I remember starting the season with 10 goals in the first 15 games and getting a lot of ice time. 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. SPORTSNET: What was your first exposure to the game of hockey? 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? Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. We only use official stats. 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. I relied on the support of my teammates who were always there for me. I loved basketball, football, baseball, golf. 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. The focus was just on playing hockey. He would like for both to be able to remember their father in an NHL uniform. On June 15, 1989, Tony was traded to the Detroit Red Wings along with Bernie Federko in exchange for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. Overall, his NHL career saw him appear in 912 regular season games and accrue 639 points. Today, were giving a quick shoutout to former Buffalo Sabres forward Justin Bailey. Buffalo was very interesting because we hung around with the football players. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. 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. The goal is to make stereotypes disappear by making people from all backgrounds feel welcome, celebrated, and empowered on an equal playing field. McKegney, while striving to help provide black youths more opportunity, will never forget the chance given him by Lowry McKegney, 70. I just felt defeated," he said. Not a lot from opposing, players, but more so from fans, that they just couldnt handle the fact that the pure white sport, was being dominated by a black kid and that was me. 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's a big deal that Grant, Willie, and now Jarome have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. Saunders said at the time, O'Ree was more of a mythical figure than anything else. 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. 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. You sort of never felt like you were different. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Tony McKegney weighed 200 lbs (90 kg) when playing. "We were so influenced by Hockey Night in Canada," he said, of himself and John. He paved the way for me. I said, "I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth. McKegney had been expected to sign with Birmingham of the World Hockey Association, but the deal fell through and he was taken by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round (No. "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.". Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. 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.". After playing for Pickering, Saunders got a full scholarship to Western Michigan University and played there for four years. 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. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 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. He was assigned to the Syracuse Firebirds, one of the Nordiques' farm teams, where he became a fan favourite. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. His first encounter with racism happened while he was playing junior hockey after his family moved to Ajax, Ont., during his senior year of high school. I was there in the audience watching the games, and I heard the comments that were [made about him]. 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. Sign up for EP Premium and verify your profile to access these benefits. I didnt talk to many people about it. 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. One was Saunders. By midseason, people started to notice. John Kreiser, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. Thats the greatest compliments Ive received from the younger people. 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. I take my hat off to Grant. My mindset was focused on maintaining a consistent level of play to succeed in the National Hockey League. 6-0 , 200lb (183cm, 90kg) Born: February 15 , 1958 (Age: 64-344d) in Montreal, Quebec ca. Go inside the Hockey Reference Database. He was released on his own recognizance by City Court. When he left, he was the all-time leading scorer. - Connect directly with players, coaches, teams, scouts and agents (optional) TM: I had several concussions, so thats not been a good scenario for me. McKegney was arrested June 23 and pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree criminal contempt on July 8, according to court records. Subscribe: bit.ly/3925J0FVisit Sabres.com for moreFollow: twitter.com/BuffaloSabresLike: facebook.com/buffalosabresF. Born 1958-02-15 in Montral, Quebec. 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. When you and your teammates compete together, practice together, eat together, and grow up together, you start to see people for who they are. 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. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. I showed up there and I remember sitting on my adoptive mother's knee and looking out the dining . My older brother, Mike, was drafted in the NHL, first black player ever drafted by the Montreal Canadians. - Improve your search rank Frequently Asked Questions about the NHL and Hockey, Subscribe to Stathead Hockey: Get your first month FREE. It's like a catch-22.". Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Year By Year Fight Totals. But Jarrett believes Saunders deserved to be there. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. He was the fifth black man to play in the league. The second person to achieve (and ultimately surpass) this milestone? My dad felt he could do something for the amount of kids that were homeless or without parents per se.. 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. - Ability to add additional data to your career profile: Videos, Images, Social Media, Referrals, Fitness Testing Results and much more! Tony McKegney is an Ice Hockey Player who was born on February 15, 1958 in Canada. Saunders scored twice in his debut, and it quickly became clear to Bassin he should have been playing at a higher level. These brave athletes are actively changing hockey culture for the better. His supporters created a fan club. Tony McKegney has never won a Stanley Cup as a player. 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. 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. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. He has no evidence, he says, but he figures race had something to do with it. It was a simple chip-in that just dribbled through the goalie's pads. We didn't recognize that password reset code. - EP Contact Book listing of your profile (optional) - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) I tried to, basically, suppress a lot of those feelings back then, and I just buried a lot of things. Don't miss out - sign up for our newsletters! The Bulls released McKegney from his contract, and he joined the Sabres as their second-round draft choice. All Rights Reserved. McKegney would remain with the Sabres through the 1982-83 season before enjoying a lengthy NHL career that took him across the United States and into Canada. As of this date, Sue is single. Its basically black children. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. And the NHL has done a great job with helping. Part one focused on diversity and race in hockey, while part two reflected back on their time with the Sabres/Amerks. Will the Sabres make some moves today to improve their post-season chances? I wanted to be the best hockey player from my hometown. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. SN: When you got to the league was it a lonely existence for you? Hes won Stanley Cups.. McKegney spent less than two years with the Nordiques, and had several more stops around the NHL during the next several seasons. Jarrett won the scoring title and says he couldn't have done it without Saunders at his side. I probably should have, and I never did that. He heard the N-word on the ice and from fans in the stands, and opponents always made sure to finish their checks on him. They're too neat; too objective. Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments. 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. SN: Was there a brotherhood among the black players in the league? There hadnt been many blacks in the NHL when he arrived, but hopefully his talent made quite a few people color-blind. 1978 round 2 #32 overall by Buffalo Sabres, OMJHL Looking back on his incredible career and contribution, McKegney shared with me the pleasure, pain and purpose hockey brought to his life. Of course, sports will never make us color blind, and colorblindness is not the goal. Tony McKegney had 320 goals over his career. The key is for him to keep working.. If my career took some pressure off of him, or anyone who looks like us, I'm very proud of that. It was wintertime and my dad had floodlights out there. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. 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. "I literally got through the game, went into this closet, and I just cried. Until we get rinks in the inner (American) cities, I dont think thats going to change.. Some hockey portraits on this site are licensed from Images on Ice, Hockeys Photo Agency. The Buffalo native was drafted by the Sabres 52nd overall in 2013 and began his pro career with the Sabres and Amerks. He is to appear in court in Belleville, Ontario, on May 18. They were there for me for the most part. 32) of the 1978 NHL Draft. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. "Everything Bernie Saunders has, he earned, in spite of [whether] there's been prejudice along the way.". 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. "I was just this shy, quiet kid in Chteauguay. He jumped to the AHL's Hershey. So Bassin gave him that chance. 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. How does that make you feel? He was told teams were interested in trading for him, but the Nordiques didn't let him go. Enter Search Term. 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. 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. Hes been an All-Star. Sabres Memories is presented by BCBSWNY. Theres another occasion where Ray Neufeld and I got into a scuffle. He was inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame in 1994. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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. "People just forget me because I didn't play. While in Chteauguay, he played for Jacques Demers, who went on to coach the Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens. But hockey was a window of opportunity because we saw people from our area making it. From the time he was in the crib, Jonathan was obsessed with the sport, and so he followed in his father's footsteps. Then the Buffalo Braves were there, the basketball team.
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