The Barrie Flyers took all of it in 1952-53. They had been first place in league play, received the Robertson Cup over the St. Michael’s Majors and took the Memorial Cup with a victory over the St. Boniface Canadiens. The franchise would additionally obtain Mem Cup success because the Niagara Falls Flyersbut, thus far not because the Sudbury Wolves. One of many main components in Barrie’s success was the play of centre Don McKenney.A bit of little bit of an unsung hero within the hockey world, McKenney isn’t enshrined within the Hockey Corridor of Fame however does have a reasonably spectacular record of achievements. He performed two seasons with the Flyers, 1951-52 and 1952-53, scoring over 30 targets every season. Within the days earlier than the draft, Barrie was sponsored by the NHL’s Boston Bruins. After a yr with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears, McKenney discovered his technique to Boston.
In his first season with the Bruins, McKenney was the runner-up for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the yr after main Boston in factors with 42 in 69 video games. Every season he performed with Boston, Don was sometimes first or second in group scoring. He led the group in 1956-57 and 1958-59.Total, he was within the prime ten NHL point-getters 4 instances, all between 1956-57 and 1959-60. His solely main particular person award was the Girl Byng Trophy in 1959-60.He was an integral a part of the 1963-64 Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup victory. A late season pickup from the New York Rangers, McKenney contributed 12 factors in 12 video games on the best way to the Cup. Beforehand, with Boston, he reached the finals after the Bruins completed fourth within the six group league and upset the Rangers within the first spherical earlier than shedding to the Montreal Canadiens within the finals. That playoff season, McKenney scored 9 and added eight assists for 17 factors in simply 12 video games.McKenney performed within the NHL from 1954-55 to 1965-66 with the Bruins, Rangers, Maple Leafs and Detroit Pink Wings. He made it again in 1967-68 with 39 video games in a St. Louis Blues uniform. He continued to play within the American Hockey League till the tip of the 1969-70 season. With the Pittsburgh Hornets in 1966-67, he received one other championship in one more league because the Hornets took the Calder Cup of their ultimate yr of existence. His swan tune, of types, got here in 1968-69 with the Windfall Reds, placing up 74 factors and ending eighth in AHL scoring.
Don McKenney’s rookie hockey cardappears within the 1954-55 Topps collection, the primary hockey set produced by Topps. Though Gordie Howe’s card is valued at $1800, McKenney’s is the best valued rookie card at $80, in keeping with Beckett Hockey Month-to-month.Don went on to educate a number of years at Northeastern College within the U.S., final teaching in 1990-91.
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