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| 1982 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Ron Hextall
Selected in sixth round
No. 119 overall by Philadelphia Flyers
Born
May 3, 1964
 | Position:
Goaltender
Height: 6-3 Weight: 175
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Brandon (WHL)
Birthplace: Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)
Hometown:
Brandon, Manitoba |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | W-L-T |
GAA | SO |
SV% | | 1980-81 |
Melville | SJHL |
37 |
x7-24-0 |
6.57 | 0 |
n/a | | 1981-82 |
Brandon | WHL |
30 | 12-11-0 |
5.71 | 0 |
.866 |
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PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
Miscellaneous: Not selected
in 1981 NHL Entry Draft despite being eligible. ... Rated in The Hockey News
draft preview issue as the No. 1 WHL goaltender prospect for the 1982
NHL draft. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 9, 1986 (Edmonton at
Philadelphia)
Numbers: 27 (Philadelphia); 1, 27 (Quebec); 72 (N.Y.
Islanders)
Stanley
Cup: Never won. Status: Retired September 6, 1999 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP |
W-L-T | GAA |
SO | SV% |
| 1986-1999 |
PHI, QUE, NYI | 608 |
296-214-69 | 2.97 |
23 | .895 |
| | CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | W-L |
GAA |
SO | SV% |
| 1987-1998 |
PHI, QUE, NYI | 93 |
47-43 | 3.04 | 2 |
.897 |
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NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Vezina Trophy: 1986-87 (Philadelphia)
Conn Smythe Trophy:
1987 (Philadelphia)
Sporting News Rookie of Year:
1986-87 (Philadelphia)
NHL All-Star First Team: 1986-87 (Philadelphia)
Sporting News
All-Star Second Team: 1986-87 (Philadelphia)
Hockey News
All-Star Second Team: 1995-96 (Philadelphia)
NHL All-Rookie Team: 1986-87 (Philadelphia)
All-Star Game:
1988 (Philadelphia)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost): 1987, 1997 (Philadelphia)
Philadelphia Clarke Trophy (MVP): 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89
Philadelphia Class Guy Award (Media Vote): 1995-96
NHL Records: Most penalty minutes by a goalie in one season (113
for Philadelphia in 1988-89), most games played by a goaltender in one
playoff year (26 for Philadelphia in 1987), most combined regular-season and
playoff games played by a goaltender in one playoff year (92 for
Philadelphia in 1986-87)
Philadelphia Records: Most career games played by a goaltender (489),
most career wins (240), most career losses (172), most career goals allowed
(1,367), most career penalty minutes by a goaltender (476), most career
points by a goaltender (26), most career goals by a goaltender (1), most
career assists by a goaltender (25), most wins by a
goalie in his rookie season (37 in 1987), most points by a goaltender in
one season (8 in 1988-89, eight assists), most penalty minutes by a
goalie in one season (113 in 1988-89), most combined regular-season and
playoff games played by a goalie in one season (92 in 1986-87), most career playoff games played
by a goalie (84), most career minutes played by goalie
(4,926), most career playoff wins (45), most career playoff losses (36),
most career playoff goals allowed (242), most games played by a goalie
in one playoff year (26 in 1987), most wins by a goalie in one playoff
year (15 in 1987), most minutes played by goalie in one playoff year
(1,540 in 1987), most losses by goalie in one playoff
year (11 in 1987), most career playoff goals by a goalie (1)
N.Y.
Islanders Records: Most consecutive starts by a goaltender (20 from Nov.
17, 1993, to Jan. 4, 1994), most consecutive shutouts at home (3 from Feb.
19, 1994, through Feb. 25, 1994), most consecutive shutouts (2 in 1993-94,
shares record), most assists by a goaltender in one season (3 in 1993-94,
shares record)
NHL Wins Leader: 1986-87 (Philadelphia) (37 wins)
NHL Save
Percentage Leader: 1986-87 (Philadelphia) (.902)
NHL Goalie Games-Played Leader: 1986-87 (Philadelphia) (66), 1988-89
(Philadelphia) (64)
NHL Minutes Leader: 1986-87 (Philadelphia) (3,799 minutes),
1988-89 Philadelphia (3,756 minutes)
NHL Playoffs Shutouts Leader: 1987 (Philadelphia) (2 shutouts)
NHL Playoffs Goalie Games-Played Leader: 1987 (Phila.) (26)
NHL Playoffs Minutes Leader: 1987 (Philadelphia) (1,540 minutes)
Scouting Career: Named Philadelphia pro scout on Sept. 6, 1999, and
remained in that position through 2001-02 season.
Management Career:
Named Philadelphia Director of Pro Hockey Personnel prior to 2002-03 season
and remained in that position until June 13, 2006. ... Named Los Angeles
assistant general manager on June 13, 2006, and remained in that position
through 2006-07 season.
Miscellaneous: Went 4-0 in 1986 preseason to beat out Bob Froese, the
1985-86 Vezina Trophy runner-up, and become the Flyers No. 1 goaltender for
1986-87 season. ... Became first grandson and son of an NHL player to play in the
NHL when he made his debut on Oct. 9, 1986. ... Beat Edmonton with 29 saves in his first NHL game. After
allowing a power-play goal by Jari Kurri on the first Oilers shot of the
game just 2:08 into the first period, he shut down Edmonton the rest of the
way, leading Philadelphia to a 2-1 victory in its 1986-87 season-opener. ...
Was runner-up to Luc Robitaille for 1986-87 Calder Trophy. ... Set NHL and
Philadelphia single-season records (since broken) for penalty minutes by a goalie with 104 in 1986-87. ... Set Philadelphia record (since broken)
for points by a goaltender in one season with six (all assists) in 1986-87.
... Set NHL
record (since broken) for minutes played by a goaltender in one playoff year
with 1,540 in 1987. ... Tied NHL record (since broken) for wins by a
goaltender in one playoff year with 15 for Philadelphia in 1987. ... Became only the fourth player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite
playing on team that lost Stanley Cup Finals. ... Was starting goaltender
for Wales Conference in 1988 NHL All-Star Game at St. Louis. ... Tied NHL and Philadelphia
records (since broken) for penalty minutes by a goaltender in one season
with 104 in 1987-88. ... Missed part of 1988-89 season with pulled
hamstring, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's March 7, 1989, game vs.
Edmonton. ... Tied for NHL lead in assists by a goaltender with eight in
1988-89. ... Was only NHL goalie to play in 60 or more games from 1986-87
through 1988-89 seasons. ... Missed parts of 1989-90 season with pulled
groin, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's Nov. 4, 1989, game at
Toronto, and with pulled hamstring, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's
practice on Nov. 15, 1989. ... Missed nearly half of 1989-90 season with
partially torn right groin muscle, an injury suffered while he was on injury
rehab stint with Philadelphia's Hershey (AHL) affiliate, playing in Dec. 13,
1989, game at New Haven. He did not return to action until Philadelphia's
Feb. 18, 1990, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. ... Missed remainder of 1989-90
season with left groin injury, suffered during Philadelphia's March 8, 1990,
game vs. N.Y. Rangers. ... Missed part of 1990-91 season with pulled groin,
an injury suffered during second period of Philadelphia's Oct. 11, 1990,
game vs. New Jersey. He did not return to action until Philadelphia's Oct.
25, 1990, game at N.Y. Rangers. ... Missed part of 1990-91 season with
sprained MCL in left knee, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's Oct. 27,
1990, game at N.Y. Islanders. He did not return to action until
Philadelphia's Dec. 9, 1990, game at Chicago. ... Missed remainder of
1990-91 season with pulled groin muscle, an injury suffered during
Philadelphia's March 12, 1991, game at Los Angeles. ... Suspended by NHL for
first six games of 1991-92 season after slashing Jim Cummins during
Philadelphia's Sept. 22, 1991, preseason game vs. Detroit in Miami. Cummins
was also suspended three games. Both suspensions were announced by the
league on Oct. 1, 1991. The Flyers, however, appealed the suspension and
received a one-week grace period, making it possible for Hextall to play in
the team's first two games, before he was forced to begin serving the
suspension on Oct. 10, 1991. ... Missed part of
1991-92 season with the flu, contracted in November 1991. ... Missed part of
1991-92 season with tendinitis in shoulder, an injury suffered during
Philadelphia's Nov. 27, 1991, game vs. Hartford. He did not return to action
until Philadelphia's Dec. 21, 1991, game at Minnesota. ... Missed part of
1992-93 season with strained muscle in left thigh, an injury suffered during
Quebec's Feb. 20, 1993, game at Tampa Bay. He did not return until Quebec's
March 23, 1993, game at Washington. ... Named NHL Player of Week for the
week ending Feb. 27, 1994. ... Missed part of 1995 season with groin injury,
suffered during Philadelphia's practice on Feb. 3, 1995. ... Missed parts of
1995-96 season with strained right hamstring, an injury suffered during
Philadelphia's Oct. 20, 1995, game at Anaheim. He did not return to action
until Philadelphia's Nov. 9, 1995, game at Calgary. ... Missed part of
1995-96 season with injured buttocks, suffered during Philadelphia's Nov. 19,
1995, game vs. Vancouver. ... Missed parts of 1996-97 season with the flu,
contracted in October 1996, and with strained hamstring, an injury suffered
in Philadelphia's March 1, 1997, game at Boston. ... Missed parts of 1997-98
season with the flu, contracted in October 1997, with strained neck and
back, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's Nov. 2, 1997, game vs.
Dallas, with strained left thigh muscle, an injury suffered during
Philadelphia's Nov. 28, 1997, game at N.Y. Islanders, and with tendinitis in
left hip, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's March 31, 1998, pregame
skate before game vs. Carolina. ... Missed part of 1998-99 season with
strained groin, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's Jan. 9, 1999, game
vs. Carolina. ... Left unprotected by Philadelphia for 1999 NHL Expansion
Draft and went unclaimed. ... Waived by Philadelphia on July 1, 1999, but
later chose to retire and take a job as a pro scout with the Flyers rather
than resume his NHL career with Calgary, the only team that was prepared to
offer him a contract for 1999-00.
The Nilsson Slash:
Throughout his NHL career, Hextall was known for his aggressive play and the will to defend his crease at all costs. He wasted no time solidifying
that reputation during the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals, which the Flyers lost in
seven games. During Game 4 of the series on May 24 in Philadelphia, Hextall
violently wound up and slashed Edmonton's Kent Nilsson across the knees while Nilsson was
jockeying for position in the crease in the third period. Hextall received a
10-minute misconduct, but was not automatically suspended. After the
playoffs were over, the NHL reviewed the play and ruled that Hextall, the
Conn Smythe Trophy winner, would
be suspended for the first eight games of the 1987-88 season. He did not make his 1987-88 debut until Philadelphia's
Oct. 26, 1987, game at N.Y. Rangers.
The Chelios Incident:
Hextall's playoff intensity got him in trouble again during Philadelphia's
1989 Wales Conference finals series vs. Montreal. The Canadiens beat the Flyers
4-2 in
that series to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. On May 11, 1989, as
time ran out on the Flyers in Game 6, Hextall lost his
temper. With 1:37 remaining in the game, which the Canadiens won 4-2 to
clinch the series, Hextall went after Montreal defenseman Chris Chelios.
Hextall and his Flyers teammates had been angry at Chelios for an illegal
yet unpenalized hit that left Philadelphia's Brian Propp with a
concussion in Game 1 of the series on May 1. The anger at Chelios simmered throughout the entire series, even though Propp
missed only one game. It all came to a head when Hextall chased Chelios down the
ice, looking for a fight at the end of Game 6. After a whistle stopped play
with 1:37 left in regulation and the Flyers trailing 4-2, Hextall charged
out of his crease toward Chelios, who was in the corner. He whacked his stick and blocker pad
across Chelios' head, piling onto the surprised Montreal defenseman.
Linesmen separated the two, but as Hextall was being taken away, he hurled
his blocker pad at Chelios for emphasis. The Philadelphia fans got into the
act as well, pouring drinks on Chelios as he left the ice. Hextall received
a five-minute major and a match penalty for the incident, which marred a memorable series. The NHL, eager to show it would not tolerate
such behavior, suspended Hextall for the first 12 games of the 1989-90
season. The suspension was announced by league executive vice-president
Brian O'Neill on May 24, 1989. O'Neill said he based the length of the
suspension on Hextall's status as a repeat offender who already had
an eight-game suspension in his career. As a result of the suspension,
Hextall did not make his 1989-90 debut
until Philadelphia's Nov. 4, 1989, game at Toronto.
Hextall Scores a Goal: Although he was not the first NHL goaltender to
be credited with scoring a goal in a regular-season game (an honor that will
always belong to Billy Smith) -- Hextall was actually the first goalie to
legitimately score a goal by shooting the puck from his end of the ice into
the net at the other end. Although several other goalies have matched
Hextall's achievement in the years since, his feat was monumental at the
time and made sports headlines around the world. The historic event took
place during Philadelphia's Dec. 8, 1987, game vs. Boston. Hextall, coming
off a remarkable rookie season in which he won the Vezina Trophy, scored his
goal at 18:48 of the third period to seal Philadelphia's 5-2 win over the
Bruins. Boston had pulled its goalie, Rejean Lemelin, with 1:49 remaining in
the game, and as the clock ticked down the final minute, Bruins defenseman
Gord Kluzak dumped the puck into the Flyers zone so that Boston could get a
line change. Hextall, however, picked up the puck skated forward in his own
zone and wristed a 170-footer into the empty Boston net. Hextall, who played
with an exaggerated curve in his goaltender's stick, had only
been willing to take a shot at the goal because the Flyers had a two-goal
lead, and he wasn't afraid of risking an icing call on the play. The Flyers
were so proud of Hextall that team officials gave him a 1988 Mercury Cougar to celebrate his
achievement, and the Hockey Hall of Fame wanted both the puck and Hextall's stick
for its museum.
Hextall Scores a Playoff Goal: Hextall made NHL history a second time
when he became the first goaltender to score a goal in a Stanley Cup playoff
game. He picked up the goal with 1:02 remaining in Game 5 of Philadelphia's first-round playoff
series at Washington on April 11, 1989. This time, Hextall shot the puck 180
feet into the open net in an 8-5 win over the Capitals. The scene began to
unfold when the Flyers' Jeff Chychrun was penalized with 2:33 remaining and
Philadelphia leading 7-5. Suddenly shorthanded, the Flyers fought off
Washington's power play until the Capitals pulled goaltender Pete Peeters
with nearly two minutes remaining. Playing the point, Washington's Scott
Stevens dumped the puck behind the net to keep the pressure on the Flyers.
Hextall picked up the puck near the right goalpost, turned and lifted it the
down length of the ice. Since the Flyers were shorthanded, there was no risk
of an icing call. With perfect precision, the puck hit the center of the
net. Hextall's goal sealed a win that gave Philadelphia a 3-2 series lead.
The Flyers went on to win the series in six games.
Hextall's Holdout: Facing a 12-game suspension to start the 1989-90
season, Hextall further complicated matters when he chose not to attend
Philadelphia's 1989 training camp because of a contract dispute with the
Flyers. The fallout began after Hextall hired Rich Winter as his new agent
during the summer of 1989. Winter had advised Hextall not to return to the
Flyers because he believed his contract with the team was invalid and he
should be ruled an unrestricted free agent. Hextall went so far as to
announce this at a press conference on Sept. 8, 1989, as he explained that
he would not be coming to training camp. Hextall had been playing under an
eight-year contract signed prior to the 1986-87 season. With five years
remaining on the contract, which paid him roughly $425,000 per year, Hextall
said he would not play for Philadelphia until he could renegotiate the deal.
He would not say why he felt the contract was invalid, although it was
assumed that Hextall was angry because the deal was negotiated by his former
agent, Alan Eagleson. By that time, Eagleson, who would end up in prison,
had been exposed for potential criminal activity and was no longer allowed
to represent players. Winter, who led the charge against Eagleson and picked
up many former Eagleson clients, including Hextall, likely felt that all
deals negotiated by Eagleson should be ruled invalid because they would have
represented a conflict of interest at the time a clearly self-interested
Eagleson negotiated them. Hextall said the Flyers were willing to
renegotiate the Eagleson contract, but only if Hextall fired Winter as his
agent. Flyers officials were upset by Hextall's publicizing the dispute and
said there was no way they would renegotiate his contract. The Flyers-Hextall
conflict remained in a bitter stalemate throughout training camp and into
the 1989-90 season. The situation was finally resolved, and Hextall reported
to the Flyers on Oct. 19, 1989, although he was still ineligible to play due
to his suspension. Details of how the sides came to an agreement were never
annouced, although Winter remained in the picture and Hextall's reported
salary jumped to $500,000 in 1989-90 and $660,000 the following year. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: Brandon (WHL); Hershey (AHL);
Kalamzoo (IHL)
NHL-USSR Rendez-vous Series: 1987 (spare goalie,
did not play)
Canada Cup: 1987 (first place) (spare goalie, did
not play)
World Championships:
1992 (eighth place)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted 2001
AHL Garrett Award (Rookie of Year): 1985-86
(Hershey)
AHL All-Star First Team: 1985-86 (Hershey)
WHL Records: Most penalty minutes in one season by a goaltender (117
for Brandon in 1983-84)
Brandon Records: Most penalty minutes in
one season by a goalie (117 in 1983-84)
Hershey Records: Most consecutive shutouts at home (3 in 1985-86,
shares record)
AHL Shutouts Leader: 1985-86 (Hershey) (5 shutouts)
AHL Goalie Games-Played Leader: 1985-86 (Hershey) (53 games)
AHL Minutes Leader: 1985-86 (Hershey) (3,061 minutes)
AHL Playoffs
Shutouts Leader: 1986 (Hershey) (1 shutout)
AHL Goals-Allowed
Leader: 1985-86 (Hershey) (174 goals)
1985-86: Played on AHL regular-season champion (Hershey).
Miscellaneous:
Was active in charitable causes during his playing days in Philadelphia,
including work with March of Dimes and American Lung Association.
Personal: Nicknamed "Hexy." ... Full name is Ronald Jeffrey Hextall. ... Son of former NHL
player Bryan Hextall Jr. ... Grandson of former NHL player Bryan Hextall Sr.
... Nephew of former NHL player Dennis Hextall. ... Husband of former Canadian
junior figure skating champion and Philadelphia area skating instructor Diane
Ogibowski Hextall. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE: Philadelphia traded Hextall, Steve
Duchesne, Peter Forsberg, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, 1993 first-round pick
(Jocelyn Thibault), $15 million in cash and future considerations (Chris
Simon and 1994 first-round pick, later traded) to Quebec in exchange for
Eric Lindros on June 30, 1992. Simon and the 1994 draft pick became Quebec's
property on July 21, 1992, thereby completing the trade. Two years later,
Philadelphia got Hextall back when the Flyers traded Tommy Soderstrom to
N.Y. Islanders in exchange for Hextall and 1995 sixth-round pick (Dimitry
Tertyshny) on September 22, 1994. |
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|
SNAPSHOT '82 | | Total Selected: |
252 | | Forwards: |
152 | | Defense: |
82 | | Goaltenders: |
18 | | Major Junior: |
129 | | Tier II/Jr. B: |
27/4 | | College Players: |
20 | | High School: |
37 |
| Canadian: |
152 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
3 | | USA Citizens: |
62 | | U.S.-Born: |
62 |
| European: |
35 |
| Reached NHL: |
109 |
| Stanley Cup: |
18 | | Hall of Fame: |
0 |
| All-Star Game: |
14 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
4 |
| Olympians: |
37 |
| Picks Traded: |
50 |
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