If I could be half the man my father was, Id be doing pretty well, he said. 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. People had a certain amount of respect for us athletically.. With a Premium subscription, you'll get access to over 30 tools, features and benefits. My dad felt he could do something for the amount of kids that were homeless or without parents per se.. 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. Lightning | Game 61, Sabres Acquire Jordan Greenway, Austin Strand. "They always came up with their hardest stuff, their elbows and what-not, and tried to punish me.". He believes the colour of his skin is part of the reason he didn't. 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 player profile, stats and championships. I don't talk much about the taunts and racial slurs I faced in youth and minor hockey. We present them here for purely educational purposes. McKegney needed less than a season to join Buffalo during the 1978-79 campaign. Years later, I found out I was one of the reasons why. Want to more about Him? He was told teams were interested in trading for him, but the Nordiques didn't let him go. Tony McKegney Net Worth, Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Wiki-Bio, Family Jets, Hockey Night in Canada: Maple Leafs vs. Canucks on Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada: Oilers vs. Boards and the whole thing. I ignored that coach, of course. Things just felt right that year. He was a 4x 30-goal scorer and set career highs in 1988 with 40 . This is especially true for a sport like hockey, where community, respect, and teamwork have always been important values. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. It seemed very normal to me, and no one in our neighborhood or city really treated us any different, he said. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). 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. And I said to myself, Geez, this is great. It was awesome to see these guys and theyre all good players. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. And between the benches, one of the guys said it would be termed as a black-on-black crime. While in Chteauguay, he played for Jacques Demers, who went on to coach the Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens. The hockey portion and the support from teammates and my parents and other hockey parents all the way along got me through it. All Rights Reserved. Take control of your EliteProspects profile! Saunders, a right-winger, played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques in 1979-80 and 1980-81. When I came along, obviously there were comments made, but I was so focused on what was happening on the ice. It was my 10th season in the League, and I'd gotten more comfortable over time. Saunders scored twice in his debut, and it quickly became clear to Bassin he should have been playing at a higher level. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. As of 2018 Tony McKegney is 59 years years old. Will the Sabres make some moves today to improve their post-season chances? {{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. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. But Jarrett believes Saunders deserved to be there. 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. Tony McKegney McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont. Do you have a sports website? Tony McKegney Net Worth, Age, Bio, Birthday, Height, Facts But I know my brother took a lot more abuse than I did because I saw it. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals . The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. "Everything Bernie Saunders has, he earned, in spite of [whether] there's been prejudice along the way.". He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. That's how good he was.". 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). He played six games and didn't score, but played well. The focus was just on playing hockey. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Tony McKegney Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family Some hockey portraits on this site are licensed from Images on Ice, Hockeys Photo Agency. 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. I know there werent very many [black players]. TM: It just made me want to be better. "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.". TM: Its wonderful. I feel that I had a pretty good upbringing. 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. Former NHL star McKegney conflicted by USA Hockey hiring of McKegney spent less than two years with the Nordiques, and had several more stops around the NHL during the next several seasons. Part one focused on diversity and race in hockey, while part two reflected back on their time with the Sabres/Amerks. I pride myself in being maybe the first black player to play consistently in the league, McKegney said. He is 64 years old. Other than that, I hadnt played against another black hockey player my whole life. Tony McKegney | NHL Wiki | Fandom He believes his call up was a reward for his performance in the minors. The second person to achieve (and ultimately surpass) this milestone? At age 5, I started playing organized hockey. We had a hockey rink, actually, in our back yard that my parents made each year.. Tony McKegney had 320 goals over his career. Tony played for the Buffalo Sabres for 5 years until June 8, 1983 when he was traded to the Quebec Nordiques along with Andre Savard, Jean-Francois Sauve and Buffalo's third-round choice in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Real Cloutier and Quebec's first-round pick in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. Saunders was part of a wave of black players who debuted after Willie O'Ree became the first black player in the National Hockey League in 1958. Today we look at former NHL forward Tony McKegney. It can be difficult to talk about how those views affect you as a person. When the last road trip started, I thought about how meaningful it would be to end the season with a goal total that was a round number. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. There hadnt been many blacks in the NHL when he arrived, but hopefully his talent made quite a few people color-blind. You get one kick at the can, as they say, in life. Former Sabres player charged for violating order of protection Search instead in Creative? Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32nd overall), 1978 NHL Amateur. He was the fifth black man to play in the league. TM: He brought up a lot of memories for me, ugly memories. 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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. 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 certainly didn't add up when I was moving to St. Louis before the start of the season. 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. The more hockey lives up to those ideals, the better we'll all be. But hockey was a window of opportunity because we saw people from our area making it. It saddens me to hear the accounts of the current crop of Black players and other players of color that are still facing the same obstacles and ugly behavior that I encountered when I was their age. Enter Search Term. How does that make you feel? Hockey made me gave me all the confidence in the world.". 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. Reality doesn't always add up. Coming into the next season, he thought he was a shoo-in to make the team. 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. 1989-1990 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (1) 1987-1988 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (4) 1986-1987 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (1) 1985-1986 Postseason Fight Card NHL (2) 1983-1984 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (1) Lightning. 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. McKegney still does alumni work for the Sabres and Red Wings. All rights reserved. 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. He is a member of famous with the age 63 years old group. 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). Tony McKegney was bom in Montreal, Quebec, in February of 1958 to a Nigerian father and Canadian mother. Sabres Host Lightning in Saturday Matinee. 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. 2023 Getty Images. 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. We use cookies to improve your experience. Brother: Ian McKegney
However, the Bills' statement does not specify that Frazi. 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. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to your inbox! "People just forget me because I didn't play. McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. McKegney was the first Black Canadian hockey player to make an impact in the NHL. I didnt talk to many people about it. Willie [ORee] had a good thing. I tried to, basically, suppress a lot of those feelings back then, and I just buried a lot of things. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Complete record of every goal scored or assisted by the player. 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. He has three 30-goal seasons. - EP Contact Book listing of your profile (optional) Saunders says Demers is one of the people who taught him the work ethic and discipline that carried him until he lost his enthusiasm for the game. Obviously, I know Im on the back 9 - if you want to compare it to golf. After playing for Pickering, Saunders got a full scholarship to Western Michigan University and played there for four years. It made me angry, made me sad. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Or write about sports? "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. "We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". Tony McKegney - QuantHockey Most historical data provided by Dan Diamond and Associates. BIOGRAPHY. Then he was dealt to the Nordiques in a massive swap involving Quebecs Real Cloutier. Akim Aliu hasnt had the same ability to bounce back from his difficult treatment in the game. Odds & lines subject to change. 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. 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. Continue reading to discover who is Tony McKegney. Sign up for EP Premium and verify your profile to access these benefits. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. He retired from the NHL in 1991 with 320 goals and 639 points. Buffalo was very interesting because we hung around with the football players. So that support carried over all the negative stuff that happened. "I could deal with it individually, but to see my son go through it was just overwhelming.". Tony McKegney has never won a Stanley Cup as a player. of 1 He is to appear in court in Belleville, Ontario, on May 18. 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. An error has occurred while trying to update your details. The funny thing is that Im starting to enjoy the game more than I ever have, he said. Pioneers like Willie O'Ree, Angela James and Grant Fuhr will be featured. He scored a goal in that game and got a standing ovation from the crowd. Join our linker program. But while Saunders was playing the role of helping others, he believes the Habs didn't really have any incentive to help him, since the team had its own players to develop. 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. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. He jumped to the AHLs Hershey Bears and then the Sabres, making his NHL debut in the 1978-79 season. Amateur Teams: Kingston Canadians. Still, I'd been thinking about that particular goal mark for a while. They were playing Ottawa and there were five black players in the game on the two teams combined. Thats the greatest compliments Ive received from the younger people. Overall, his NHL career saw him appear in 912 regular season games and accrue 639 points. 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. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). He is vaguely aware of the recent push to change hockey culture. Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. 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. 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. One was Saunders. The Bulls released McKegney from his contract, and he joined the Sabres as their second-round draft choice. Tony was adopted by the McKegney family when he was an infant. It's also available for football, basketball and baseball. But he was reassigned to the minors. During my career, I know I tried my hardest not to think about them at all. Tony McKegney Tells His Story of How He Came to Buffalo | Sabres I just felt defeated," he said. 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. While in Minnesota, he joined the late John Mariucci and Cal Peterson to form an inner-city hockey league for youths. 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. Showing Editorial results for sabres tony mckegney. Forward Born Feb 15 1958 -- Montreal, PQ [65 yrs. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney A year later, the left winger was ready to join the pros. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. 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.