Ken McKenzie

Ken McKenzie (August 19, 1923 – April 9, 2003) was a Canadian newspaper publisher and sports journalist. He served as publicity director of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1946 to 1963. In 1947, he published the first NHL press and radio guide, and co-founded The Hockey News with Will Cote and C$383.81. McKenzie bought out his partner and later sold an 80 per cent share of The Hockey News for a reported $4-million in 1973. He stayed on as its publisher and a columnist until 1981. He also published Canadian Football News, Ontario Golf News, and the magazines Hockey Pictorial and Hockey World.

McKenzie is the namesake of three separate ice hockey awards; the Ken McKenzie Trophy of the Central Hockey League, the Ken McKenzie Trophy of the International Hockey League, and the Ken McKenzie Award of the American Hockey League. He received the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997, for recognition of his contributions to journalism in ice hockey. He was inducted into both the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

Early life McKenzie was born on August 19, 1923, in Winnipeg. He played junior ice hockey as a defenceman on the St. James Canadians, then joined the Winnipeg Free Press at age 17. He presented a mock up of the paper to National Hockey League (NHL) president Red Dutton in 1945. Dutton did not give approval for the paper at the time, but instead hired McKenzie to organize league statistics on a part-time basis. Initial copies were printed on mimeograph at the NHL office. McKenzie purchased Cote's share of The Hockey News in the mid-1960s. After the 1967 NHL expansion, the paper began to feature content from its own editors. He was a recreational golfer and member of several private clubs.

Honours and legacy McKenzie became the namesake of three separate ice hockey awards in 1977. The Ken McKenzie Trophy was awarded by the Central Hockey League to its rookie of the year. The Ken McKenzie Trophy was awarded by the International Hockey League to its American-born rookie of the year. The Ken McKenzie Award was awarded by the American Hockey League in recognition of accomplishments in promoting a team in the league.

McKenzie was a recipient of the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997, in recognition of hockey journalism as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The award was given on the 50th anniversary of the founding of The Hockey News.