Bill McKenzie earns entry into the Hall for his play between the pipes for the Detroit Red Wings, the Kansas City Scouts and the Colorado Rockies of the NHL between 1973 and 1980.

Mackenzie was a product of the Riverside Minor Hockey program where he learned his craft. He attended Riverside Secondary School where he competed in football, track and field and hockey.

He earned himself a spot on the Ohio State University Buckeyes team in Division I NCAA play from 969 to 1972. McKenzie helped the team win the inaugural CCHA Tournament Championship in 1972. He was later inducted into the Ohio State University Sports Hall of Fame.

McKenzie was signed by the Red Wings as a free agent in 1973 and played 26 games with the club over the next two seasons. He was traded to the Scouts and stayed with the club when they relocated to Denver and became the Rockies.

In an era when the chances of a collegiate hockey player making it to the NHL were slim, McKenzie was the exception. An undrafted netminder, McKenzie went on to play 91 games in the NHL across six seasons and continued life as a journeyman in the world of pro hockey. He spent time in the IHL, AHL,CHL as well as, the British league with the London Lions. He retired from active play in 1980.

Upon retirement from professional hockey, McKenzie continued his involvement with the sport as a volunteer assistant coach for the Ohio State Men’s hockey team from 1980 through to their first appearance in the NCAA Frozen Four in 1998. Following, he became a volunteer assistant for the Ohio State Women’s hockey team from 2004-2010.

An outstanding goaltender for several years at the university, minor and professional levels, Bill McKenzie is the second goaltender from the Windsor/Essex region to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Athlete category.