Dennis Polonich
Encyclopedia
Dennis Daniel "Polo" Polonich (born December 4, 1953 in Foam Lake
, Saskatchewan
) is a retired professional ice hockey
centre
who spent his entire NHL
career with the Detroit Red Wings
. He was known as a troublemaker who would do anything (especially fighting) to disrupt the opposition. He was selected 8th (118th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft
.
of the WCHL
, Polonich decided he needed a way to get the attention of the pro scouts. He felt the easiest way to do this was getting the face of every single player on the other team while scoring some goals in between. Polonich started picking fights with players all over the league during the 1972–73 season and was known to never stop trash-talk
ing. He racked up 222 penalty minutes to go along with 83 points that season but also accomplished what he first set out to do, impress the scouts. Polonich was drafted 118th by the Detroit Red Wings in 1973. However, the Wings wanted to see if Polonich could be as effective in a higher league. They decided to ship him across the pond to Britain
to play a season with the London Lions
. He impressed and was brought back for the 1974–75 season
.
had its first look at the young firecracker when Polonich joined the Virginia Wings
. He helped them reach the playoffs with 34 points while leading the team in penalty minutes and went on to be the best scorer in their short playoff appearance. Towards the end of the season Polonich got the chance to play in his first NHL
game. He would join the Wings for four games that season ending with no goals, no assists, and surprisingly no penalty minutes, but with a renewed sense of what he was playing for. After a quick stint with the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL, Polonich became a full-time Red Wing in the 1975–76 NHL season. The Red Wings were retooling, adding toughness and grit to their roster after a few disappointing seasons and Polonich fit the bill. Although small, Polonich brought an instant force to the team and starting wreaking havoc in the highest league in hockey. Polonich set a club record on March 24, 1976 by sitting out eight penalties - five minors, a major and a misconduct. Looking back, Polonich wishes he’d spent less time in the sin bin and more on the ice.
In the 1976–77 season Polonich had a short tenure as captain
of the Detroit Red Wings while Danny Grant
was injured. He would finish second on the team in scoring with 46 points and first on the team (second in the league behind Tiger Williams
) in penalty minutes with 274. He would again lead the team in penalty minutes the following season.
On October 25, 1978 Polonich was doing what he did best when he got under the skin of Colorado Rockies'
Wilf Paiement
. In what has been termed as the worst-ever case of brutality in the NHL, Paiement smashed the dimunitive Polonich across the face with his stick, leaving Polonich with a concussion, severe facial lacerations, and a broken nose requiring reconstructive surgery
. Polonich sued, and was rewarded with a settlement of $850,000 in 1982. Polonich suffered from breathing problems for the remainder of his career.
After five and a half seasons with the Red Wings, Polonich was sent down to the AHL after the 1980–81 season and, besides 11 games in 1982, would remain there. He helped the Adirondack Red Wings
reach the playoffs twice in the following four years before jumping to the Muskegon Lumberjacks
of the IHL.
Polonich finally retired in 1987.
Foam Lake, Saskatchewan
-References:...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
) is a retired professional ice hockey
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...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who spent his entire 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...
career with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
. He was known as a troublemaker who would do anything (especially fighting) to disrupt the opposition. He was selected 8th (118th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft
1973 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1973 NHL Amateur Draft, the 11th National Hockey League draft was the first to be held on a separate day from other league activities on May 15, 1973, at the Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal, Quebec so it would not overshadow the rest of the league meetings. Previously, the league had held the...
.
Junior hockey
Polonich began noticing early on that he was not one of the big kids around the league. Standing only an unimpressive five feet, six inches, and while playing for the Flin Flon BombersFlin Flon Bombers
The Flin Flon Bombers are a junior ice hockey team and current member of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League , and are based in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada. The team moved and became the Edmonton Oil Kings in 1978, but the Flin Flon Bomber name was retained...
of the WCHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
, Polonich decided he needed a way to get the attention of the pro scouts. He felt the easiest way to do this was getting the face of every single player on the other team while scoring some goals in between. Polonich started picking fights with players all over the league during the 1972–73 season and was known to never stop trash-talk
Trash-talk
Trash-talk is a form of boast or insult commonly heard in competitive situations , primarily in the US. It is often used to intimidate the opposition, but can also be used in a humorous spirit...
ing. He racked up 222 penalty minutes to go along with 83 points that season but also accomplished what he first set out to do, impress the scouts. Polonich was drafted 118th by the Detroit Red Wings in 1973. However, the Wings wanted to see if Polonich could be as effective in a higher league. They decided to ship him across the pond to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to play a season with the London Lions
London Lions
The London Lions based out of London, England was an independent professional ice hockey team that played 72 games during the 1973-74 season against the top European hockey teams. It was started by Detroit Red Wings owner Bruce Norris with a vision of building a league to be affiliated with the...
. He impressed and was brought back for the 1974–75 season
1974–75 AHL season
The 1974–75 AHL season was the 39th season of the American Hockey League. Ten teams were scheduled to play 76 games each in the schedule, but the Baltimore Clippers were unable to complete the season. The Providence Reds finished first overall in the regular season...
.
Professional hockey
In the 1974–75 season the AHLAmerican 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...
had its first look at the young firecracker when Polonich joined the Virginia Wings
Virginia Wings
The Virginia Wings were a professional ice hockey team based in Norfolk, Virginia of the greater Hampton Roads area. They were an affiliated farm team of the Detroit Red Wings, and a member of the American Hockey League for three seasons from 1972–73 to 1974–75. The Wings were previously known as...
. He helped them reach the playoffs with 34 points while leading the team in penalty minutes and went on to be the best scorer in their short playoff appearance. Towards the end of the season Polonich got the chance to play in his first 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...
game. He would join the Wings for four games that season ending with no goals, no assists, and surprisingly no penalty minutes, but with a renewed sense of what he was playing for. After a quick stint with the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL, Polonich became a full-time Red Wing in the 1975–76 NHL season. The Red Wings were retooling, adding toughness and grit to their roster after a few disappointing seasons and Polonich fit the bill. Although small, Polonich brought an instant force to the team and starting wreaking havoc in the highest league in hockey. Polonich set a club record on March 24, 1976 by sitting out eight penalties - five minors, a major and a misconduct. Looking back, Polonich wishes he’d spent less time in the sin bin and more on the ice.
"If I had stayed out of the box a little more, I might have scored 20 or 25 goals, you have to have a mighty long stick to score from the penalty box."
In the 1976–77 season Polonich had a short tenure as captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
of the Detroit Red Wings while Danny Grant
Danny Grant
Daniel Frederick Grant is a retired Canadian ice hockey right winger, who played in the National Hockey League for parts of fourteen seasons, most notably for the Minnesota North Stars....
was injured. He would finish second on the team in scoring with 46 points and first on the team (second in the league behind Tiger Williams
Tiger Williams
David James "Tiger" Williams is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1974–75 to 1987–88. He is the NHL's career leader in penalty minutes.-NHL career:...
) in penalty minutes with 274. He would again lead the team in penalty minutes the following season.
On October 25, 1978 Polonich was doing what he did best when he got under the skin of Colorado Rockies'
Colorado Rockies (NHL)
The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League that played in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982 and was...
Wilf Paiement
Wilf Paiement
Wilfred Paiement, Jr. is a former professional ice hockey right winger in the NHL from 1974 through 1988, for six different NHL teams.-Playing career:...
. In what has been termed as the worst-ever case of brutality in the NHL, Paiement smashed the dimunitive Polonich across the face with his stick, leaving Polonich with a concussion, severe facial lacerations, and a broken nose requiring reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery is, in its broadest sense, the use of surgery to restore the form and function of the body, although Maxillo-Facial Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons and Otolaryngologists do reconstructive surgery on faces after trauma and to reconstruct the head and neck after cancer.Other...
. Polonich sued, and was rewarded with a settlement of $850,000 in 1982. Polonich suffered from breathing problems for the remainder of his career.
After five and a half seasons with the Red Wings, Polonich was sent down to the AHL after the 1980–81 season and, besides 11 games in 1982, would remain there. He helped the Adirondack Red Wings
Adirondack Red Wings
The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
reach the playoffs twice in the following four years before jumping to the Muskegon Lumberjacks
Muskegon Lumberjacks
The Muskegon Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Muskegon, Michigan.-Facts:-Season-by-Season record:Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses/Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in...
of the IHL.
Polonich finally retired in 1987.
Records
- Red Wings club record: Sitting out eight penalties in one game - five minors, a major and a misconduct. (1976)