John McKenzie was in the game as a player for over 20 years from his first year of junior hockey in the OHA to his final year with the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association. McKenzie wasn’t a standout superstar but he found glory at every level of hockey over those 20 plus years.
John McKenzie – Junior and Minors
McKenzie played two years in the OHA with the St. Catherines Teepees, 1956-57 and 1957-58. In his first year, he led the Teepees in points with 70 over 52 regular season games. He was one goal behind Bobby Hull for the team lead in goals scored. St. Catherines placed third in the eight team league and reached the Robertson Cup finals before being eliminated by the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters.
In 1957-58, Johnny led the Teepees in goals scored with 48 and points with 99 over 52 regular season games. In fact, it wasn’t just St. Catherines that he led. McKenzie was the OHA’s goal scoring lead and led the league in points, earning the Eddie Powers Trophy. St. Catherines placed first overall in the seven team league, earning the Hamilton Spectator Trophy. The Teepees are the present day Saginaw Spirit.
McKenzie didn’t really become a regular in the NHL until the New York Rangers traded him mid-season in 1965-66 to the Boston Bruins. He spent a fair amount of time in the American Hockey League and had an exceptional 1962-63 season with the Buffalo Bisons.
Over 71 regular season games, John scored 35 and assisted on 46 for 81 points. He tied for seventh in the league for goals scored and tied for eighth for points. The Bisons finished first overall in the nine team AHL then reached the playoff finals. Buffalo came up against the Hershey Bears and won the Calder Cup championship with the series going a full seven games. McKenzie led the AHL in scoring during the playoffs with 20 points over 13 games.
John McKenzie – NHL
McKenzie played in 691 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1958-59 and 1971-72 with two thirds of the Original 6 teams: Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. Over that time, he scored 206 goals and assisted on 268 for 474 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, he added another 47 points over 69 games.
John McKenzie Collection
John came through for Boston in their two Stanley Cup championships in 1969-70 and 1971-72. The first year, he contributed 17 points over 14 games. In 1972, it was another 17 points over 15 playoff games. His only other time to the Stanley Cup finals came in 1964-65 with the Chicago Black Hawks. McKenzie appeared in eleven playoff games as the Hawks were downed in the final series by the Montreal Canadiens in seven games.
In the year that should have been for Boston, 1970-71, McKenzie had a career NHL season with 31 goals and 46 assists for 77 points over just 65 regular season games. He placed eighth in the race for the Art Ross Trophy and was one of seven Bruins in the top ten for points.
John McKenzie – WHA
When the World Hockey Association came into existence for the 1972-73 season, McKenzie jumped ship to join Derek Sanderson and Bernie Parent with the Philadelphia Blazers. He acted as player/coach with the Blazers. John lasted the full duration of the rebel league from 1972-73 to 1978-79, playing for the Blazers in both Philadelphia and Vancouver, the Minnesota Fighting Saints, Cincinnati Stingers and New England Whalers.
Over 477 regular season games, John scored 163 goals and assisted on 250 for 413 points. His best year came in 1977-78 with the New England Whalers. The Harry Neale coached team reached the Avco World Trophy finals before being swept by the Winnipeg Jets. The Whalers had the Howe family and Dave Keon on their side, along with the boys from Slapshot, Steve and Jack Carlson. Winnipeg was coached by Larry Hillman and had a star-studded lineup that included Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg and Bobby Hull, along with a young Kent Nilsson.
John McKenzie – Rookie Card
The John McKenzie rookie card appears as number 37 in the 1960-61 Parkhurst set. The McKenzie RC is the highest valued rookie in the set. At a value of $25, the hockey card is worth not even two times that of a common. McKenzie is shown as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. He played 59 games with Detroit in 1959-60 and just 16 more in 1960-61 before returning to his first NHL club, the Chicago Black Hawks.
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1953-54 | Calgary Buffaloes | WCJHL | 34 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 12 |
| 1954-55 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WCJHL | 39 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 33 |
| 1955-56 | Calgary Stampeders | WHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-57 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 52 | 32 | 38 | 70 | 143 |
| 1957-58 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 52 | 48 | 51 | 99 | 227 |
| 1958-59 | Calgary Stampeders | WHL | 13 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 18 |
| 1958-59 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 32 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 22 |
| 1959-60 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 59 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 50 |
| 1960-61 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 16 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
| 1960-61 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 47 | 19 | 23 | 42 | 84 |
| 1961-62 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 58 | 30 | 29 | 59 | 149 |
| 1962-63 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 71 | 35 | 46 | 81 | 122 |
| 1963-64 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 45 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 50 |
| 1964-65 | St. Louis Braves | CPHL | 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 17 |
| 1964-65 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 51 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 46 |
| 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 |
| 1968-69 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 60 | 29 | 27 | 56 | 99 |
| 1969-70 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 72 | 29 | 41 | 70 | 114 |
| 1970-71 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 65 | 31 | 46 | 77 | 120 |
| 1971-72 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 77 | 22 | 47 | 69 | 126 |
| 1972-73 | Philadelphia Blazers | WHA | 60 | 28 | 50 | 78 | 157 |
| 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 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | WHA | 40 | 17 | 13 | 30 | 52 |
| 1976-77 | New England Whalers | WHA | 34 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 25 |
| 1977-78 | New England Whalers | WHA | 79 | 27 | 29 | 56 | 61 |
| 1978-79 | New England Whalers | WHA | 76 | 19 | 28 | 47 | 115 |
| NHL Totals | 691 | 206 | 268 | 474 | 917 | ||
| WHA Totals | 477 | 163 | 250 | 413 | 623 |