Stan Weir
Encyclopedia
Stanley Brian "Stash" Weir (born March 17, 1952 in Ponoka
, Alberta
) is a retired ice hockey
centre
. He played on five different teams for the National Hockey League
over a 11 year career. Weir was drafted 2nd (28th overall) by the California Golden Seals
in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft
.
's hockey school 200 miles from hometown Ponoka in Banff, Alberta
. Sather would later recognize Weir as the first graduate of his program to play in NHL.
of the Alberta Junior Hockey League
. In the 1969–70 season, Weir amassed 35 goals and 26 assists in only 42 games, earning him the Ernie Love Trophy (given to the AJHL Scoring Champion) at the age of 17. The following season saw Weir join the Medicine Hat Tigers
of the Western Hockey League
and win the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
(given to the WHL's Rookie of the Year). Weir also played on a line with future NHLer Lanny McDonald
and they became friends. McDonald would later say he considered Weir one of the best junior players in Canada. Weir continued to put up big numbers in the WCHL, scoring a combined 244 points in two seasons. While still only 19, the California Golden Seals had seen enough and decided to draft Weir with their 2nd overall pick in the 1972 draft.
On June 20, 1975, Weir was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
for Gary Sabourin
to rejoin old friend Lanny McDonald. The Leafs were hoping Weir would regain his form and add some depth at offense. In 1975–76, Weir chipped in 19 goals and finished with 51 points on the season, helping the Maple Leafs into the playoffs. However on a team with scoring greats such as Darryl Sittler
, McDonald, and Errol Thompson, his production was underwhelming. With similar results the next season, the Leafs decided that Weir was used too sparingly and he was send down to the Leafs minor league affiliate, the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League
. Wier played hard for the Oilers scoring 57 points in his first 42 games and made some headway when he was called back up to rejoin Toronto at the end of the season and into the playoffs. He scored 15 goals in his last 33 games with Toronto including three in their short playoff run.
Knowing Toronto was expecting more out of him and that he might again be sent to the minors, Weir decided to jump to the World Hockey Association
and join the Edmonton Oilers
to play on a premiere team. In his first season with the Oilers, Weir scored 31 goals and 30 assists while playing with rising star, Wayne Gretzky
. When the Oilers joined the NHL the following season, Weir went with them, scoring his highest NHL point totals with 33 goals and 33 assists. Weir would play two more season with Edmonton before being traded to the Colorado Rockies
for Ed Cooper
on March 9, 1982. After already playing in 10 games for Colorado, the NHL voided the trade after Cooper was found to be hiding injuries and Weir was returned to Edmonton. Weir would not stay put for long as Edmonton traded him to the Detroit Red Wings
for cash on September 14, 1982.
Weir played his final NHL campaign in the 1982–83 season. He scored 29 points for Detroit that year and ended his NHL career with 346 points over 10 seasons. After leaving Detroit he played the 1983–84 season
with the Montana Magic
of the CHL and then joined the Milwaukee Admirals
of the International Hockey League for the 1984–85 season
. Weir retired in 1985.
However his retirement was short-lived as Weir decided to play senior hockey in Ontario for the Brantford Mott's Clamatos in 1986. He spent a season with the Clamatos and a season with the Dundas Real McCoys
of the OHA Senior A Hockey League
before retiring for good in 1987.
Ponoka, Alberta
Ponoka is a town in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the south/central parkland region of rolling hills. Industries are agriculture , and oil and gas production...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
) is a retired 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...
. He played on five different teams for 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...
over a 11 year career. Weir was drafted 2nd (28th overall) by the California Golden Seals
California Golden Seals
The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of...
in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft
1972 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1972 NHL Amateur Draft was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Selections by round:Below are listed the selections in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft...
.
Growing up
During summers in his childhood, Weir attended Glen SatherGlen Sather
Glen Cameron "Slats" Sather is the President and general manager of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He has also served as the head coach of the Rangers, as well as General Manager and coach of the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association and later NHL...
's hockey school 200 miles from hometown Ponoka in Banff, Alberta
Banff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
. Sather would later recognize Weir as the first graduate of his program to play in NHL.
Minor league hockey
Weir started play and earning respect in 1968 while playing with his hometown Ponoka StampedersPonoka Stampeders
The Ponoka Stampeders are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Ponoka, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League...
of the Alberta Junior Hockey League
Alberta Junior Hockey League
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
. In the 1969–70 season, Weir amassed 35 goals and 26 assists in only 42 games, earning him the Ernie Love Trophy (given to the AJHL Scoring Champion) at the age of 17. The following season saw Weir join the Medicine Hat Tigers
Medicine Hat Tigers
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena....
of the Western Hockey League
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...
and win the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
The Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top rookie in the Western Hockey League.The award is named after Jim Piggott who was the founder of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, as well as one of the first presidents of the league.- Winners :...
(given to the WHL's Rookie of the Year). Weir also played on a line with future NHLer 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 they became friends. McDonald would later say he considered Weir one of the best junior players in Canada. Weir continued to put up big numbers in the WCHL, scoring a combined 244 points in two seasons. While still only 19, the California Golden Seals had seen enough and decided to draft Weir with their 2nd overall pick in the 1972 draft.
Reaching the NHL
After scoring 133 points the previous season, big things were expected of the young centre in the National Hockey League. He jumped right into playing with the big boys and found that his game was slowing down. Weir played 78 games for the Seals in 1972–73 and notched 39 points, a great rookie campaign. However, his offensive prowess was expected to grow as he got used to the speed and size of the NHL. The following season saw Weir scoring only 16 points in 58 games before ending the season with a knee injury. California expected more from their star centre and Weir delivered for them in 1974–75. Weir lead the team in points with 45 and assists with 27, but that paled in comparison to the point totals in the rest of the league.On June 20, 1975, Weir was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
for Gary Sabourin
Gary Sabourin
Gary Bruce Sabourin is a retired professional ice hockey right winger who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League from 1967–68 until 1976–77.-Career:...
to rejoin old friend Lanny McDonald. The Leafs were hoping Weir would regain his form and add some depth at offense. In 1975–76, Weir chipped in 19 goals and finished with 51 points on the season, helping the Maple Leafs into the playoffs. However on a team with scoring greats such as 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...
, McDonald, and Errol Thompson, his production was underwhelming. With similar results the next season, the Leafs decided that Weir was used too sparingly and he was send down to the Leafs minor league affiliate, the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
. Wier played hard for the Oilers scoring 57 points in his first 42 games and made some headway when he was called back up to rejoin Toronto at the end of the season and into the playoffs. He scored 15 goals in his last 33 games with Toronto including three in their short playoff run.
Knowing Toronto was expecting more out of him and that he might again be sent to the minors, Weir decided to jump to the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
and join the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
to play on a premiere team. In his first season with the Oilers, Weir scored 31 goals and 30 assists while playing with rising star, 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,...
. When the Oilers joined the NHL the following season, Weir went with them, scoring his highest NHL point totals with 33 goals and 33 assists. Weir would play two more season with Edmonton before being traded to the 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...
for Ed Cooper
Ed Cooper
Edward William Cooper is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 49 games in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Rockies.-External links:...
on March 9, 1982. After already playing in 10 games for Colorado, the NHL voided the trade after Cooper was found to be hiding injuries and Weir was returned to Edmonton. Weir would not stay put for long as Edmonton traded him to 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...
for cash on September 14, 1982.
Weir played his final NHL campaign in the 1982–83 season. He scored 29 points for Detroit that year and ended his NHL career with 346 points over 10 seasons. After leaving Detroit he played the 1983–84 season
1983–84 CHL season
-Regular season:- Playoffs :- External Links :*...
with the Montana Magic
Montana Magic
The Montana Magic were a short-lived ice hockey franchise, founded in 1983, that competed for one season in the now defunct Central Hockey League, based in North America....
of the CHL and then joined the Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Bradley Center.-History:...
of the International Hockey League for the 1984–85 season
1984–85 IHL season
This was the 1984-85 International Hockey League season.-Regular season:- Turner Cup-Playoffs :- External Links :* on hockeydb.com...
. Weir retired in 1985.
However his retirement was short-lived as Weir decided to play senior hockey in Ontario for the Brantford Mott's Clamatos in 1986. He spent a season with the Clamatos and a season with the Dundas Real McCoys
Dundas Real McCoys
The Dundas Real McCoys are a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team based out of Dundas, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey.-History:...
of the OHA Senior A Hockey League
Major League Hockey
Allan Cup Hockey is the top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in the province of Ontario. As a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada, the league contends for the famed Allan Cup. The league came to its latest incarnation when it lost several teams leaving it with two...
before retiring for good in 1987.
Awards and achievements
- Ernie Love Trophy winner, 1970
- Jim Piggott Memorial TrophyJim Piggott Memorial TrophyThe Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top rookie in the Western Hockey League.The award is named after Jim Piggott who was the founder of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, as well as one of the first presidents of the league.- Winners :...
winner, 1971