Pie Faced Cowboy

When you think of the great Boston Bruins teams in the 1970s, a few names immediately pop into mind.

There is of course Bobby Orr, arguably the greatest player of all time. There's super scorer Phil Esposito. Scarfaced goalie Gerry Cheevers. The old warrior Johnny Bucyk. The playboy, Derek Sanderson. The coaches, first Harry Sinden then Don Cherry. Ken Hodge. Wayne Cashman. Ted Green. That Bruins team was so good that they probably should have won more than two Stanley Cups that they did win.

But don't forget John "Pie" McKenzie, the diminutive pest who was a real leader and fan favorite on that team. He was so popular that Boston fans bought 100s of bumper stickers that said "No matter how you slice it, Pie is the greatest."

Bostonians loved his courageous physical presence and dogged defensive attention. General Manager Milt Schmidt best summed up McKenzie as the Bruins' "mood-setter."

Read the full John "Pie" McKenzie biography, including the origins of his nickname; his bitter divorce from the Bruins; his love of rodeo; and the unlikely college team he is volunteering to coach.