Jim McKenny
| Jim McKenny | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 1, 1946 Ottawa, ON, CAN |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) |
| Position | Defence |
| Shot | Right |
| Played for | Toronto Maple Leafs Minnesota North Stars, Tulsa Oilers (CPHL), Rochester Americans (AHL), Vancouver Canucks (WHL) |
| NHL Draft | 17th overall, 1963 Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Playing career | 1965–1979 |
James Claude "Howie" McKenny (born December 1, 1946 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a retired NHL defenceman and a sports reporter for the Citytv television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He played 604 games between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota North Stars. His nickname 'Howie' came from his resemblance to Howie Young. McKenny once said "Half the game is mental, the other half is being mental".
Contents |
[edit] Junior career
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This section requires expansion with: Early life. |
Jim McKenny was born in Ottawa and he moved to Toronto as a child. McKenny's personal life and career was disrupted by bouts of alcoholism developed during his teen-age years.[1] McKenny played with the Neil McNeil Maroons of the Metro Junior A league in 1962–63. When the league folded in 1963, McKenny transferred to the Ontario Hockey Association's Toronto Marlboros, who won the Memorial Cup in 1964. As a junior, McKenny was considered the second-best defenceman prospect after Bobby Orr.[1]
[edit] Pro career
He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round of the 1963 NHL Amateur Draft, 17th Overall. He was called up from the Marlies to play 2 games with the Leafs in the 1965–66 season. He was given two other opportunities to make the Leafs team in 1966-67 during their successful run for the Stanley Cup and the following season, but only played a total of eleven games. He was not promoted to the Maple Leafs for several years, attributed to a poor attitude, possibly his alcoholism[1] and his antipathy towards the high-pressure style of coach and GM Punch Imlach.[2] He played in the minor leagues for the Tulsa Oilers (CPHL), the Rochester Americans (AHL), and the Vancouver Canucks (WHL). McKenny and Don Cherry were roommates when on the road with the Rochester Americans.
He finally made the Toronto Maple Leafs on a full-time basis in 1969–70, after Imlach was no longer with the organization, and became one of the Leaf's top defensmen for eight seasons. As of 2008, McKenny has the fourth-highest points total for Leafs defencemen, after Börje Salming, Tim Horton and Ian Turnbull, notching 327 points (81 goals, 246 assists) in 594 games. He was paired frequently with former Marlboro team-mate Brian Glennie as his offensive skills complemented the hard-hitting, defense-oriented Glennie. In 1974 McKenny played in the NHL All-Star Game. In 1971 he appeared in the movie "Face-Off" as the skating stand-in for Art Hindle.
McKenny was sent down to the Central Hockey League's Dallas Black Hawks for the 1977–78 season. Despite the demotion he was named to the CHL's Second All-Star Team. In May 1978 he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars for whom he played only ten games before retiring from the NHL. He played one season in Europe for Swiss and French teams before retiring from hockey.
[edit] Retirement
After hockey, McKenny returned to Toronto and he entered the broadcasting industry first selling advertising, and later doing colour commentary for Italian-Canadian games on a local cable station. He also worked as a male model. He joined CityTV as a sports reporter and later a sports anchorman on the dinner-hour sportscasts. At the end of the sports segment Gord Martineau usually refers to McKenny's by his nickname "Howie". While on vacation in 2002, McKenny suffered a heart attack but fully recovered.[1]
On the December 27, 2009 broadcast of CityNews Tonight (23:00 air time) it was announced that this would be McKenny's last broadcast with CityTV. He would be moving on to different opportunities. At this time, what those opportunities are has not been announced.[3]
[edit] Transactions
- May 15, 1978 - Traded to Minnesota by Toronto for cash and future considerations (the rights to Owen Lloyd).
[edit] References
- Podnieks, Andrew (2003). Players: the ultimate A-Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL. Toronto, Ontario: Doubleday Canada. ISBN 0385259999.
- Notes
- ^ a b c d Podnieks, pp. 567-568
- ^ Cox, Damien & Stellick, Gord "'67:", 2004 p.260 ISBN 0-470-83400-3
- ^ Zelkovich, Chris (Jan.8, 2010). "Zelkovich: Radio giant Hewat signs off". The Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/747984--zelkovich-radio-giant-hewat-signs-off. Retrieved Jan.9, 2010.
