John McKenzie

John Albert ("Johnny", "Pie") McKenzie (born December 12, 1937 in High River, Alberta, Canada) is a retired Canadian professional player.
==Playing Career==
McKenzie's teammates dubbed him "Pieface" for his teenage acne that lasted into his twenties but within a few years the nickname evolved to "Pie." After three years in the junior leagues, for which he starred with the St. Catharines TeePees of the OHA and led the league in goals and points in 1958, McKenzie made his NHL debut during the 1959 season with the Chicago Black Hawks.
The following season he moved on to the Detroit Red Wings, where he lasted two years. He was then demoted back to the minors, playing for most of three seasons in the American Hockey League with the Hershey Bears and the Buffalo Bisons, and was named to the league's First All-Star Team in 1963. He returned to the NHL again during the 1964 season, once again with the Black Hawks, and two years later played for the New York Rangers for part of the 1966 season, halfway during which he was traded to the Rangers' arch-rivals, the Boston Bruins.
He was an immediate impact player in Boston, and it was with the Bruins that the 5-foot-9-inch, 170 pound (77 kg) right wing had the most productive seasons of his career. He became a star in the 1968 season, scoring twenty-eight goals and gaining a reputation as a pesky, relentless hustler. He would score twenty-nine goals each of the next two seasons, and would win the accolade as Second Team All-Star in the 1970 season, when in the Stanley Cup playoffs he would score seventeen points in fourteen games, fourth on the team after Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and John Bucyk and a feat he would repeat in 1972. His best season statistically was the following year, when he scored thirty-one goals and 77 points in 65 games. All in all, McKenzie scored 169 goals in his seven years in Boston and helped the Bruins win two Stanley Cup titles, in 1970 and again in 1972.
A notorious incident took place immediately after the Bruins defeated the Rangers in six games in the Stanley Cup finals in the latter year (winning the clinching game on the Rangers' home ice at Madison Square Garden), McKenzie skated to center ice, raised one arm in a Statue of Liberty pose, placing his other hand around his neck, making a "choke" gesture (alluding to the fact that the result of the series had left the Rangers still looking for their first Stanley Cup championship since 1940), then jumping up and down in a circle several times. This became known as the "McKenzie Choke Dance," or simply the "choke dance."
Following the Bruins second Stanley Cup championship in 1972, McKenzie was disgruntled at being left unprotected in the expansion draft, and though the Bruins did not lose him, he signed as player-coach with the Philadelphia Blazers of the newly-formed World Hockey Association (WHA). He continued to play effectively for the Blazers, the Minnesota Fighting Saints, the Cincinnati Stingers and finally the New England Whalers, and finished his career in the league's final season in 1979, having played in twenty-one major professional seasons.
==Retirement==
In 2007, McKenzie was named as the coach of the Berklee Ice Cats, the newly-formed hockey team at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is currently the liaison for hockey development at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
==Career Achievements and Trivia==
* Played in 691 NHL games, totalling 206 goals, 268 assists and 917 penalty minutes.
* Played in 477 WHA games (7th all-time), totalling 163 goals, 250 assists and 413 points (16th all-time).
* Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1970 and 1972.
* Played in the Summit Series for Team Canada in 1974 against the Soviet Union.
* His #19 was retired by the Hartford Whalers, making him -- unusually -- one of only three players whose number was retired by an NHL franchise for which he never actually played (the other two being J.C. Tremblay by the Quebec Nordiques and Frank Finnigan by the modern-day Ottawa Senators). It was widely believed at the time, since McKenzie's contributions to the WHA Whalers were modest, that the honor was a public relations sop to the Boston Bruins' fan base for which Whalers management was competing.
== Career Statistics ==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1955–56 	Calgary Stampeders 	WHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	2 	0 	1 	1 	2
1956–57 	St. Catharines TeePees 	OHA 	 	52 	32 	38 	70 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1957–58 	St. Catharines TeePees 	OHA 	 	52 	48 	51 	99 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1958–59 	Calgary Stampeders 	WHL 	 	13 	2 	5 	7 	18 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1958–59 	Chicago Black Hawks 	NHL 	 	32 	3 	4 	7 	22 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	2
1959–60 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	59 	8 	12 	20 	50 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
1960–61 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	16 	3 	1 	4 	13 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1960–61 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 	 	47 	19 	23 	42 	84 	 	8 	3 	6 	9 	10
1961–62 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 	 	58 	30 	29 	59 	149 	 	7 	1 	2 	3 	19
1962–63 	Buffalo Bisons 	AHL 	 	71 	35 	46 	81 	122 	 	13 	8 	12 	20 	28
1963–64 	Chicago Black Hawks 	NHL 	 	45 	9 	9 	18 	50 	 	4 	0 	1 	1 	6
1964–65 	St. Louis Braves 	CHL 	 	5 	5 	4 	9 	17 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1964–65 	Chicago Black Hawks 	NHL 	 	51 	8 	10 	18 	46 	 	11 	0 	1 	1 	6
1965–66 	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	35 	6 	5 	11 	36 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1965–66 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	36 	13 	9 	22 	36 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1966–67 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	69 	17 	19 	36 	98 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1967–68 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	74 	28 	38 	66 	107 	 	4 	1 	1 	2 	8
1968–69 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	60 	29 	27 	56 	99 	 	10 	2 	2 	4 	17
1969–70 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	72 	29 	41 	70 	114 	 	14 	5 	12 	17 	35
1970–71 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	65 	31 	46 	77 	120 	 	7 	2 	3 	5 	22
1971–72 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	77 	22 	47 	69 	126 	 	15 	5 	12 	17 	37
1972–73 	Philadelphia Blazers 	WHA 	 	60 	28 	50 	78 	157 	 	4 	3 	1 	4 	8
1973–74 	Vancouver Blazers 	WHA 	 	45 	14 	38 	52 	71 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1974–75 	Vancouver Blazers 	WHA 	 	74 	23 	37 	60 	84 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1975–76 	Minnesota Fighting Saints	WHA 	 	57 	21 	26 	47 	52 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1975–76 	Cincinnati Stingers 	WHA 	 	12 	3 	10 	13 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1976–77 	Minesota Fighting Saints 	WHA 	 	40 	17 	13 	30 	42 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1976–77 	New England Whalers 	WHA 	 	34 	11 	19 	30 	25 	 	5 	2 	1 	3 	8
1977–78 	New England Whalers 	WHA 	 	79 	27 	29 	56 	61 	 	14 	6 	6 	12 	16
1978–79 	New England Whalers 	WHA 	 	76 	19 	28 	47 	115 	 	10 	3 	7 	10 	10
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	691 	206 	268 	474 	917 	 	69 	15 	32 	47 	133
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Gallery==
1967-Nov22-McKenzie-Boivin-Binkley.jpg|John McKenzie, Leo Boivin, Les Binkley, November 22, 1967.
4Feb1968-Espo_vs_Wings.jpg|#9 John Bucyk, Phil Esposito and John McKenzie celebrate a goal in the new black jerseys, February 4, 1968.
McKenzie_goal-20Dec1969.gif|John McKenzie scores, assisted by John Bucyk and one of Bobby Orr's 5 assists, December 20, 1969.
26Apr1970-Phil_scores_on_Tony.jpg|Phil Esposito scores on brother Tony during Game 4 of the 1970 Semi-finals, April 26, 1970.
26Apr1970-McKenzie_winner.jpg|John McKenzie scores the series winner, Game 4 of the 1970 Semi-finals, April 26, 1970.
1970May-Cup_parade.jpg|John McKenzie, Fred Stanfield, John Bucyk, Ted Green during the Cup parade, May 11, 1970.
McKenzie_game_winner-5Dec1971.gif|John McKenzie scores the game winner from Fred Stanfield and John Bucyk, December 5, 1971.
19Mar1972-McKenzie_Worsley.jpg|John McKenzie and Gump Worsley, March 19, 1972.
McKenzie_winner-26Mar1972.gif|John McKenzie's game winner, March 26, 1972.
McKenzie_goal-23Apr1972.gif|John Mckenzie makes it 6-1 Bruins, Game 3 of the 1972 Semi-finals, April 23, 1972.
1973-Oct12-McKenzie-Beewitt-Hampson.jpg|Opening night face-off, John McKenzie, WHA VP Beewitt, Ted Hampson, October 12, 1973.
1973-Nov-Morrison-McKenzie-Block-Junkin.jpg|Kevin Morrison, John McKenzie, Ken Block, Joe Junkin, November 1973.
1974-Nov13-McLeod-McKenzie-Farda-Price.jpg|Don McLeod, John McKenzie, Richard Farda, Pat Price, November 13, 1974.
1979-McKenzie-Pleau.jpg|John McKenzie and Larry Pleau in 1978-79 season action.
1979-McKenzie-Gretzky-Marty.jpg|John McKenzie, Wayne Gretzky, Marty Howe in 1978-79 season action.
Category:Born in 1937
Category:Boston Bruins players
Category:Buffalo Bisons players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Hartford Whalers players
Category:Hershey Bears players
Category:National Hockey League players with retired numbers
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:St. Catharines Teepees alumni
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:NHL All-Stars
Category:Retired in 1979