According to Jon Couture of the Boston Globe on Wednesday, former Boston Bruins captain Don McKenney of Smiths Falls, Ontario died at the age of 88 on Sunday. McKenney played for the Bruins from 1954 to 1963, the New York Rangers from 1963 to 1964, the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1964 to 1965, the Detroit Red Wings from 1965 to 1966, and the St. Louis Blues from 1967 to 1968.
In 13 National Hockey League seasons, McKenney had 237 goals and 345 assists for 582 points in 798 regular season games. He also had 205 penalty minutes, 143 power-play points, four shorthanded points, and 27 game-winning goals.
Of McKenney’s four shorthanded points, three were shorthanded goals, and one was a shorthanded assist. McKenney’s first shorthanded point was a shorthanded assist, and came in a 2-2 Bruins tie against the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 11, 1958. McKenney assisted on a first period goal by Jerry Toppazzini of Copper Cliff, Ontario. McKenney’s second shorthanded point was a shorthanded goal, and came in a 7-3 Bruins win over the Maple Leafs on February 8, 1958. McKenney scored from Fleming MacKell of Montreal, Quebec, at 18:19 of the second period, which put the Bruins up 5-1. McKenney’s second shorthanded goal came in a 5-3 Bruins win over the Montreal Canadiens on March 15, 1959. It came at the six minute mark of the first period, and put the Bruins up 2-0. Leo Boivin of Prescott, Ontario had the lone assist. McKenney’s third shorthanded goal came in a 4-0 Bruins win over the Chicago Black Hawks on November 6, 1960. It came at 6:48 of the second period from Jean-Guy Gendron of Montreal, Quebec and Toppazzini, which put the Bruins up 2-0 at 6:48 of the second period.
In 1959-60, McKenney led the NHL in assists with 49. That year he won the Lady Byng Trophy as he had 28 penalty minutes in 70 games. McKenney was the Bruins captain from 1961 to 1963. McKenney’s three NHL hat tricks came in a 6-3 Bruins win over the Maple Leafs on December 14, 1958, in a 6-4 Bruins win over the Red Wings on November 19, 1960, and in a 8-3 Bruins win over the Rangers on February 12, 1961.
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, McKenney had 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points in 58 games. His lone Stanley Cup with the Maple Leafs in 1964.
