1971 NHL Entry Draft Pick
Round Overall
2 22
Rick Kehoe
Selected by Toronto from Hamilton (OHA)
Toronto Maple Leafs Hamilton Red Wings
Rick Kehoe
 

5-foot-11, 170 pounds

Right-hand shot. Hockey News Pre-Draft Rank: 18

Right Wing

Pre-Draft Statistics

Year Team League GP G A TP PIM
1969-70 London OHA 23 3 2 5 6
  Hamilton OHA 32 2 4 6 77
1970-71 Hamilton OHA 58 39 41 80 43

Pre-Draft Notes

Played briefly on a line with Darryl Sittler while with London in 1969-70 season.
Canadian • Born July 15, 1951 in Windsor, Ontario • Hometown: Windsor, Ontario

Career Vitals

First contract: 1971
Debut: January 1, 1972
(Toronto vs. Montreal)
Final NHL game: October 24, 1984
(Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey)
Retired: 1985
Stanley Cup: 1991, 1992
Numbers worn: 16, 17 (Toronto);
8, 17 (Pittsburgh)

Career NHL Statistics

Teams: Toronto, Pittsburgh
Years: 1972-1984. Playoffs: 1972-1982

Regular Season
  GP G A TP PIM
14 years 906 371 396 767 120
 
Stanley Cup Playoffs
GP G A TP PIM
8 years 39 4 17 21 4
 
Complete statistics available at NHL.com

Career Highlights

Also played left wing during his pro career. ... Had an assist in his first NHL game, setting up a Brad Selwood goal at 8:04 of first period to pull Toronto into a 1-1 tie with visiting Montreal. The Maple Leafs went on to win 5-2. ... Scored hat trick for Pittsburgh on Feb. 15, 1975, at Toronto. .... Scored hat trick for Pittsburgh on March 10, 1976, vs. Buffalo. All three of his goals were scored in the second period, tying a team record (since broken) for goals in one period. ... Scored hat trick for Pittsburgh on Oct. 6, 1976, season-opener vs. Vancouver. ... Scored hat trick for Pittsburgh on  Led Pittsburgh with 260 shots in 1976-77. ... Led Pittsburgh with seven power-play goals  and 239 shots in 1979-80. ... Scored hat trick for Pittsburgh on Nov. 26, 1980, vs. Vancouver. ... Scored hat trick for Pittsburgh on Dec. 3, 1980, at Toronto. ... Scored hat trick for Pittsburgh on Jan. 14, 1981, vs. St. Louis. ... Had an assist on Wales Conference's lone goal during a 4-1 loss to Campbell Conference in NHL All-Star Game at Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 1981. The goal, scored by John Ogrodnick, broke up a shutout bid at 6:13 of the third period. ... Became the third player in Pittsburgh Penguins history to score 50 goals in a season when he scored No. 50 at 15:00 of the second period at Edmonton on March 16, 1981. ... Set Pittsburgh single-season records (since broken) for goals (55) and power-play goals (20) in 1980-81. ... Led Pittsburgh with 299 shots in 1980-81. ... Tied for Pittsburgh lead with five game-winning goals in 1980-81. ... Scored hat trick for Pittsburgh on Jan. 20, 1982, vs. Boston. ... Had five assists, including four on power play, in Pittsburgh's Feb. 20, 1982, game vs. Philadelphia. ... Led Pittsburgh in power-play points (50) and tied for team lead in power-play assists (33) in 1981-82. ... Led Pittsburgh with 249 shots in 1981-82. ... Scored at 4:14 of overtime to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 win over N.Y. Islanders at home in Game 3 of the Patrick Division semifinals on April 10, 1982. The victory gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 series lead, although the Islanders would go on to win the best-of-5 series. ... Scored his eighth and final hat trick for Pittsburgh on Dec. 23, 1982, at Detroit. ... Led Pittsburgh with 203 shots in 1982-83. ... Passed Jean Pronovost to become Pittsburgh's all-time points leader (record since broken) when he scored a goal at 9:55 of the second period at N.Y. Islanders on Nov. 12, 1983. The goal was his 604th career point in a Penguins uniform. ... Led Pittsburgh with three game-winning goals in 1983-84. ... Was one of Mario Lemieux's first teammates with Pittsburgh in 1984-85 and played on line with Lemieux in Lemieux's first NHL game on Oct. 11, 1984, at Boston. Kehoe picked up the second assist on Lemieux's first NHL assist. ... Retired with Pittsburgh records (since broken) for career points (636), career power-play goals (95), career hat tricks (8), career playoff points (21), and career playoff assists (17). ... Retired with the No. 22 ranking in Pittsburgh Penguins' all-time career games played list (722), No. 2 ranking in career goals (312), No. 2 ranking in career assists (324), No. 2 ranking in shots (2,165), and No. 2 ranking in game-winning goals (26). ... Inducted into the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. ... Inducted as a charter member into the Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame in 1992. ... Inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. ... Named to Pittsburgh Penguins Trib Total Media All-Time Penguins team in 2013.

NHL Awards and Honors

(with Pittsburgh)
1980-81:Lady Byng Trophy, All Star Game
1982-83:All-Star Game

 

Team Awards and Honors

(with Pittsburgh)
1979-80:Players' Player Award (players' MVP), Max Unger Award (Points Leader, 60), Goals Leader (30), Playoffs Points Leader (7), Playoffs Goals Leader (2, tie), Playoffs Assists Leader (5)
1980-81:Players' Player Award (players' MVP), Max Unger Award (Points Leader, 88), Goals Leader (55)
1981-82:Max Unger Award (Points Leader, 85)
1982-83:Goals Leader (29)

Milestones

300th Goal: November 21, 1981
(Pittsburgh at Montreal)
50-Goal Seasons:1980-81 (55)

Transaction History

Dec. 10, 1969 -- Traded by London (OHA) with Jim Schoenfeld and Ken Southwick, to Hamilton (OHA) for Gary Geldart, Gord Brooks, and Mike Craig. Aug. 1, 1974 -- Signed WHA contract with Michigan 15 minutes before WHA deadline for accepting NHL defectors. However, Michigan had not secured his WHA rights, and league vetoed the deal. Since the signing had happened right before the deadline, and details had not been sorted out, Kehoe was unable to jump to WHA as he had hoped. Sept. 13, 1974 -- Traded by Toronto to Pittsburgh for Blaine Stoughton and future considerations (first-round pick at Toronto's discretion in 1975, 1976, or 1977 drafts. Toronto deferred until the 1977 draft and selected Trevor Johansen). Kehoe signed a three-year, $400,000 contract with Toronto on the day before he was traded under the condition that the Maple Leafs trade him to either St. Louis or Pittsburgh within three weeks of his signing the contract. Kehoe had told reporters he wanted out of Toronto during the 1973-74 season and then told Toronto general Jim Gregory that if he traded him to any team other than St. Louis, Buffalo or Pittsburgh, he would not report to that team. Gregory claimed he had no idea why Kehoe so desperately wanted to leave Toronto or why he would only accept trades to certain teams. 

Life Outside the NHL

Full Name: Rick Thomas Kehoe
Nickname: "Chico"

Other Post-Draft Teams: Tulsa (CHL)

Education: Attended Herman Collegiate high school in Windsor, Ontario. ... Made Windsor All-City team in 1967-68 and 1968-69.

Significant Injuries

Missed part of 1973-74 season with bruised heel, suffered during Toronto's Jan. 19, 1974, game at Minnesota. He did not return until Toronto's Jan. 24, 1974, game at Buffalo. ... Missed remainder of 1973-74 season and entire 1974 playoffs with fractured left shoulder, suffered when he was checked into the boards by Gene Carr in first period of Toronto's March 19, 1974, game at Los Angeles. ... Missed part of 1975-76 season with cracked ankle bone, suffered in Pittsburgh's Nov. 21, 1975, game at Atlanta. He did not return until Pittsburgh's Dec. 13, 1975, game vs. Boston. ... Missed start of 1977-78 season with chipped bone in elbow, suffered blocking a shot in Pittsburgh's Oct. 9, 1977, preseason game vs. Washington. He did not make his 1977-78 season debut until Pittsburgh's Oct. 29, 1977, game vs. Boston. He scored a goal in that game. ... Missed start of 1978-79 season with hairline fracture of right leg just above ankle, suffered in scrimmage at Pittsburgh's training camp on Sept. 23, 1978. He did not make his 1978-79 season debut until Pittsburgh's Nov. 29, 1978, game vs. Washington. He scored a power-play goal in that game. ... Had off-season surgeries in May 1981 to remove bone scrapings from his right ankle and a growth from his left forearm. ... Missed part of 1981-82 season with bruised ribs, suffered in Pittsburgh's Oct. 18, 1981, game at Detroit. He did not return until Pittsburgh's Oct. 28, 1981, game vs. Toronto. ... Missed part of 1981-82 season with separated shoulder, suffered during Pittsburgh's Feb. 3, 1982, game vs. Minnesota. He did not return until Pittsburgh's Feb. 13, 1982, game vs. Los Angeles. He scored a goal in that game. ... Missed remainder of 1983-84 season with slipped spinal disc that caused a pinched nerve in his neck, suffered during Pittsburgh's Feb. 13, 1984, game at Quebec. The injury caused circulation problems and required him to be placed in traction in a hospital. He then had to wear a neck brace. During this time, he lost feeling in his right arm and hand. The problems seemed to go away during the off-season, but six games into the 1984-85 season, they resurfaced, causing chronic pain in his right side, particularly in his neck area, that forced him out of the lineup. He spent more time in the hospital and eventually opted to retire at age 33.

Non-Playing Career

COACHING
Named Pittsburgh assistant coach on June 17, 1987, and remained in that position until Aug. 25, 1998. During this time, he served as head coach of Roller Hockey International (RHI) Pittsburgh Phantoms during team's inaugural season in summer of 1994. ... Named Pittsburgh assistant coach on Dec. 9, 1999, and remained in that position until Oct. 15, 2001. ... Named Pittsburgh head coach on Oct. 15, 2001, and remained in that position until April 15, 2003. ... Named Wilkes-Barre (AHL) interim co-head coach (with Joe Mullen) on Jan. 15, 2005, and remained in that position until Jan. 19, 2005.
SCOUTING CAREER
Got first exposure to scouting by assisting Penguins coaches with in-game reports while he was injured during the 1984-85 season. ... Named Pittsburgh Director of Pro Scouting on Oct. 15, 1985, and remained in that position until June 17, 1987. ... Named Pittsburgh pro scout on Aug. 25, 1998, and remained in that position until Dec. 9, 1999. ... Named Pittsburgh pro scout on April 15, 2003, and remained in that position until July 27, 2006. ... Named N.Y. Rangers pro scout on Sept. 18, 2006, and currently holds this position.

Miscellaneous:

Selected by Cincinnati Stingers in 1973 WHA draft of established pro players. Played on line with Dave Keon and Tim Ecclestone for Toronto in 1973-74. Played on line with Ron Schock and Pierre Larouche for Pittsburgh in 1975-76. Switched from No. 8 to No. 17 with Pittsburgh prior to start of 1977-78 season..
Did not score first playoff goal until 28th playoff game with Pittsburgh on April 13, 1980. Played on line with Paul Gardner and Ross Lonsberry for Pittsburgh in 1981-82. Is Penguins' all-time leader in points vs. Minnesota/Dallas Stars (46 points in 36 games). Worked as an assistant coach under nine different Pittsburgh Penguins head coaches.
SNAPSHOT '71
Total Selected: 117
Forwards: 63
Defense: 45
Goaltenders: 9
Major Junior: 84
College Players: 19
Canadian: 107
Euro-Canadian: 2
American: 8
European: 0
Reached NHL: 50
Won Stanley Cup: 5
Hall of Fame: 3
All-Star Game: 10
Year-end All-Star: 5
Olympians: 4
Picks Traded: 18


OTHERS DRAFTED IN 1971

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