Marcel Dionne
Encyclopedia
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne (born August 3, 1951) is a retired Canadian
professional
ice hockey
centre
who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League
for the Detroit Red Wings
, Los Angeles Kings
and New York Rangers
. Marcel Dionne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1992.
in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft. Before joining the NHL, he played for three years in the Ontario Hockey Association
with the St. Catharines Black Hawks
. His team was involved in one of the most infamous events in Canadian junior hockey during the 1971 Richardson Cup.
The Black Hawks and Quebec Remparts
faced off in a Richardson Trophy series that was intense on many levels. Besides the strong rivalry between Anglophone and Francophone hockey teams and Canadian citizens in general, there was unfinished business between Marcel Dionne and the Remparts' coach Maurice Filion
. Dionne had been coached by Filion in 1968 as a member of the Drummondville Rangers
of the former Quebec Junior Hockey League. When the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League formed in 1969, Dionne departed to play in the OHA, which was seen as a higher-calibre level of competition, to hone his skills. Filion vowed revenge against Dionne's OHA team. This rivalry was further fueled by the desire of Francophone nationalists to have a Canadian champion from a Quebec team in a Quebec-based league.
The series, which featured future NHL stars Guy Lafleur
and Dionne, never lived up to the potential on ice brilliance that could have been. Disputes off the ice and erupting violence dramatically shortened the series. The Eastern Canadian championship of 1971 would be the last Eastern Canadian championship to be played before the Memorial Cup tournament began in 1972. With St. Catharines forfeiting the series due to the threats of violence, the Eastern Canadian championship did not end to the fans' satisfaction.
After the series, Lafleur went first overall to the Montreal Canadiens
in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft and was part of a Stanley Cup contender. Dionne played his first four seasons with the Red Wings, where he was one of the few stars on an otherwise stagnant team that failed to make the playoffs.
Despite having legendary teammates such as Alex Delvecchio
and Mickey Redmond, Dionne's frustrations with losing were evident. His agent, Alan Eagleson
pushed for more money and found it in an unlikely place. The owner of the Los Angeles Kings, Jack Kent Cooke
, offered Dionne $300,000 per year. A deal was struck with the Red Wings for compensation, and Dionne signed with the Kings and became its franchise player. At the time, it was the richest deal in hockey history.
During his time with the Los Angeles Kings
, he played 11 and a half seasons and formed the famed "Triple Crown Line", centreing Charlie Simmer
and Dave Taylor
. Despite his high scoring production during the regular season he was frustrated with the Kings' lack of playoff success; they made the postseason from 1976–82 but only advanced to the second round three times for a total of 43 playoff games. During the 1986–87 season, Dionne mentored the rookies of the Kings as Mickey Redmond mentored him during his rookie years in Detroit. He took eventual Calder Trophy winner Luc Robitaille
, Jimmy Carson
and Steve Duchesne
under his wing.
Despite the strong rapport with the rookies, there was also a falling out with Coach Pat Quinn
. With the Kings on track to miss the playoffs, he demanded a trade. Dionne had hoped that his threat would get General Manager Rogie Vachon to make some major moves to rejuvenate the stagnating team, and he was surprised and disappointed when Vachon actually traded him to the New York Rangers
. He played his remaining two and a half seasons there, where the Rangers lost in the first round of the playoffs and missed the next two. He retired in 1989. One consolation was that he would finally have Guy Lafleur
as his teammate to mark the beginning of the 1988–89 NHL season. In January 2004, Dionne was featured on a Canadian postage stamp. As part of the NHL All-Stars Collection, Dionne was immortalized along with five other All-Stars.
His best season was 1979–80 when he had 137 points. That season, he was tied for the league lead in points with Wayne Gretzky
. Though Gretzky played in one less game than Dionne, Dionne was awarded the Art Ross Trophy
for scoring two more goals than Gretzky. (Interestingly, from 1969 to 2001, Dionne and Bryan Trottier
were the only single-time winners of the scoring title, while Phil Esposito
, Bobby Orr
, Guy Lafleur
, Wayne Gretzky
, Mario Lemieux
, and Jaromir Jagr
had won it on multiple occasions.) Dionne also won the Lester B. Pearson Award
in 1979 and 1980, and the Lady Byng Trophy in 1975 and 1977.
Dionne was the third of six men to reach the 700-goal plateau, and currently ranks fourth among all-time goal scorers, with 731. He is ranked fifth in points, with 1771. He is ninth in career assists with 1,040. He was second in assists, goals, and points when he retired in 1989 (he is 70 goals, 9 assists, and 79 points behind Gordie Howe
in all categories).
He was also the last active player in the NHL that participated in the 1972 Summit Series. Despite not playing in the 1972 Summit Series, he did play for Team Canada in the 1976 Canada Cup
and the 1981 Canada Cup. For the 1976 Canada Cup, his linesmates were Bobby Hull
and Phil Esposito
. He was also on a line with Lanny McDonald
and Darryl Sittler
and they were on the ice when the tournament winning goal was scored. While on the 1981 team, he was on a line with Wayne Gretzky
and Guy Lafleur
.
Dionne is third in the NHL for most 100+ point seasons. He has had eight 100+ point seasons in his NHL career, only behind Wayne Gretzky's fourteen 100+ point seasons and Mario Lemieux's ten 100+ point seasons.
Marcel Dionne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1992. In 1998, he was ranked number 38 on The Hockey News
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players, the highest-ranking player to have not won a Stanley Cup since 2001 when No. 14-ranked Ray Bourque
won with the Colorado Avalanche
. Dionne had not come close to doing so, as he never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. When the Los Angeles Kings
finally reached the Stanley Cup finals in 1993, after advancing to and winning their first conference finals, Dionne gave Dave Taylor
a congratulatory call.
The former Centre Civique arena
in Drummondville was renamed Centre Marcel Dionne
in his honour after his retirement.
Dionne's younger brother Gilbert
also played in the NHL
and won a Stanley Cup
with the Montreal Canadiens
in 1993. Gilbert is Marcel's junior by nineteen years.
Prior to the start of the 1993-94 season, Dionne helped to create local interest in the ECHL
's newest franchise, the South Carolina Stingrays
. With the help of some young players, Dionne gave an on-ice demonstration of the rules of hockey to the southern audience.
Dionne currently resides in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and owns Marcel Dionne enterprises. He is an occasional member of the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team
despite never playing, or living there as a player. He is also a Royal Ambassador for the Kings organization.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
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 played 18 seasons 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...
for 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...
, Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. Marcel Dionne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1992.
Playing career
Dionne was drafted in the first Round (second overall) by the Detroit Red WingsDetroit 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...
in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft. Before joining the NHL, he played for three years in the Ontario Hockey Association
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...
with the St. Catharines Black Hawks
St. Catharines Black Hawks
The St. Catharines Black Hawks were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1962 to 1976. The team was based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.-History:...
. His team was involved in one of the most infamous events in Canadian junior hockey during the 1971 Richardson Cup.
The Black Hawks and Quebec Remparts
Québec Remparts
There have been two junior ice hockey franchises known as the Quebec Remparts that played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The first franchise played from 1969 to 1985; the current franchise has played since 1997. Both franchises were based out of Quebec City, Quebec...
faced off in a Richardson Trophy series that was intense on many levels. Besides the strong rivalry between Anglophone and Francophone hockey teams and Canadian citizens in general, there was unfinished business between Marcel Dionne and the Remparts' coach Maurice Filion
Maurice Filion
Maurice Filion is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. He was head coach of the Quebec Nordiques in 1981 as well as two other occasions when the franchise was in the World Hockey Association.-Coaching record:...
. Dionne had been coached by Filion in 1968 as a member of the Drummondville Rangers
Drummondville Rangers
The Drummondville Rangers were a junior ice hockey team that played in Drummondville, Quebec. They originally played in the Quebec Junior Hockey League, but became a founding member of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 1969. They were originally affiliated with the New York Rangers. They...
of the former Quebec Junior Hockey League. When the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League formed in 1969, Dionne departed to play in the OHA, which was seen as a higher-calibre level of competition, to hone his skills. Filion vowed revenge against Dionne's OHA team. This rivalry was further fueled by the desire of Francophone nationalists to have a Canadian champion from a Quebec team in a Quebec-based league.
The series, which featured future NHL stars Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...
and Dionne, never lived up to the potential on ice brilliance that could have been. Disputes off the ice and erupting violence dramatically shortened the series. The Eastern Canadian championship of 1971 would be the last Eastern Canadian championship to be played before the Memorial Cup tournament began in 1972. With St. Catharines forfeiting the series due to the threats of violence, the Eastern Canadian championship did not end to the fans' satisfaction.
After the series, Lafleur went first overall to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft and was part of a Stanley Cup contender. Dionne played his first four seasons with the Red Wings, where he was one of the few stars on an otherwise stagnant team that failed to make the playoffs.
Despite having legendary teammates such as Alex Delvecchio
Alex Delvecchio
Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio is a former ice hockey player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.After playing a single junior league season for the Oshawa Generals of the OHA Delvecchio joined the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League for the 1952 season, and helped the team to...
and Mickey Redmond, Dionne's frustrations with losing were evident. His agent, Alan Eagleson
Alan Eagleson
Robert Alan Eagleson is a disbarred Canadian lawyer, convicted felon in two countries, former politician, hockey agent and promoter...
pushed for more money and found it in an unlikely place. The owner of the Los Angeles Kings, Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke was a Canadian entrepreneur and former owner of the Washington Redskins , the Los Angeles Lakers , and the Los Angeles Kings , and built The Forum in Inglewood, California and FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.-Early career:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Cooke moved with his family to...
, offered Dionne $300,000 per year. A deal was struck with the Red Wings for compensation, and Dionne signed with the Kings and became its franchise player. At the time, it was the richest deal in hockey history.
During his time with the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, he played 11 and a half seasons and formed the famed "Triple Crown Line", centreing Charlie Simmer
Charlie Simmer
Charles Robert Simmer is a retired ice hockey forward, most notably for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League, who was notable for his scoring and power play prowess.-Playing career:...
and Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor (hockey)
David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St...
. Despite his high scoring production during the regular season he was frustrated with the Kings' lack of playoff success; they made the postseason from 1976–82 but only advanced to the second round three times for a total of 43 playoff games. During the 1986–87 season, Dionne mentored the rookies of the Kings as Mickey Redmond mentored him during his rookie years in Detroit. He took eventual Calder Trophy winner Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, Jimmy Carson
Jimmy Carson
James Charles Carson is a retired American professional hockey player. He is best known for his 10 year NHL career, spent with several teams. After retiring from professional hockey, he embarked on a new career as a financial advisor....
and Steve Duchesne
Steve Duchesne
Steve Duchesne is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL with several teams from 1986 until 2002...
under his wing.
Despite the strong rapport with the rookies, there was also a falling out with Coach Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (ice hockey)
John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
. With the Kings on track to miss the playoffs, he demanded a trade. Dionne had hoped that his threat would get General Manager Rogie Vachon to make some major moves to rejuvenate the stagnating team, and he was surprised and disappointed when Vachon actually traded him to the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. He played his remaining two and a half seasons there, where the Rangers lost in the first round of the playoffs and missed the next two. He retired in 1989. One consolation was that he would finally have Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...
as his teammate to mark the beginning of the 1988–89 NHL season. In January 2004, Dionne was featured on a Canadian postage stamp. As part of the NHL All-Stars Collection, Dionne was immortalized along with five other All-Stars.
Achievements
During his first season for Detroit in 1972, he set an NHL record for scoring by a rookie with 77 points. This record has since been surpassed.His best season was 1979–80 when he had 137 points. That season, he was tied for the league lead in points with Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
. Though Gretzky played in one less game than Dionne, Dionne was awarded the Art Ross Trophy
Art Ross Trophy
The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
for scoring two more goals than Gretzky. (Interestingly, from 1969 to 2001, Dionne and Bryan Trottier
Bryan Trottier
Bryan John Trottier is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the...
were the only single-time winners of the scoring title, while Phil Esposito
Phil Esposito
Philip Anthony Esposito, OC is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best to have...
, Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
, Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...
, Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
, and Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr
Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Jágr formerly played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers...
had won it on multiple occasions.) Dionne also won the Lester B. Pearson Award
Lester B. Pearson Award
The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association. It has been awarded 40 times to 23 different players since its beginnings...
in 1979 and 1980, and the Lady Byng Trophy in 1975 and 1977.
Dionne was the third of six men to reach the 700-goal plateau, and currently ranks fourth among all-time goal scorers, with 731. He is ranked fifth in points, with 1771. He is ninth in career assists with 1,040. He was second in assists, goals, and points when he retired in 1989 (he is 70 goals, 9 assists, and 79 points behind Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
in all categories).
He was also the last active player in the NHL that participated in the 1972 Summit Series. Despite not playing in the 1972 Summit Series, he did play for Team Canada in the 1976 Canada Cup
Canada Cup (ice hockey)
The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional...
and the 1981 Canada Cup. For the 1976 Canada Cup, his linesmates were Bobby Hull
Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning...
and Phil Esposito
Phil Esposito
Philip Anthony Esposito, OC is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best to have...
. He was also on a line with Lanny McDonald
Lanny McDonald
Lanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year NHL career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points...
and Darryl Sittler
Darryl Sittler
Darryl Glen Sittler is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1970 until 1985 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.On February 7, 1976, Sittler set an NHL...
and they were on the ice when the tournament winning goal was scored. While on the 1981 team, he was on a line with Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
and Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...
.
Dionne is third in the NHL for most 100+ point seasons. He has had eight 100+ point seasons in his NHL career, only behind Wayne Gretzky's fourteen 100+ point seasons and Mario Lemieux's ten 100+ point seasons.
Marcel Dionne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1992. In 1998, he was ranked number 38 on The Hockey News
The Hockey News
The Hockey News, commonly abbreviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been the most recognized hockey publication in North America...
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players, the highest-ranking player to have not won a Stanley Cup since 2001 when No. 14-ranked Ray Bourque
Ray Bourque
Raymond Jean "Ray" Bourque is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player. He currently holds records for most goals, assists and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League . Bourque has become near-synonymous with the Boston Bruins franchise, for which he played 21 seasons and...
won with the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
. Dionne had not come close to doing so, as he never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. When the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
finally reached the Stanley Cup finals in 1993, after advancing to and winning their first conference finals, Dionne gave Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor (hockey)
David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St...
a congratulatory call.
The former Centre Civique arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Drummondville was renamed Centre Marcel Dionne
Centre Marcel Dionne
The Centre Marcel Dionne is a 4,000 capacity multi-purpose arena in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. It is home to the Drummondville Voltigeurs Ice hockey team. It is named in honour of Marcel Dionne. It was built in 1963 and was originally called the Centre Civique....
in his honour after his retirement.
Dionne's younger brother Gilbert
Gilbert Dionne
Gilbert Dionne is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who played six seasons in the National Hockey League from 1990–91 until 1995–96. He is the younger brother of Hockey Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne, who is nineteen years his senior.Dionne was drafted 81st overall by the Montreal...
also played in the 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...
and won a Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
with the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in 1993. Gilbert is Marcel's junior by nineteen years.
Prior to the start of the 1993-94 season, Dionne helped to create local interest in the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
's newest franchise, the South Carolina Stingrays
South Carolina Stingrays
The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in...
. With the help of some young players, Dionne gave an on-ice demonstration of the rules of hockey to the southern audience.
Dionne currently resides in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and owns Marcel Dionne enterprises. He is an occasional member of the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team
Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team
The Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team is an independent barnstorming hockey team located in Buffalo, New York. Its roster consists entirely of retired National Hockey League players, mostly former members of the Buffalo Sabres...
despite never playing, or living there as a player. He is also a Royal Ambassador for the Kings organization.
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 | St. Catharines Black Hawks St. Catharines Black Hawks The St. Catharines Black Hawks were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1962 to 1976. The team was based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.-History:... |
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... |
48 | 37 | 63 | 100 | 38 | 18 | 15 | 20 | 35 | 8 | ||
| 1969–70 | St. Catharines Black Hawks | OHA | 54 | 55 | 77 | 132 | 46 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 10 | ||
| 1970–71 | St. Catharines Black Hawks | OHA | 46 | 62 | 81 | 143 | 20 | 15 | 29 | 26 | 55 | 11 | ||
| 1971–72 | 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... |
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... |
78 | 28 | 49 | 77 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 77 | 40 | 50 | 90 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 74 | 24 | 54 | 78 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 47 | 74 | 121 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 80 | 40 | 54 | 94 | 38 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 53 | 69 | 122 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 2 | ||
| 1977–78 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 70 | 36 | 43 | 79 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1978–79 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 59 | 71 | 130 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 53 | 84 | 137 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1980–81 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 58 | 77 | 135 | 70 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | ||
| 1981–82 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 78 | 50 | 67 | 117 | 50 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 1982–83 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 56 | 51 | 107 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 66 | 39 | 53 | 92 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 46 | 80 | 126 | 46 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1985–86 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 36 | 58 | 94 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 67 | 24 | 50 | 74 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
NHL | 14 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1987–88 | New York Rangers | NHL | 67 | 31 | 34 | 65 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | New York Rangers | NHL | 37 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Denver Rangers Denver Rangers The Denver Rangers were a professional hockey team in Denver, Colorado for 1988–1989 season. They were a member of the International Hockey League. The team was originally the Indianapolis Checkers, but after the 1986–1987 season the team moved to Denver. The team was originally known as the... |
IHL | 9 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| OHA totals | 148 | 154 | 221 | 375 | 104 | 43 | 56 | 66 | 122 | 29 | ||||
| NHL totals | 1348 | 731 | 1040 | 1771 | 600 | 49 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 17 | ||||
International play
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Team Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
SS Summit Series The Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | Team Canada | CC Canada Cup (ice hockey) The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional... |
7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Team Canada | WCh Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
10 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1979 | Team Canada | WCh | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Team Canada | CC | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1983 | Team Canada | WCh | 10 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| Team Canada | WCh | 10 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 | |