tony mckegney family

Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Data Provided By After scoring eight goals in 52 games as a rookie in 1978-79, he scored 23 in his second NHL season 37 in 1980-81. 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. I suppressed a lot of things over the years. 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 Buffalo native was drafted by the Sabres 52nd overall in 2013 and began his pro career with the Sabres and Amerks. I was too timid to talk to a girl. The McKegney brothers (l-r), Mike, Tony, Ian and friends on their backyard rink in Sarnia, Ontario in 1962. Amateur Teams: Kingston Canadians. 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. He was inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame in 1994. John Kreiser, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. 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. So, for me, there were just so many good influences. The second person to achieve (and ultimately surpass) this milestone? As a teenager he played Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. Lightning. Im sure it affected me. So that support carried over all the negative stuff that happened. One house seemed perfect for me and my wife, Sue. SN: What were the conversations like between you and your brother about the abuse he faced? 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. 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. Oilers' Mike Green out three to four weeks with knee injury, Islanders re-assign Josh Ho-Sang to Blues' AHL affiliate. All Rights Reserved. But sometimes it comes back to haunt you. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The sport that Saunders loved so much, the sport he says shaped him into the person he has become, has also broken his heart many times. That's how good he was.". It was never published. And I followed the advice that the great Willie O'Ree has given so many times: channel your energy into lighting the red light. So, we laughed about it later on over a few beers. Enter your email address to get a new one. 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. Its just something I never envisioned when I was growing up seeing five black hockey players playing in the same game. Bernie Saunders played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques, but he and others say his career would have been longer if he wasnt black. After scoring 36 goals for the Sabres in 1982-83, McKegney was traded to the Quebec Nordiques. 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. He played in St. Louis for two years. Only once has he played in fewer than 60 of the regular seasons 80 games. "We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". While in Chteauguay, he played for Jacques Demers, who went on to coach the Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens. The goal is to make stereotypes disappear by making people from all backgrounds feel welcome, celebrated, and empowered on an equal playing field. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. He vowed his sons would never play, but his eldest, Jonathan, had other plans. 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. Sabres Host Lightning in Saturday Matinee. Brent Jarrett played with him in Kalamazoo, Mich.,that season. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. "I believe if he wasn't a black individual he would have played [more] in the NHL. 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. *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. Of his 13 years in the NHL, he spent the most time with the Sabres. There were three future Hall of Famers who made us all better. His supporters created a fan club. Then the Buffalo Braves were there, the basketball team. Look, there's a Black player who did what some people said he couldn't. I just felt defeated," he said. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Enter your email below and we'll send you another email. I've always considered it a great compliment to play a small part in Jarome's story. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. 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. My first time playing against another black hockey player was probably my third year in the NHL, Grant Fuhr and Ray Neufeld. It's the kind of impact that wins, losses, and point totals can't capture. Will the Sabres make some moves today to improve their post-season chances? SN: The numbers of black players at all levels has increased. Other than that, I hadnt played against another black hockey player my whole life. It appears the Sabres have made a few late deals. 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. It was like, all the emotions from my career, my life: it was too much for me," the elder Saunders said. TM: Its wonderful. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. I guess, if you could say, the guy thats done the best is probably Grant Fuhr, McKegney said of the Edmonton goalie. Sue maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Daniel Mckegney, Daniel Mckegney, Marilynn Habberfie, Roger Habberfield and Tony Mckegney. He learned to fight, to defend himself, but mainly he tried to keep scoring. 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. The funny thing is that Im starting to enjoy the game more than I ever have, he said. 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 *} Wikifamouspeople has ranked Tony McKegney as of the . My mother and father -- who adopted me from an orphanage in Montreal, and who happen to be white -- built a hockey rink in our backyard every winter, where I'd skate with my siblings. The year after he graduated, he had offers from a few teams. Part one focused on diversity and race in hockey, while part two reflected back on their time with the Sabres/Amerks. 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. A year later, the left winger was ready to join the pros. Most recently in the IHL with San Diego Gulls. I just tried to shut everything else out. Tony McKegney Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Hes won Stanley Cups.. Theres another occasion where Ray Neufeld and I got into a scuffle. (approx 1 - 2 per week). He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. It seemed very normal to me, and no one in our neighborhood or city really treated us any different, he said. "It felt like they were ripping out my heart. Tony McKegney erased any doubt that a black player could be a prominent goal-scorer in the NHL. 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. It's also available for football, basketball and baseball. They're too neat; too objective. McKegney, while striving to help provide black youths more opportunity, will never forget the chance given him by Lowry McKegney, 70. 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. Sabres Memories is presented by BCBSWNY. He even scored 40 goals for St. Louis in 1987-88. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tony McKegney, 1958-02-15 Montral, QC, CAN Canada. Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32nd overall), 1978 NHL Amateur. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. 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. "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. And between the benches, one of the guys said it would be termed as a black-on-black crime. "They always came up with their hardest stuff, their elbows and what-not, and tried to punish me.". 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. We were all set to move, until the homeowner told us there was a problem: They didn't want to rent to us once they found out we were a biracial couple. Saunders said at the time, O'Ree was more of a mythical figure than anything else. Sign up for EP Premium and verify your profile to access these benefits. After playing for Pickering, Saunders got a full scholarship to Western Michigan University and played there for four years. / Special to NHL.com, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. There hadnt been many blacks in the NHL when he arrived, but hopefully his talent made quite a few people color-blind. 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. SN: When you got to the league was it a lonely existence for you? You sort of never felt like you were different. Sherry Bassin, 80, is a former junior hockey executive and another person who helped shape Saunders as a hockey player and a person. 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.