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. Do you have a sports website? The McKegney brothers (l-r), Mike, Tony, Ian and friends on their backyard rink in Sarnia, Ontario in 1962. They were around five and six years old. The funny thing is that Im starting to enjoy the game more than I ever have, he said. 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. Hockey players like Akim Aliu, Mark Fraser, and Matt Dumba are just a few of the guys using their voice in meaningful ways. Because you never forget scoring 40 in one year. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney. Relatives: Brother Ian McKegney. Halls contract with the Bills had expired, although left unanswered is whether the team made an effort to retain him or Hall simply was rea. 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. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Hes been an All-Star. And I know they weren't alone in their thoughts. So that support carried over all the negative stuff that happened. Tony McKegney was born in Montreal, Canada. Position: LW Shoots: Left. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. But Jarrett believes Saunders deserved to be there. He learned to fight, to defend himself, but mainly he tried to keep scoring. 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. (Tony McKegney, the fourth black player, debuted in 1978). I always said that the game is tough enough as it is just trying to survive and make it outside of having that stuff on the sidelines. McKegney vividly recalls the support from his parents - Lowry McKegney, a retired chemist, and Cathy McKegney. Right before he went to college, Mike Marson and Bill Riley, the second and third black men in the NHL, made their debuts. A t-shirt with this logo is available for purchase here, with a portion of proceeds going to Breaking Barriers. When he left, he was the all-time leading scorer. Complete record of every goal scored or assisted by the player. Most recently in the IHL with San Diego Gulls. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. NHL Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. So, for me, there were just so many good influences. Early Life and Family: Education: Tony McKegney Net Worth: 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.". 710K subscribers Tony McKegney is one of the pioneers of breaking the colour barrier within the NHL. Years later, I found out I was one of the reasons why. Tony McKegneny (c.) with his sons, Dan (l.), and Robert. It barely made it over the line. His older brother John was the first to lace up skates. . Tony McKegney is a member of famous Ice Hockey list. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. TM: Everything. 1978 round 2 #32 overall by Buffalo Sabres, OMJHL And I said to myself, Geez, this is great. It was awesome to see these guys and theyre all good players. - EP Contact Book listing of your profile (optional) It certainly didn't add up when I was moving to St. Louis before the start of the season. The key is for him to keep working.. SN: How has it impacted you as youve moved on from the game? Audience Relations, CBC P.O. 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 always loved the game, but I didn't see myself reflected in it. If my career took some pressure off of him, or anyone who looks like us, I'm very proud of that. I think his biggest value to our club has been his ability to score, Blues coach Jacques Martin said. But I know my brother took a lot more abuse than I did because I saw it. 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. Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. SN: When you got to the league was it a lonely existence for you? 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. TM: I knew John because we were teammates, we were roommates, and it seemed out of character for him. I don't talk much about the taunts and racial slurs I faced in youth and minor hockey. Tony McKegney I remember the reporter asking me about growing up in a town where there were only two Black families among 50,000 people. He jumped to the AHLs Hershey Bears and then the Sabres, making his NHL debut in the 1978-79 season. 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 *} Take control of your EliteProspects profile! Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Reality doesn't always add up. So, there was a lot of black athletes in town in Buffalo. Sue maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Daniel Mckegney, Daniel Mckegney, Marilynn Habberfie, Roger Habberfield and Tony Mckegney. The next day, the other team's coach called to apologize for what had happened, which Saunders found promising a sign that things were changing, albeit slowly. And that was the Buffalo Sabres. Saunders decided that was it. There isnt enough recent news in your lineup. Dont forget to read the Q&A we did with several Black players who spent time with the Buffalo Sabres organization. Buffalo was very interesting because we hung around with the football players. 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. Will the Sabres make some moves today to improve their post-season chances? As part of the NHL's celebration of Black History Month, NHL.com will highlight great moments and important figures in black hockey history each day throughout February. Tony McKegney had 320 goals over his career. Overall, his NHL career saw him appear in 912 regular season games and accrue 639 points. He has no evidence, he says, but he figures race had something to do with it. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. 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. As of 2018 Tony McKegney is 59 years years old. TM: I remember mentioning to Grant Fuhr, it mightve been an All-Star Game or something, I said, Youre lucky. There were a few other (skaters) that were sort of up and down.. After leaving the NHL, he had a long, successful career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. I ignored that coach, of course. Buffalo looks to bounce back with a clean slate against another tough team. 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. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. When you and your teammates compete together, practice together, eat together, and grow up together, you start to see people for who they are. I feel for them all and support them unequivocally. 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. From the time he was in the crib, Jonathan was obsessed with the sport, and so he followed in his father's footsteps. Subscribe: bit.ly/3925J0FVisit Sabres.com for moreFollow: twitter.com/BuffaloSabresLike: facebook.com/buffalosabresF. Tony McKegney had 639 points over his career. Important: An official team/league url or a team document must be provided for us to update player stats. He is vaguely aware of the recent push to change hockey culture. His point production dropped off, but he was still eventually called up to the big club. Saunders was sent back to the minors, without any explanation. He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. Tony McKegney weighed 200 lbs (90 kg) when playing. An error has occurred while trying to update your details. If you said Tony McKegney, you are correct. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Height, Weight & Physical Stats: Tony McKegney is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weight 90.7 kilograms. Unlimited access for the whole family until Feb 21. . While in Fredericton, he says the coach told him he may play a couple dozen games at the NHL level, but his main role would be to tutor the other players. And the support I got from teammates just carried me through some difficult situations. Lightning. 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. And there was a ton of it, ugly stuff. With St. Louis, a team decimated this season by injuries, his presence has been more valued than ever was expected. Enter your email address to get a new one. Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. The conversation about black players in hockey is often a binary one even during Black History Month. (approx 1 - 2 per week). of 1 Saunders was born in Montreal in 1956. He is not dating anyone. 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. Saunders says it's tremendous. At age 5, I started playing organized hockey. Its just something I never envisioned when I was growing up seeing five black hockey players playing in the same game. SPORTSNET: What was your first exposure to the game of hockey? 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. And I followed the advice that the great Willie O'Ree has given so many times: channel your energy into lighting the red light. It's not the 40 goals I scored. Only once has he played in fewer than 60 of the regular season's 80 games. "We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". Don't miss out - sign up for our newsletters! 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). "Tony McKegney showed me it was possible for someone like me to play in the NHL," future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla said in author Cecil Harris' book, "Breaking The Ice, The Black Experience in Professional Hockey." "He set the example. I tried to, basically, suppress a lot of those feelings back then, and I just buried a lot of things. 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. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. He played six games and didn't score, but played well. 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. 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. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. A centre, he said the way they clicked on the ice was as though they'd been playing together forever. Thats basically what got me where I am today., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. There was nothing special about the goal. Jarrett won the scoring title and says he couldn't have done it without Saunders at his side. The Buffalo native was drafted by the Sabres 52nd overall in 2013 and began his pro career with the Sabres and Amerks. Sign up for EP Premium and verify your profile to access these benefits. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 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. SN: Trevor Daley went through a difficult, racially insensitive experience with John Vanbiesbrouck. - Verification Badge on your profile, Post a scouting report/trivia/player comment in English (visible here). Sorry we could not verify that email address. Youre a great player. Most historical data provided by Dan Diamond and Associates. Get access to our unique free agency lists and many more premium features. He went to New Brunswick, feeling discouraged but not ready to give up. We celebrate Willie ORee, the first black player in the NHL, and maybe mention Mike Marson, who was the second, then the conversation shifts all the way to the unprecedented diversity we see in the game today. "It was just time. So, I reached out. Sabres Host Lightning in Saturday Matinee. Obviously, I know Im on the back 9 - if you want to compare it to golf. The more hockey lives up to those ideals, the better we'll all be. 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. 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 says he has moved on. He was a 4x 30-goal scorer and set career highs in 1988 with 40 goals and 78 points. We present them here for purely educational purposes. 32) of the 1978 NHL Draft. Tony McKegney has never won a Stanley Cup as a player. "They always came up with their hardest stuff, their elbows and what-not, and tried to punish me.". Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. You may have created an account with another Rogers Media account that can be used to sign in here. 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. I was too timid to talk to a girl. These brave athletes are actively changing hockey culture for the better. During his first stint in Quebec, he played for the team until December 14, 1984 when he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars along with Bo Berglund in exchange for Brad Maxwell and Brent Ashton. Akim Aliu hasnt had the same ability to bounce back from his difficult treatment in the game. SN: How did it make you feel when you saw it? The goal is to make stereotypes disappear by making people from all backgrounds feel welcome, celebrated, and empowered on an equal playing field. Born 1958-02-15 in Montral, Quebec. He paved the way for me. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to your inbox! 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. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. Im sure it affected me. I just had this conversation with one of my former teammates, and he said, We just treated you like one of us brothers.. "It felt like they were ripping out my heart. SN: Trevor was able to persevere. I was scared to say a peep in class. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Caught off balance, his foot went flying in the air. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. But it wasn't to be. - Connect directly with players, coaches, teams, scouts and agents (optional) I've always considered it a great compliment to play a small part in Jarome's story. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. 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) "I was incredulous. We use cookies to improve your experience. He retired from the NHL in 1991 with 320 goals and 639 points. When he was still a toddler, his family moved to the Toronto area. 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. 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. Gambling problem? Hockey made me gave me all the confidence in the world.". Please contact us. 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. But I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth. On June 15, 1989, Tony was traded to the Detroit Red Wings along with Bernie Federko in exchange for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. TM: I liked all sports. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. But he was reassigned to the minors. by Before Jarome was an NHL superstar and represented Canada in three Olympics, he was just like every other Canadian kid playing ball hockey in the school yard -- except he stood out for looking different than the 'typical' hockey player. Tony McKegney was born on February 15, 1958. Things just felt right that year. And my teammates treated me like I was not any different than anybody. You have permission to edit this article. Well give you the latest news when it becomes available, or feel free to add some more selections to My Favourites. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. He says he doesn't watch much anymore. * Some data is missing to provide a correct summary. That is a great start and I am looking forward to rooting for the Black players drafted in the past few years who are going to carry on this legacy. 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. Brent Jarrett played with him in Kalamazoo, Mich.,that season. Showing Editorial results for sabres tony mckegney. Saunders scored twice in his debut, and it quickly became clear to Bassin he should have been playing at a higher level. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. 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. Saunders spent most of his career thinking he was the only black player out there. He would play 23 games with the San Diego Gulls in 1992-93 before retiring. 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. 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. It was like, all the emotions from my career, my life: it was too much for me," the elder Saunders said. 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. Get all the latest stats, news, videos and more on Tony McKegney Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. I just tried to shut everything else out. Brother: Ian McKegney Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Comments are welcome while open. Hes had the most success. 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. My mindset was focused on maintaining a consistent level of play to succeed in the National Hockey League. He was released on his own recognizance by City Court. They started out with walker-type things out on the ice, and then they graduated to the point where they were scrimmaging, McKegney said. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! {{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. Then he was dealt to the Nordiques in a massive swap involving Quebecs Real Cloutier. "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. One of his teammates even offered to rent his apartment to Saunders, thinking he would need one since he'd be there long term. 6-0 , 200lb (183cm, 90kg) Born: February 15 , 1958 (Age: 64-344d) in Montreal, Quebec ca. All Rights Reserved. One referee, trying to break up the scuffle, grabbed Jonathan from behind. 8 9 25 25 10 7 14 11. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. 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. Taking into account various assets, Sue's net worth is greater than $50,000 - $99,999; and makes between $20 - 29,999 a year. 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. / Special to NHL.com, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. Back in 1988, I'm not sure if I realized what it really meant. They were there for me for the most part. All Rights Reserved. Want to more about Him? McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. 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. It's like a catch-22.". But I always wanted to be, and knew I could be, a dominant player. He scored a goal in that game and got a standing ovation from the crowd. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) All rights reserved. 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. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. "I literally got through the game, went into this closet, and I just cried. McKegney was born in Montreal and adopted by a white family in Sarnia. McKegney scored 31 goals in 1986-87, 29 of them after being traded to the New York Rangers. Former NHL forward Tony McKegney has been charged with impaired driving on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. And the NHL has done a great job with helping. Tony McKegney player profile, stats and championships. People weren't used to seeing a Black player succeed on the ice. 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 was a role model." Embed from Getty Images Getty Images Sport Graig Abel The coach noticed Saunderscrying in the stands, wanting to be with John, and invited him to play, too. However, the Bills' statement does not specify that Frazi. 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. As of this date, Sue is single. Tony McKegney (front, second from r.) and his Sarnia Bees teammates of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League in 1973. There have been 93 black players in the NHL. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Hes won Stanley Cups.. He is 64 years old. That was my first exposure, to have a hockey rink in my backyard. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned.