When Tony McKegney arrived in St. Louis for the 1987–88 season, the Blues were a franchise defined by consistency. They hadn’t missed the postseason since 1978–79, a run built on resilience, opportunistic scoring, and an ability to stay competitive even when the roster churned. But by the late ’80s, that formula was cracking. The 1986–87 team finished 32‑33‑15, won the Norris Division, and still carried a negative goal differential. They leaned heavily on Doug Gilmour, Bernie Federko, Mark Hunter, and Greg Paslawski for offense, with a steep drop‑off behind them. St. Louis needed a finisher — someone who could stabilize the wing and give the lineup a reliable scoring threat.
McKegney became exactly that.
He arrived with a proven résumé: five 20‑goal seasons, and 37‑goal and 36-goal campaigns in Buffalo. He was known as a direct, powerful winger who could score at even strength, finish on the power play, and contribute in all situations. What the Blues didn’t fully anticipate was that he was about to deliver one of the most impactful offensive seasons in franchise history.
In 1987–88, McKegney erupted for 40 goals and 78 points in 80 games, instantly becoming the team’s most dangerous pure finisher. He led the Blues in goals, ranked third in points behind Federko and Gilmour, and produced across every situation: 24 even‑strength goals, 13 power‑play goals, and three shorthanded goals. His 40 goals accounted for more than 14 percent of the team’s total scoring and gave St. Louis the multi‑layered offensive threat it had been missing for years.
Just as important was where he slotted into the lineup. The year before he arrived, the Blues had only three players above 30 goals. With McKegney, they suddenly had a trio of legitimate finishers in Gilmour, Hunter, and their new left wing. He didn’t ride shotgun with a superstar or feast on sheltered minutes. He drove play at even strength and produced in a Norris Division known for its chaos and physicality. Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota all played bruising, grinding styles. McKegney’s blend of speed, strength, and touch gave the Blues a new dimension in a division where space was hard to find.
The team around him was still flawed though. St. Louis finished 34‑38‑8 and lost to Detroit in the Division Final, but McKegney’s scoring kept them competitive. He was the winger they had been missing, the one who could finish chances created by Federko and Gilmour and tilt games with a single shift.
His second season in St. Louis, 1988–89, came during a major shift in the team’s offensive identity. Brett Hull exploded for 41 goals. Cliff Ronning broke out. Peter Zezel arrived and produced. Paslawski rebounded. The scoring landscape changed dramatically, but McKegney remained a meaningful contributor. He posted 25 goals and 42 points in 71 games, maintaining nearly identical shooting efficiency to his 40‑goal season while adjusting to a deeper, more crowded forward group. He finished top‑five on the team in goals and remained one of the Blues’ most reliable even‑strength scorers.
That adaptability is part of what makes his St. Louis tenure so impressive. McKegney wasn’t just a one‑season spark but a stabilizer during a transitional moment in franchise history. He produced at a top‑line level in his first year, then shifted seamlessly into a middle‑six scoring role as the roster evolved around him.
In two seasons with the Blues, he totaled 65 goals, 55 assists, and 120 points in 151 games, one of the most productive two‑year runs by any winger in team history.
And layered on top of the numbers is the significance of who he was. McKegney became the first Black player in Blues history at a time when representation in the NHL was still rare. He didn’t arrive to make a statement. He arrived to score goals. His success helped open doors for the players who would follow him in St. Louis: Jamal Mayers, Bryce Salvador, Ryan Reaves, and others who would carry the torch forward.
McKegney’s legacy in St. Louis is a blend of production, timing, and trailblazing impact. He was the scorer the Blues needed, the bridge between eras, and a player whose excellence resonated far beyond the box score. For a franchise built on identity and resilience, Tony McKegney helped shape both, and there’s no better place to begin this series on the top Black players in Blues history.