Tony McKegney

Tony Syiid McKegney (born February 15, 1958 in Montreal, Quebec) is a retired Canadian professional player, who played thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League from 1978–79 until 1990–91.

Career
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.

McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. At age twenty, McKegney signed a contract with the now defunct World Hockey Association’s (WHA) team in Birmingham, just 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 However, the WHA’s loss became the NHL’s gain, as McKegney would go on to score over 300 career goals, including 40 in the 1987-88 season. His total of 78 points in the same season would remain the highest ever recorded by a black player until Jarome Iginla’s breakout 2001-2002 campaign. He registered eight 20-goal seasons in a career that lasted over 900 games.

After finishing the 1990-91 with the Chicago Blackhawks, McKegney would spend a season in Italy with AS Varese, as well as three games with the Canadian National Team. He would play 23 games with the San Diego Gulls in 1992-93 before retiring.

Achievements and awards

 * OMJHL First All-Star Team (1977)
 * OMJHL Second All-Star Team (1978)