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John McKenzie
John Albert McKenzie "Pie"
Height: 5-9
 
Regular Season & Playoff Scoring Record (key)
 
Regular Season Coaching Record
Served as player-coach for Philadelphia & Vancouver, with Phil Watson as bench coach. Both rotated as bench coach during first month of the 1972-73 season.  
On a team full of kids, John McKenzie sticks out like a octogenerian, his face all crinkles and wrinkled and his beard coming in practically grey while his teammates baby their first moustaches.
Stinger management liked the way McKenzie looked in 1975-76 after arriving from the defunct Minnesota Fighting Saints.
"You could see the kids watching this 38-year-old going into the corners at 100 miles an hour and you could see them reacting by playing harder themselves."
KcKenzie's experience on NHL Stanley Cup teams showed in tight situations. Once, late in the season, Stingers were down 1-0. McKenzie held up a faceoff to go to the bench. What for? To break up the butterflies bothering his teammates on the bench.
"What are you worrying for?" McKenzie cracked to the bench. "This one's in the bag." And, sure enough, Stingers went on to win the game in overtime.
 
Enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career last year ... Plays an abrasive style that irritates opponents, causing them to lose their concentration ... Nickname is "Pie" because of his round face ... Very fashionable dresser ... Now an affirmed New Englander who spends his summers on Cape Cod ... A WHA pioneer ... Former rodeo rider ... Appears on the wanted list of many players who have been rubbed the wrong way by him
 
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Home Book Credits & Legal Stuff
 
(c) Scott Surgent
Weight: 180
Shoot: R
Born: 12 Dec 1937, High River AB (d. 2018)
year
team
1972-73
Philadelphia
1973-74
Vancouver
1974-75
Vancouver
1975-76
Minnesota
Cincinnati
Totals (2 teams)
1976-77
Minnesota
New England
Totals (2 teams)
1977-78
New England
1978-79
New England
Totals:
Regular Season
Playoffs
year
team
finish
finish
1972-73
Philadelphia
DNF
1973-74
Vancouver
DNF
Relinquished coaching role to Phil Watson, November 9, 1972.
Relinquished coaching role to Phil Watson, October 21, 1973.
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Excerpts from Pro Hockey, WHA 1976-77 (by Dan Proudfoot)
Excerpts from Zander Hollander's Guide to Pro Hockey, 1978-79 (by Reyn Davis)