Who wore it best: No. 74, Jay McKee taken at Highmark Stadium (Penguins)

Welcome to our series on who wore each number best for the Penguins.

The idea is being openly borrowed from our new hockey writer, Cody Tucker, and his project at the Lansing State Journal covering all the uniform numbers worn through Michigan State football history, one that’s been well received by their readers and prompted heavy discussion and debate.

Under my organization, and following the voting of a big chunk of our staff, we’ll publish one new one each day until completion, which should be right around the start of training camp.

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Name: Jay McKee

Number: 74

Position: Defenseman

Born: September 8, 1977 in Kingston, Ontario

Seasons with Penguins: 2009-10

Statistics with Penguins: 62 games, 1 goal, 9 assists in regular season; 5 games in playoffs

WHY MCKEE?

Jay McKee was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the 1995 NHL Draft.

After 12 seasons in the NHL split between the Sabres and St. Louis Blues, the Blues bought out the final year of McKee's contract in the summer of 2009. Nine days into free agency, McKee signed a one-year deal with the Penguins.

McKee scored his first and only goal as a Penguin on Nov. 14, the opening goal in a 6-5 win over Boston. Two days later, he sustained a finger injury that became infected and caused him to miss a few games, during a time when the Penguins were also without the services of defensemen Sergei GoncharKris LetangBrooks Orpik, and Alex Goligoski.

McKee, 32 and dealing with a lingering pelvic injury that slowed him down, didn't quite fit in with the speed of the Penguins' game. Still, he was a steady shot-blocker on the Penguins' blue line, amassing 136 blocked shots in his 62 regular season games. With the acquisition of Jordan Leopold in March, McKee was bumped out of the Penguins' regular lineup and became the team's seventh defenseman.

McKee played four of six games in the Penguins' first round matchup with the Senators. He recorded four hits and 10 blocked shots. He only appeared in one Eastern Conference Semifinal game, as the Penguins were eliminated in seven games by Montreal. He blocked one shot in his final game.

McKee retired from professional hockey after the 2010 playoffs.

WHAT’S HE DOING NOW?

Jay McKee. -- KITCHENER RANGERS

Upon retiring, McKee took a volunteer assistant coaching position with Niagara University for the 2010-11 season. In 2011-12, McKee was assistant coach of the Rochester Americans of the AHL.

From 2012-14, McKee played for the Dundas Real McCoys for two years, a senior team in Ontario. In his final season, he acted as a player and coach. His team won the Allan Cup that year, a trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada.

In 2014, McKee was assistant coach of the OHL's Erie Otters, where he coached Connor McDavid and Dylan Strome.

In 2015, McKee was named associate coach of the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL. In May 2016, McKee was promoted to head coach, a position he still holds today. McKee led the Rangers to a 79-48-9 record through two seasons. The Rangers were eliminated in the first round of the OHL playoffs in 2016-17, and the OHL semifinal round in 2017-18.

IT WAS SPOKEN

“Jay is a strong defensive defenseman who will bring additional experience to our lineup. He has great size and is an outstanding shot-blocker, and his veteran presence will help in the continued development of our young defensemen.” -- Ray Shero on signing McKee

HONORABLE MENTIONS AT NO. 74:

None

ANY DEBATE?

Nope. Nobody else wore No. 74.

Tomorrow: Matt Sunday takes No. 75

Yesterday: Patric Hornqvist

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