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|
| 1963 NHL DRAFT PICK |
 | Walt
McKechnie
Selected in first round
No.
6 overall by Toronto Maple Leafs
Born June
19, 1947
 | Position:
Center
Height: 6-2 Weight: 195
|
|
| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
London (Ontario Jr. B)
Birthplace:
London, Ontario (Canada)
Hometown: Byron, Ontario |
 |
 |
|
| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Statistics
unavailable. |
|
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: February 21, 1968 (Minnesota vs.
Boston)
Numbers:
22 (Minnesota); 8, 19 (California/Cleveland); 18 (Boston); 11 (Detroit); 10
(Washington); 11 (Toronto); 12, 11 (Colorado)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status:
Retired 1984 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years | Teams | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | | 1968-1983 | MIN,
CAL/CLE, BOS, DET, WAS, TOR, COL | 955 | 214 | 392 | 606 | 469 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS | | Years | Teams | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | | 1968-1979 | Minnesota,
Toronto | 15 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 7 |
|
NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Detroit Evans Trophy (Sportsmanship): 1975-76
California Points Leader: 1972-73 (54 points)
California
Assists Leader: 1972-73 (38 assists)
Detroit Points Leader: 1975-76 (82 points),
1976-77 (59 points)
Detroit Goals Leader: 1976-77 (25 goals)
Detroit Assists Leader: 1975-76 (56 assists),
1976-77 (34 assists)
Coaching Career: Served as Detroit assistant coach in late part of 1981-82 season.
Scouting Career: Named N.Y. Rangers amateur scout for Ontario prior
to 1986-87 season and held position through 1987-88 season.
Miscellaneous:
Traded by Minnesota with Joey Johnston to California in exchange for Dennis
Hextall on May 20, 1971. ... Missed part of 1971-72 season with stretched
ligaments in ankle, an injury suffered during California's Nov. 18, 1971, game
at Buffalo. He did not return to action until California's Dec. 8, 1971, game
at Pittsburgh. .. Missed part of 1971-72 season with leg injury, suffered
during California's Feb. 20, 1972, game vs. St. Louis. He did not return
until California's March 21, 1972, game at Minnesota. ... Left unprotected
by California for 1974 Intraleague Draft and was claimed by N.Y. Rangers on
June 10, 1974. ... Missed part of 1973-74 season with groin injury, suffered
during California's Jan. 31, 1974, game at Chicago. He did not return to
action until California's March 2, 1974, game at Montreal. ... Traded by
N.Y. Rangers to Boston in exchange for Derek Sanders on June 12, 1974. ...
Traded by Boston with 1975 third-round pick (Clark Hamilton) to Detroit in
exchange for Hank Nowak and Earl Anderson on Feb. 18, 1975. ... Named
league's Most Improved Player for 1975-76 in a poll of NHL general managers
by the
Toronto Star. ... Sent by Detroit with 1978 third-round pick (Jay
Johnston), 1979 second-round pick (Errol Rausse) and cash to Washington as
compensation for Detroit's signing of restricted free agent Ron Low on Aug.
17, 1977. Detroit also received Washington's 1979 third-round pick (Boris
Fistric). Ironically, at the time the Red Wings signed Low, they did not
know they would owe compensation to Washington. ... Traded by Washington to
Cleveland in exchange for Bob Girard and 1978 second-round pick (Paul
MacKinnon) on Dec. 9, 1977. ...Was on Cleveland team that folded after the
1977-78 season and merged with Minnesota. His rights were protected by
Minnesota prior to the Minnesota-Cleveland Dispersal Draft on June 15, 1978.
... Traded by Minnesota to Toronto in exchange for future considerations
(1980 third-round pick used to select Randy Velischek) on Oct. 5, 1978. ...
Played on line with Dan Maloney and Ron Ellis for Toronto in 1978-79. ...
Led Toronto with six game-winning goals in 1978-79. ... Scored both goals in
Toronto's 2-1 win over Atlanta in Game 1 of first-round playoff series on
April 10, 1979. It was McKechnie's first postseason NHL game since 1968. ..
Traded by Toronto to Colorado in exchange for 1980 third-round pick (Fred
Boimistruck) on March 3, 1980. ... Missed remainder of 1980-81 season with
partially torn ligament in right knee, suffered in Colorado's
Feb. 17, 1981 game vs. Quebec. ... Signed with Detroit as unrestricted
free agent on Aug. 13, 1981. ... Missed part of 1981-82 season with bruised
ankle, an injury suffered during Detroit's Nov. 18, 1981, game vs. Los
Angeles. He did not return to action until Detroit's Nov. 25, 1981, game vs.
Buffalo. ... Missed part of 1982-83 season with knee
injury, suffered during Detroit's Dec. 5, 1982, game vs. Philadelphia. He did not return
to action until Detroit's Jan. 25, 1983, game vs. Vancouver. ... Released by
Detroit in April 1983.. Signed by Minnesota to serve as player-coach for
Salt Lake (CHL) in August 1983. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: London (OHA); Phoenix (WHL);
Iowa (CHL); Cleveland (AHL); Salt Lake (CHL)
World Championships:
1977 (fourth place)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
WHL Rookie of Year:
1967-68 (Phoenix)
WHA Draft Pick: 1972 (by Miami)
Coaching Career: Named Salt Lake (CHL)
player-assistant coach in September 1983; held position until he retired
after 1983-84 season.
Miscellaneous:
Also played high school football and was quarterback for his school team.
... Coached by Hall of Famer Turk Broda during junior career in London
... Pro hockey rights sold by Phoenix (WHL) to Minnesota (NHL) on Feb. 17,
1968. As part of the deal, Minnesota loaned players to Phoenix as part of the
deal and later completed deal in July 1968 by sending Leo Thiffault and
Bob Charlebois to Phoenix. ... Loaned back to Phoenix by Minnesota in
October 1968 before being recalled again in November 1968. ... Served
as player-assistant coach for Salt Lake (IHL)
in 1983-84, which was his final season as a player. ... Owned a hardware store called "Pro Hardware" in his native
London, Ontario, in 1976. ... Worked at Haliburton Hockey School during
off-seasons of his playing days. ... Opened restaurant/sports bar called
McKeck's Place in Haliburton, Ontario, after his
retirement.
Personal: Nicknamed "McKeck." ... Full name is Walter Thomas John McKechnie. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE:
Toronto traded McKechnie to Phoenix (WHL) in exchange for Steve Witiuk on
Oct. 15, 1967. Nearly 11 years later, Toronto got McKechnie back when it
acquired him from Minnesota for future considerations (1980 third-round
pick, Randy Velischek) on Oct. 5, 1978. Toronto lost McKechnie again when it
traded him to Colorado in exchange for a third-round pick (Fred Bomistruck)
on March 3, 1980. | |
AUTOGRAPH |
 | AUTOGRAPH SOURCE:
1979-80 Toronto media guide |
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|
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|
SNAPSHOT '63 | | Total Selected: |
21 | | Forwards: |
13 | | Defense: |
6 | | Goaltenders: |
0 | | Position n/a: |
2 | | Major Junior: |
4 |
| College Players: |
0 |
| Canadian: |
21 |
| American: |
0 |
| European: |
0 |
| Reached NHL: |
5 |
| Won Stanley Cup: |
1 | | Hall of Fame: |
0 |
| All-Star Game: |
2
|
| Year-end All-Star: |
0
|
| Olympians: |
0
|
| Picks Traded: |
0 |
|
|
