Jim McKenny
Encyclopedia
James Claude "Howie" McKenny (born December 1, 1946 in Ottawa
, Ontario
) is a retired NHL
defenceman
and a sport
s 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".
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. 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
.
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
and his antipathy towards the high-pressure style of coach and GM Punch Imlach
. 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.
usually refers to McKenny's by his nickname "Howie". While on vacation in 2002, McKenny suffered a heart attack but fully recovered.
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.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
) is a retired NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
and a sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s reporter for the Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
television station in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He played 604 games between the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
. His nickname 'Howie' came from his resemblance to Howie Young
Howie Young
Howard John Edward "Wild Thing" Young was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and actor, best known for his time in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings in the 1960s...
. McKenny once said "Half the game is mental, the other half is being mental".
Junior career
Jim McKenny was born in OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and he moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
as a child. McKenny's personal life and career was disrupted by bouts of alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
developed during his teen-age years. McKenny played with the Neil McNeil Maroons
Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons
The Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons were a junior ice hockey team in the Metro Junior A League for one season in 1962-63. The Maroons were operated by Neil McNeil Catholic Secondary School in Scarborough, Ontario. When St. Michael's College discontinued its hockey program after the 1961-62 season, the...
of the Metro Junior A league in 1962–63. When the league folded in 1963, McKenny transferred to the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
's Toronto Marlboros
Toronto Marlboros
The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association and Ontario Hockey League from 1904 to 1989...
, who won the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
in 1964. As a junior, McKenny was considered the second-best defenceman prospect after Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
.
Pro career
He was drafted by the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the third round of the 1963 NHL Amateur Draft
1963 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1963 NHL Amateur Draft was held on June 5 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the first NHL Amateur Draft and consisted of 16-year-old players....
, 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
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and his antipathy towards the high-pressure style of coach and GM Punch Imlach
Punch Imlach
George "Punch" Imlach , was an NHL coach and general manager. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.-Early career:...
. He played in the minor leagues for the Tulsa Oilers
Tulsa Oilers (hockey team)
The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. The Oilers played their home games at the Maxwell Center until 2008, when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tulsa Oilers name was shared with Tulsa's former minor-league baseball team that...
(CPHL
CPHL
CPHL may refer to:*Central Hockey League , a minor pro ice hockey league that operated in North America*Canadian Professional Hockey League, a minor pro league that operated predominantly in Canada from 1926 through 1929...
) , the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
(AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
), and the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
(WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
). McKenny and Don Cherry were roommates when on the road with the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
.
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
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
defencemen
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
, after Börje Salming
Börje Salming
Anders Börje Salming , nicknamed "The King", is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League , paving...
, Tim Horton
Tim Horton
Myles Gilbert "Tim" Horton was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in 24 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres. He was also a businessman and a co-founder of Tim Hortons. He died in an...
and Ian Turnbull
Ian Turnbull (hockey)
Ian "Bull" Turnbull is a former professional ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League from 1973–74 until 1982–83. He and Börje Salming combined to make one of the best 1–2 defensive punches in Toronto Maple Leafs history during the 1970s.Turnbull played 628 career...
, notching 327 points (81 goals, 246 assists) in 594 games. He was paired frequently with former Marlboro team-mate Brian Glennie
Brian Glennie
Brian "Blunt" Glennie is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL from 1969 until 1979. Glennie was a master of the hip-check.-Amateur career:...
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
Art Hindle
Arthur Hindle is a Canadian actor and director.Hindle was born in Halifax. His family moved to Toronto while he was a child. Although shy as a youngster, he grew to be a rebellious and independent teenager...
.
McKenny was sent down to the Central Hockey League's Dallas Black Hawks
Dallas Black Hawks
The Dallas Black Hawks were a minor-league professional ice hockey team in Dallas, Texas. They were a member of the Central Hockey League and played home games at State Fair Coliseum....
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
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
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.
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 MartineauGord Martineau
Gord Martineau is a Canadian television journalist.Martineau is the senior anchor of Citytv's CityNews newscast in Toronto. He has been with the station since its inception, except for a few weeks in 1980 when he moved to Global Television Network as a news co-anchor for CIII...
usually refers to McKenny's by his nickname "Howie". While on vacation in 2002, McKenny suffered a heart attack but fully recovered.
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.
Transactions
- May 15, 1978 - Traded to Minnesota by Toronto for cash and future considerations (the rights to Owen LloydOwen LloydOwen Lloyd is a former professional ice hockey defenceman.Lloyd was drafted 77th overall by the Cleveland Barons in the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft and 85th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft...
).