Walt McKechnie

Walter Thomas John McKechnie
Born	(1947-06-19) June 19, 1947 London, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)	Professional ice hockey centre, politician
Years active	1965–1984 (hockey)
Known for	NHL player for nine franchises; deputy mayor of Dysart et al

Walter Thomas John McKechnie (born June 19, 1947) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre. Throughout a 17-season tenure, he competed with nine NHL franchises and participated in four minor league teams. Selected sixth overall in the 1963 NHL amateur draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, he holds the distinction of being the franchise's inaugural draft choice.

Playing career

McKechnie's early career commenced with the London Nationals from 1965 to 1967 before advancing to professional play with the Phoenix Roadrunners of the WHL in the 1967–68 season, where he earned rookie of the year recognition. In 1968, he was acquired by the expansion Minnesota North Stars and appeared in four NHL regular-season games and nine playoff contests, alternating between the North Stars and minor league affiliates during a three-year period.

In 1971, McKechnie was traded to the California Golden Seals, where he enjoyed increased playing time and recorded 23 goals and 52 points in the 1973–74 campaign. During a three-way intra-league draft transaction in 1974, he was claimed by the New York Rangers but was promptly traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Derek Sanderson. After encountering difficulties with Boston, McKechnie was dealt mid-season to Detroit, where he achieved career-best totals of 26 goals and 82 points in 1975–76, followed by a subsequent season tallying 25 goals.

He represented Canada at the 1977 World Ice Hockey Championships. Prior to the 1977–78 season, McKechnie was traded to Washington but transitioned mid-season to the Cleveland Barons. Following the merger of the Barons and North Stars in 1978, he returned to Minnesota before being traded back to Toronto, where he scored 25 goals during the 1978–79 season. A decline in performance led to a trade to the Colorado Rockies, after which he signed as a free agent with Detroit in 1981. There, he revitalized his play with an 18-goal season and added 14 goals in the following year.

Concluding his professional career with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the CHL in 1983–84, McKechnie retired at age 37. Over his NHL career spanning 955 games, he amassed totals of 214 goals and 392 assists, culminating in 606 points.

Personal

During his tenure with the London Nationals in the mid-1960s within the Ontario Hockey Association, McKechnie was a frequent patron of The Strand Billiards in London, Ontario. Owned by Len Bonk from its inception in 1952 until its closure in 2005, this pool hall served as a second home for McKechnie, who affectionately referred to it as "the academy."

From 1986 until 2009, he owned and managed "McKeck's," a family-style dining establishment located in Haliburton, Ontario. Although no longer involved in its operations, the restaurant continues to function under the same name. In recognition of his achievements, McKechnie was inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

More recently, his efforts have been directed towards fundraising for Prostate Cancer Canada.

In public service, McKechnie was elected to Dysart et al municipal council in 2010 and subsequently acclaimed as deputy mayor during the Haliburton County municipal elections held in 2022.

Regular season and playoffs

  |1983–84   |Salt Lake Golden Eagles   |CHL   |69|||9|||32|||41|||36

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1963–64	London Nationals	WOHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	London Nationals	WOHL		46	13	28	41	68		6	7	10	17	2
1966–67	London Nationals	WOHL		48	13	46	59	125		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	London Nationals	WOHL		1	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Phoenix Roadrunners	WHL		67	24	30	54	24		4	1	1	2	2
1967–68	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		4	0	0	0	0		9	3	2	5	0
1968–69	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		58	5	9	14	22		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Phoenix Roadrunners	WHL		10	3	11	14	6		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		20	1	3	4	21		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Iowa Stars	CHL		42	17	24	41	82		11	1	9	10	18
1970–71	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		30	3	1	4	34		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Cleveland Barons	AHL		35	16	31	47	28		8	2	4	6	10
1971–72	California Golden Seals	NHL		56	11	20	31	40		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	California Golden Seals	NHL		78	16	38	54	58
1973–74	California Golden Seals	NHL		63	23	29	52	14
1974–75	Boston Bruins	NHL		53	3	3	6	8
1974–75	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		23	6	11	17	6
1975–76	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		80	26	56	82	85
1976–77	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		80	25	34	59	50
1977–78	Washington Capitals	NHL		16	4	1	5	0
1977–78	Cleveland Barons	NHL		53	12	22	34	12
1978–79	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		79	25	36	61	18		6	4	3	7	9
1979–80	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		54	7	36	43	4
1979–80	Colorado Rockies	NHL		17	0	4	4	2
1980–81	Colorado Rockies	NHL		53	15	23	38	18
1981–82	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		74	18	37	55	35
1982–83	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		64	14	29	43	42
NHL totals				955	214	392	606	469		15	7	5	12	9

International

Year	National Team	Tournament		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1977	Canada	WC		10	1	6	7	28
Career senior totals				10	1	6	7	28

External links

• The Strand Billiards and Walt McKechnie