The Goal of My Life (28 page)

• Nicknamed “Elbows.”

• Suffered from a congenital back condition that nearly cost him the ability to walk, let alone play hockey. Took the chance at an operation with a 50 percent success rate that he would walk again, and the surgery was a success.

• Played in two games in the 1972 Summit Series.

• Was a key player on three Stanley Cup–winning teams with Boston (1970, 1972) and Montreal (1976), but his name was not engraved on the Stanley Cup for his win with the Canadiens due to the fact that he did not dress in the playoffs. That rule was changed just a couple of years later. His name is still not on the Cup from that winning season.

• Played in 979
NHL
games between 1963–64 and 1978–79 (31 goals, 158 assists, 189 points).

• Played in the 1974 All-Star Game.

• Started his own charter bus company after his playing career
was finished, in which he transported Boston Bruins fans from Boston to Montreal to watch games at the Montreal Forum.

• Is currently residing in Florida.

• Played in two games in the 1972 Summit Series (one assist).

• Nicknamed “The Red Baron.”

• Was a member of world-champion Belleville McFarlands, 1959.

• Became a star with the St. Louis Blues in 1968–69 (eighth in
NHL
in scoring with 35 goals and 47 assists for 82 points in 76 regular-season games; 7 goals, 3 assists, 10 points in 12 playoff games).

• Is the only player in
NHL
history to score 6 goals in 1 game on the road (November 7, 1968, at Philadelphia).

• Played in 987
NHL
games between 1961–62 and 1977–78 (261 goals, 397 assists, 658 points).

• Played in five All-Star games (1965, 1969–72, 1974).

• Won Jack Adams Award as
NHL
Coach of the Year, 1980–81.

• Has been head coach of the University of Michigan Wolverines since 1984, winning
NCAA
championships in 1996 and 1998.

• Won the Turnbull Cup (Manitoba Junior Hockey League Champions) as a member of the Winnipeg Braves in 1959. The Braves also went on that year to win the Memorial Cup by defeating the Peterborough TPT Petes (4–1).

• Played in all eight games of the 1972 Summit Series, registering three assists.

• Played 838 NHL games between 1964–65 and 1975–76 (68 goals, 299 assists, 367 points) for the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars, and Kansas City Scouts.

• Played in the 1973 All-Star Game.

• Captained the Detroit Red Wings in the 1973–74 season.

• Is an honoured member of both Canada’s Sport Hall of Fame and the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

• Nicknamed “Cash.”

• Played in two games in the 1972 Summit Series, assisting on two goals and compiling 14 penalty minutes.

• Played in 1,027
NHL
games between 1964–65 and 1982–83, all with the Boston Bruins (277 goals, 516 assists, 793 points).

• Played left wing on a line with Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge, forming one of the most dangerous forward units in the
NHL
.

• Was a member of two Stanley Cup champions (1970, 1972).

• Was Second Team All-Star at left wing, 1974.

• Played in the 1974 All-Star Game.

• Was seventh in the
NHL
in scoring in 1970–71 (21 goals, 58 assists, 79 points) and fourth in 1973–74 (30 goals, 59 assists, 89 points).

• Captained the Bruins from 1978–1983.

• Was the last player from the “Original Six” era to retire.

• Was head coach of Philadelphia Flyers for 61 games in 1997–98 (32–20–9).

• Was assistant coach of New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Boston Bruins between 1987 and 2006.

• Was a member of the Team Canada coaching staff for the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

• Played in all eight games in the 1972 Summit Series, scoring two goals and four assists for six points, while collecting 18 minutes in penalties.

• Played in 1,144
NHL
games between 1969–70 and 1983–84, all with Philadelphia (358 goals, 852 assists, 1,210 points).

• Won the Hart Trophy as the
NHL’S
most valuable player three times (1973, 1975, 1976).

• Won the Frank Selke Trophy as the
NHL’S
top defensive forward in 1983.

• Won the Bill Masterton Trophy (for perseverance and sportsmanship) in 1972.

• Won the Lester B. Pearson Award (as the
NHL
Players’ Association’s choice as most valuable player), 1972–73.

• Was Second Team All-Star at centre, 1972–73 and 1973–74.

• Was First Team All-Star at centre, 1974–75 and 1975–76.

• Was captain of Stanley Cup championship teams, 1974 and 1975.

• Was captain of Team Canada at 1976 Canada Cup.

• Played in eight All-Star games (1970–75, 1977–78).

• Led
NHL
in assists, 1974–75 (89) and 1975–76 (89).

• Topped 100 points three times (1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76).

• Became an officer of the Order of Canada, 1981.

• Earned a bronze medal at the 1982 World Championships in Finland.

• Was general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers (1984–1990, 1994–2006), Minnesota North Stars (1990–92), and Florida
Panthers (1993–94); teams reached Stanley Cup Finals in 1985, 1987, 1991, and 1997.

• Was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.

• Was general manager of Team Canada at 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

• Is currently the senior vice president of the Philadelphia Flyers, since December 2006.

• Played in all eight games in the 1972 Summit Series, scoring three goals and two assists for five points.

• Was known as “The Roadrunner,” for his blinding speed.

• Played in 968
NHL
games between 1963–64 and 1978–79, all with Montreal (428 goals, 435 assists, 863 points).

• Was captain of Montreal Canadiens, 1975–78.

• Was a member of 10 Stanley Cup championship teams (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976–79).

• Played in six All-Star games (1967, 1971–74, 1978).

• Won Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff
MVP
in 1973.

• Scored Stanley Cup–clinching goal in 1973.

• Was second Team All-Star at right wing in 1969, 1971, 1972, and 1973.

• Was sixth in
NHL
in scoring in 1968–69 (43 goals, 44 assists, 87 points) and eighth in 1971–72 (47 goals, 36 assists, 83 points).

• Led
NHL
in power-play goals, 1966–67 (20).

• Led
NHL
in game-winning goals in 1975–76 (12), and tied for lead in 1966–67 (7).

• Retired after the 1978–1979 season due to back problems.

• Was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.

• Coached the Montreal Roadrunners during the 1994–95 season.

• Was assistant coach of the Montreal Canadiens during the 1996–97 season.

• Currently serves as an official ambassador for the Montreal Canadiens.

• Although selected for Team Canada, did not play in the 1972 Summit Series.

• Nicknamed “The Little Beaver.”

• Was selected second overall by Detroit in the 1971 Amateur Draft.

• Played in 1,348
NHL
games between 1971–72 and 1988–89 (731 goals, 1,040 assists, 1,771 points) for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and New York Rangers.

• Played in eight All-Star games (1975–78, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985).

• Won the Lady Byng Trophy as
NHL’S
most gentlemanly player twice (1974–75, 1976–77).

• Won the Lester B. Pearson Trophy as
NHL
Players’ Association’s choice as
MVP
twice (1978–79, 1979–80).

• Won the Art Ross Trophy as
NHL’S
leading scorer in 1979–80.

• Was first Team All-Star at centre, 1976–77 and 1979–80.

• Was second Team All-Star at centre, 1978–79 and 1980–81.

• Scored at least 50 goals six times (1976–77, 1978–79 through 1982–83) and at least 100 points eight times (1974–75, 1976–77, 1978–79 through 1982–83, 1984–85).

• Played for Team Canada in 1976 and 1981 Canada Cups as well as six World Championships (1977–79, 1982, 1983, 1986).

• Is fifth on the
NHL’S
all-time point-scoring list, behind Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Gordie Howe, and Ron Francis.

• Is fourth on the
NHL’S
all-time goal-scoring list, behind Gretzky, Howe, and Brett Hull.

• Was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.

• In January 2004, Canada Post featured Dionne and five other
NHL
All-Stars on a postage stamp as part of the
NHL
All-Stars Collection.

• The Centre Civique Arena in Drummondville, Quebec, was renamed Centre Marcel Dionne after he retired.

• Currently resides in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where he runs and operates Marcel Dionne Incorporated, a vast sports memorabilia store. He is also a royal ambassador for the Los Angeles Kings.

• Played four games in the 1972 Summit Series (2–2, 4.75 goals-against average).

• Was the goaltender for the crucial game eight, which Canada won to clinch the series.

• Was selected fourteenth overall by Boston in the 1964 Amateur Draft.

• Joined the Montreal Canadiens with six games to go in the 1970–71 season.

• Won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens that season, while capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff
MVP
.

• Won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year the following season.

• Was a member of six Stanley Cup champions (1971, 1973, 1976–79).

• Played in five All-Star games (1972, 1975–78).

• Won the Vezina Trophy five times (1972–73, 1975–76 through 1978–79).

• Was second Team All-Star in goal, 1971–72.

• Was first Team All-Star in goal five times (1972–73, 1975–76 through 1978–79).

• Led
NHL
in wins, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1975–76, and 1976–77.

• Led
NHL
in goals-against average, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1977–78, and 1978–79.

• Played in 397
NHL
games; career record 258–57–74 with a 2.24 goals-against average and 46 shutouts.

• Ken’s career winning percentage of .758 is the best in
NHL
history among goaltenders.

• Was a colour commentator for the Miracle on Ice during the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

• Was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.

• Wrote his second book, his first post-retirement from the
NHL
, titled
The Game
, in 1983. Was nominated for a Governor General’s Award. He has written six books in total.

• Became president of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1997.

• Resigned from the hockey world in 2004 when he began his pursuit of politics.

• Joined the Liberal Party of Canada and ran for federal election in June 2004. He was re-elected in 2006, but lost his cabinet seat in the 2011 federal election.