Career Vitals

Career NHL Statistics

Teams: Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Toronto
Years: 1970-1982. Playoffs: 1971-1981

Maloney and Hockey on Trial

On Nov. 5, 1975, Dan Maloney inadvertently became part of hockey history when he engaged in on-ice violence that led to criminal charges against him. This was one of the first incidents that was part of a wider crackdown on violence pushed by the province of Ontario during the 1975-76 season and playoffs, and it made headlines across North America. It would have been an even bigger story had it not been overshadowed by the Phil Esposito trade to the Rangers that same week. Playing for the Red Wings, Maloney was tossed out of a game late in the second period at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. In that second period, he had fought Dave "Tiger" Williams twice after being called for a major for beating up Leafs defenseman Brian Glennie several minutes earlier -- even though Glennie had not been a willing combatant. Prosecutors said Maloney had been paying back Glennie for his hit on Bryan Hextall earlier in the game. The altercation with Glennie started when Maloney punched Glennie in the face. During the "fight" that ensued, Maloney lifted Glennie's head up and dropped it back down to the ice two times. Officials felt Maloney was trying to get Glennie to fight back by lifting him up, and not deliberately trying to make his head hit the ice. Toronto went on to win the game 7-4 -- on the strength of three goals scored during the five-minute major -- but Maloney's troubles were just beginning. The day after the game, Maloney was ordered to appear in a Toronto court on Dec. 4 (later moved to Dec. 1) to face assault charges for what had happened to Glennie. Just a week before the incident, Ontario Attorney General Roy McMurtry had made a public statement about his intention to curb violence in hockey. McMurtry charged Maloney with assault causing bodily harm because Maloney continued to attack Glennie even after it was clear the defenseman was hurt and unable to defend himself. Glennis had been taken to the hospital after the beating and was diagnosed with a mild concussion. Ironically, the NHL had no authority to even suspend Maloney because he had not been given a match penalty for the action and had only received a five-minute major from refereee Bryan Lewis. Maloney continued to play even after the Ontario attorney general made his announcement. The NHL was in no position to prevent Maloney from playing -- or even investigate whether or not he should be suspended -- right up to his Dec. 4 hearing because of this. NHL President Campbell said he felt bad about the matter, because he and Referee-in-Chief Scotty Morrison both believed Maloney should have received the match penalty. The province of Ontario called for a full hearing on the matter because there was not enough evidence to arrest Maloney at the time of the incident based on what had happened. On Dec. 1, Maloney appeared in court to answer the charges. His attorney, A. J. Lenczner, requested a trial by jury, and a preliminary hearing in the case was set for Feb. 2, 1976. The maximum penalty, if Maloney were to be convicted, would be five years in prison. On Jan. 3, a month before the hearing was scheduled, the Red Wings returned to Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time since the Maloney-Glennie incident. Maloney was expected to play, but Red Wings attorneys advised that he not take part in the game due to the pending hearing. The lawyers were concerned that Maloney might be enticed into doing something during the game that would undermine his case. Maloney wasn't needed, since the Red Wings won 1-0 on a shutout by Jim Rutherford. On Feb. 2, at the four-hour preliminary hearing, Judge Aaron Brown said he wanted to see more evidence indicating that Maloney's fight with Glennie rose to the level of a crime. The issue was whether Maloney had caused actual bodily harm or whether Glennie's concussion symptoms might have been related to to his earlier hit on Hextall, just seconds before he the Maloney incident. Glennie said he had little memory of anything after the hit on Hextall and had no prior history of issues with Maloney. Toronto coach Red Kelly said Maloney was not a dirty player. On Feb. 3, Judge Brown announced he would continue to study evidence and would wait until Feb. 24 to make a decision on whether the case should go to a jury. On Feb. 24, Judge Brown decided a jury trial was needed, and said the trial date would be set on April 5, expecting the case to trial to begin in late May or early June after the Stanley Cup playoffs. Brown said a trial was necessary because the evidence was sufficient, and there should be special exemption from the law for players on the ice in an NHL game. On Feb. 25, Maloney sat out of the season's final Leafs-Wings game at Maple Leaf Gardens. On April 5, Judge Brown set the trial date for June 23. The trial began as scheduled in York County Court. Referee Lewis and linesmen Matt Pavelich and John Brown were the first to testify. They talked about the incident and all said that Maloney was not a dirty player. A 10-year-old Toronto fan then testified to witnessing the incident and then asked Maloney for his autograph before leaving the courtroom. Maloney subsequently testified that he had been trying to get Glennie to fight him as retribution for the hit on Hextall, but Glennie wasn't interested, and Maloney didn't feel it was right for him not to be accountable for what he had done. The case went to the jury of eight women and four men on June 29, with prosecutors asking jurors to treat this as if it had happened anywhere in society and that being in an NHL game did not give Maloney exemption from the law. The defense argued that to convict Maloney was to make him an unfair scapegoat for all violence in hockey -- a culture he did not create but which he and Glennie both had accepted as players in the NHL. Jury deliberations lasted nine hours late into the evening of June 29. On June 30, Maloney prevailed, as the jury acquitted him. The jury, however, recommended that the entire NHL do something to curb violence in the sport. The jury said it had found Maloney not guilty under the law, but did not condone his actions. One juror told reporters that it was a "sad decision for us all." Despite all that went on, there were no hard feelings in the long run, as Maloney came to Toronto in a trade less than two years later and was Glennie's teammate at the end of the 1977-78 season. He eventually became the Maple Leafs' head coach.

NHL Awards and Honors

Team Awards and Honors

International Tournaments

Career Highlights

Played on Chicago team that lost to Montreal in 1971 Stanley Cup Finals. ... Played on 1971-72 Dallas team that won CHL regular-season title. ... Won CHL Adams Cup with Dallas in 1972. ... Led CHL playoffs with 44 penalty minutes for Dallas in 1972. ... Named to CHL All-Star First Team with Dallas in 1971-72. ... Served as Los Angeles alternate captain in 1973-74. ... Had goal and assist in 1976 NHL All-Star Game at Philadelphia, helping Wales Conference beat Campbell Conference 7-5. He assisted on a goal by Al MacAdam for a 4-1 Wales lead at 9:34 of the second period and scored to make it 7-1 at 16:59 of the second. ... Recorded a career-high six-point game (one goal, five assists) for Toronto on March 10, 1979, helping Leafs to a 9-4 win over Los Angeles. His goal at 12:39 of the second period stood up as the game-winner, and he was named the game's No. 1 star. ... Was a finalist for Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of Year with Winnipeg in 1986-87. ... Inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

Transaction History

Feb. 26, 1973 -- Traded by Chicago to Los Angeles in exchange for Ralph Backstrom. June 23, 1975 -- Sent by Los Angeles with Terry Harper and 1976 second-round pick (later traded) to Detroit as compensation for the right to sign restricted free agent Marcel Dionne. Detroit also sent Bart Crashley to Los Angeles as part of the compensation deal. March 13, 1978 -- Traded by Detroit with 1980 second-round pick (Craig Muni) to Toronto in exchange for Errol Thompson, 1978 first-round pick (Brent Peterson), 1978 second-round pick (Al Jensen), and 1980 first-round pick (Mike Blaisdell).

Life Outside the NHL

Full Name: Daniel Charles Maloney
Also Known as: Danny Maloney

Other Post-Draft Teams: Dallas (CHL)

Career Beyond Hockey: Returned to his hometown or Barrie, Ontario, and went into real estate business after concluding his coaching career, working as a sales representative for Sutton Group. He is also a member of the Barrie and District Association of Realtors.

Significant Injuries

Missed final game of 1972-73 season with knee injury, suffered during Los Angeles' March 30, 1973, game at California. ... Missed part of 1973-74 season with cracked right shoulder bone, suffered during Los Angeles' March 2, 1974, game vs. St. Louis. He did not return to action until Los Angeles' April 5, 1974, game at Vancouver. ... Missed remainder of the 1976-77 season with a broken left shoulder, an injury suffered during Detroit's Dec. 23, 1976, game vs. Pittsburgh. The shoulder was broken in two places, but surgery was not required to repair it. ... Missed remainder of 1979-80 season and entire 1980 playoffs with broken thumb, an injury suffered when he tripped over goaltender Jiri Crha's stick crossing in front of the net during Toronto's March 26, 1980, practice. The thumb was broken in three places. ... Missed part of 1980-81 season with damaged rib cartilage, suffered during Toronto's Jan. 2, 1981, practice at Edmonton. He did not return until Toronto's Jan. 17, 1981, game vs. Montreal. ... Missed part of 1980-81 season with cracked vertebra, an injury suffered when he tripped over teammate Rick Vaive during Toronto's Feb. 12, 1981, game at Minnesota. He did not return until Toronto's Feb. 28, 1981, game at Montreal. ... Missed part of 1981-82 season with torn cartilage in left knee, an injury suffered during Toronto's Dec. 19, 1981, game at Winnipeg. The injury required arthroscopic surgery, and he did not return until Toronto's Jan. 6, 1982, game at Minnesota.

Non-Playing Career

Miscellaneous:

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