Bobby Lalonde
Encyclopedia
Robert Patrick Lalonde is a retired professional ice hockey
player drafted 17th overall in the second round of the 1971 NHL entry draft. He played 641 games in the National Hockey League
from 1971 to 1982. During his career he accumulated 124 goals, 210 assists for a total of 334 points. He played for the Vancouver Canucks
, Atlanta Flames
, Boston Bruins
, and a short stint with the Calgary Flames
until his eventual retirement due to a recurring knee injury. Bobby Lalonde was listed at 5'5" and was the shortest player to play in the NHL at that time.
He now resides on the outskirts of Toronto
, Ontario
, with his wife Carolyn. He has two sons. Brent, the eldest, was born while he was playing for the Vancouver Canucks
and his younger son Court was born while he was playing for the Atlanta Flames
.
's Montreal Junior Canadiens, for whom he played from 1968 to 1971, earning 255 points in combined goals and assists. The Junior Canadiens won the Memorial Cup
twice during Lalonde's tenure there, once in 1969 and again the following year.
Lalonde turned pro in 1971, joining the National Hockey League
's Vancouver Canucks
as their number two draft choice. He netted 1 goal and 5 assists in 27 games with the Canucks prior to being sent to their American Hockey League
affiliate Rochester Americans
for the remainder of the season. Lalonde skated with the Americans for 42 games, tallying 25 points in goals and assists. The following season Lalonde skated with the Canucks, where he remained until 1977. He spent nearly half of the 1973–74 season out of play due to an ankle injury. During the 1975–76 and 1976–77 seasons, Lalonde briefly played for the Central Hockey League's Tulsa Oilers. All told, Lalonde netted 189 points in combined goals and assists in 353 games with the Canucks.
In October 1977, Lalonde (then a free agent
) was picked up by the Atlanta Flames
. In November of that year, he faced off against his brother Ron Lalonde
—who played for the Washington Capitals
at the time—in a tied match where each brother scored the final goal for their respective team. Lalonde remained with the Flames through 1979, scoring 38 goals and 56 assists in 154 games.
Lalonde was traded to the Boston Bruins
in exchange for future considerations in October 1979. He found himself playing for Fred Creighton
, who had coached him previously in Atlanta. He spent the bulk of the 1979–80 and 1980–81 seasons in Boston, tallying 14 goals and 37 assists in 133 games.
In October 1981, the Bruins bought out the remaining year of Lalonde's contract and released him as a free agent. Lalonde returned to the NHL on a minor-league contract with the Calgary Flames
, playing 19 games with the CHL's Oklahoma City Stars
and 1 game with the Flames. He then moved to the European leagues, playing 15 games with HC Davos
of the Swiss National League A before retiring from professional hockey in 1982.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player drafted 17th overall in the second round of the 1971 NHL entry draft. He played 641 games in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
from 1971 to 1982. During his career he accumulated 124 goals, 210 assists for a total of 334 points. He played for the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, Atlanta Flames
Atlanta Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the...
, Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, and a short stint with the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
until his eventual retirement due to a recurring knee injury. Bobby Lalonde was listed at 5'5" and was the shortest player to play in the NHL at that time.
He now resides on the outskirts of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, with his wife Carolyn. He has two sons. Brent, the eldest, was born while he was playing for the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
and his younger son Court was born while he was playing for the Atlanta Flames
Atlanta Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the...
.
Playing career
Lalonde's amateur career began with the Ontario Hockey AssociationOntario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
's Montreal Junior Canadiens, for whom he played from 1968 to 1971, earning 255 points in combined goals and assists. The Junior Canadiens won the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
twice during Lalonde's tenure there, once in 1969 and again the following year.
Lalonde turned pro in 1971, joining the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
as their number two draft choice. He netted 1 goal and 5 assists in 27 games with the Canucks prior to being sent to their American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
for the remainder of the season. Lalonde skated with the Americans for 42 games, tallying 25 points in goals and assists. The following season Lalonde skated with the Canucks, where he remained until 1977. He spent nearly half of the 1973–74 season out of play due to an ankle injury. During the 1975–76 and 1976–77 seasons, Lalonde briefly played for the Central Hockey League's Tulsa Oilers. All told, Lalonde netted 189 points in combined goals and assists in 353 games with the Canucks.
In October 1977, Lalonde (then a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
) was picked up by the Atlanta Flames
Atlanta Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the...
. In November of that year, he faced off against his brother Ron Lalonde
Ron Lalonde
Ronald Leo Lalonde is a retired Canadian ice hockey player.Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, Lalonde also played for the Washington Capitals.-External links:*...
—who played for the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
at the time—in a tied match where each brother scored the final goal for their respective team. Lalonde remained with the Flames through 1979, scoring 38 goals and 56 assists in 154 games.
Lalonde was traded to the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in exchange for future considerations in October 1979. He found himself playing for Fred Creighton
Fred Creighton
Fred Creighton is a former Canadian ice hockey centre and coach. Creighton was head coach of the Atlanta Flames from 1975 to 1979 and the Boston Bruins in 1980.-External links:...
, who had coached him previously in Atlanta. He spent the bulk of the 1979–80 and 1980–81 seasons in Boston, tallying 14 goals and 37 assists in 133 games.
In October 1981, the Bruins bought out the remaining year of Lalonde's contract and released him as a free agent. Lalonde returned to the NHL on a minor-league contract with the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, playing 19 games with the CHL's Oklahoma City Stars
Oklahoma City Stars
The Oklahoma City Stars were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League from 1978 to 1982. They were affiliated with the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League....
and 1 game with the Flames. He then moved to the European leagues, playing 15 games with HC Davos
HC Davos
Hockey Club Davos is a professional Swiss ice hockey club based in Davos, Switzerland. Davos play in the Swiss National League A, which is ranked as Europe's sixth best ice hockey league. The team is usually a strong force in the league and often bolster their roster with Swiss national team...
of the Swiss National League A before retiring from professional hockey in 1982.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1968–69 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the... |
54 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1968–69 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | Memorial Cup Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major... |
8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 54 | 42 | 42 | 84 | 73 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 17 | ||
| 1969–70 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | Memorial Cup | 12 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 61 | 59 | 68 | 127 | 71 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 35 | ||
| 1971–72 | Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
42 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
27 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 77 | 20 | 27 | 47 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 36 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 74 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 48 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1975–76 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 71 | 14 | 36 | 50 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1975–76 | Tulsa Oilers | CHL | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 68 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Tulsa Oilers | CHL | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Atlanta Flames Atlanta Flames The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the... |
NHL | 73 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1978–79 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 78 | 24 | 32 | 56 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL | 71 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1980–81 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 62 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1981–82 | Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Oklahoma City Stars Oklahoma City Stars The Oklahoma City Stars were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League from 1978 to 1982. They were affiliated with the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League.... |
CHL | 19 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | HC Davos HC Davos Hockey Club Davos is a professional Swiss ice hockey club based in Davos, Switzerland. Davos play in the Swiss National League A, which is ranked as Europe's sixth best ice hockey league. The team is usually a strong force in the league and often bolster their roster with Swiss national team... |
NLA | 15 | 8 | 21 | 29 | — | 12 | 13 | 13 | 26 | — | ||
| NHL totals | 641 | 124 | 210 | 334 | 298 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | ||||