, this is great. It was awesome to see these guys and theyre all good players. "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. Go inside the Hockey Reference Database. This is especially true for a sport like hockey, where community, respect, and teamwork have always been important values. If my career took some pressure off of him, or anyone who looks like us, I'm very proud of that. * Some data is missing to provide a correct summary. 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. 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. These brave athletes are actively changing hockey culture for the better. Buy his book. We had a hockey rink, actually, in our back yard that my parents made each year.. Transaction information may be incomplete. Sherry Bassin, 80, is a former junior hockey executive and another person who helped shape Saunders as a hockey player and a person. 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 . He has three 30-goal seasons. TM: I heard some stories about the tough guys like George Laraque, Peter Worrell and Donald Brashear, and apparently it was absolutely brutal for those guys in Quebec. Then the Buffalo Braves were there, the basketball team. When he was still a toddler, his family moved to the Toronto area. All rights reserved. NHL Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. McKegney was born in Montreal and adopted by a white family in Sarnia. Comments are welcome while open. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). So I found myself focused on a number, 40, throughout the last stretch of games. I think his biggest value to our club has been his ability to score, Blues coach Jacques Martin said. And I followed the advice that the great Willie O'Ree has given so many times: channel your energy into lighting the red light. Tony McKegney (front, second from r.) and his Sarnia Bees teammates of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League in 1973. We present them here for purely educational purposes. 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. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). 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. 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. "It felt like they were ripping out my heart. Showing Editorial results for sabres tony mckegney. Fast forward to 1987-88, and my performance in the NHL was helping to prove the stereotypes wrong. We've sent an email with instructions to create a new password. 710K subscribers Tony McKegney is one of the pioneers of breaking the colour barrier within the NHL. 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. 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. So, we laughed about it later on over a few beers. So, for me, there were just so many good influences. People had a certain amount of respect for us athletically.". Then he was dealt to the Nordiques in a massive swap involving Quebecs Real Cloutier. There weren't many black players in the junior league at the time. Buffalo was very interesting because we hung around with the football players. It barely made it over the line. My mindset was focused on maintaining a consistent level of play to succeed in the National Hockey League. Obviously, I know Im on the back 9 - if you want to compare it to golf. Things just felt right that year. And I still struggle with that to this day, with the trauma that I faced and went through. TM: We never really talked about it much. Brent Jarrett played with him in Kalamazoo, Mich.,that season. 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. 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. Pioneers like Willie O'Ree, Angela James and Grant Fuhr will be featured. The things he went through were things I experienced in my time. 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. 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. Highlighting Black players throughout Buffalo Sabres history. I probably should have, and I never did that. Height, Weight & Physical Stats: Tony McKegney is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weight 90.7 kilograms. 2023 Getty Images. 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. Instead, he was drafted 32nd-overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 1978 and went on to score over 320 goals. McKegney, while striving to help provide black youths more opportunity, will never forget the chance given him by Lowry McKegney, 70. Next, select your favourite teams and leagues and well show you their latest news and scores in the My Favourites section of the home page. SN: What were the conversations like between you and your brother about the abuse he faced? (Tony McKegney, the fourth black player, debuted in 1978). I feel for them all and support them unequivocally. McKegney was selected 32nd overall in 1978 after scoring 92 points with the Kingston Canadians. (Tony McKegney, the fourth black player, debuted in 1978). Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 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. On June 15, 1989, Tony was traded to the Detroit Red Wings along with Bernie Federko in exchange for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. But Jarrett believes Saunders deserved to be there. Tony McKegneny (c.) with his sons, Dan (l.), and Robert. 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. Tony McKegney has not been elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Take control of your EliteProspects profile! Saunders was sent back to the minors, without any explanation. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. The conversation about black players in hockey is often a binary one even during Black History Month. 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 could deal with it individually, but to see my son go through it was just overwhelming.". Tony currently does periodic work on behalf of the Red Wings Alumni Association and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team. Saunders says he is happy and has had a good life, thanks in large part to the sport that broke his heart. 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. There were three future Hall of Famers who made us all better. But hockey was a window of opportunity because we saw people from our area making it. I was scared to say a peep in class. It certainly didn't add up when I was moving to St. Louis before the start of the season. A centre, he said the way they clicked on the ice was as though they'd been playing together forever. It's the kind of impact that wins, losses, and point totals can't capture. But it wasn't to be. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. He paved the way for me. If you said Tony McKegney, you are correct. He has no evidence, he says, but he figures race had something to do with it. Hes won Stanley Cups.. . Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Want to more about Him? Even now, when I tell the story of the 1987-1988 season, I use a lot of numbers to explain why the season turned out so special. 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. Unlimited access for the whole family until Feb 21. . Tony was adopted by the McKegney family when he was an infant. 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. Its basically black children. Enter Search Term. 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. Customize your lineup with your favourite leagues and teams. "They always came up with their hardest stuff, their elbows and what-not, and tried to punish me.". Right before he went to college, Mike Marson and Bill Riley, the second and third black men in the NHL, made their debuts. One of his teammates even offered to rent his apartment to Saunders, thinking he would need one since he'd be there long term. I take my hat off to Grant. Please contact us. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Statistics of Tony McKegney, a hockey player from Montreal, PQ born Feb 15 1958 who was active from 1973 to 1993. Lightning. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Until we get rinks in the inner (American) cities, I dont think thats going to change.. And the NHL has done a great job with helping. Boards and the whole thing. Customize your Sportsnet lineup for the latest news from your favourite leagues and teams. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Born: February 15,1958 inMontreal,Quebec ca, Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32ndoverall), 1978NHLAmateur. I dont have any theory why Tony has played with so many teams. "I could not imagine [why] this guy wasn't given a better opportunity," Bassin said. 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. So that support carried over all the negative stuff that happened. It was never published. 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. And my teammates treated me like I was not any different than anybody. Tony sun sign is Aquarius and his birth flower is Violet & Primrose. Saunders spent most of his career thinking he was the only black player out there. I was trying to convey something that I think is still true today: Sports can be the common denominator that brings people together. Saunders said at the time, O'Ree was more of a mythical figure than anything else. He says he has moved on. *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. I loved basketball, football, baseball, golf. - Connect directly with players, coaches, teams, scouts and agents (optional) Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Most historical data provided by Dan Diamond and Associates. So I did the only thing I could do: I focused on perseverance. Season Players Videos. Sabres Memories is presented by BCBSWNY. It was a simple chip-in that just dribbled through the goalie's pads. TM: He brought up a lot of memories for me, ugly memories. Jarome told me that he felt comfortable at the school yard because he could point to me and say, "Look, Tony McKegney's playing in the NHL.". Search instead in Creative? "I was incredulous. Like I said, numbers never tell the whole story. He talked about him, his brother Ian, and his mother who lives in Kincardine. Caught off balance, his foot went flying in the air. Sabres Send Asplund to Nashville for 7th Rounder, 2023 NHL Trade Deadline: Open Thread & How To Watch.
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