After the Draft

• Played one regular-season game for 1971-72 Denver Spurs team that went on to win WHL regular-season and playoff titles.
  
  
• Selected by Ottawa Nationals in 1972 WHA General Player Draft, the first draft in WHA history, February 1972.
  
  
• Signed three-year contract with Ottawa Nationals on June 1, 1972, to become one of first two players ever signed by Ottawa/Toronto/Birmingham WHA franchise.
  
  
• Represented Ottawa in 1973 WHA All-Star Game, the first All-Star game in league history, on Jan. 6, 1973, at Quebec City.
  
  
• Missed more than half of 1972-73 season with separated shoulder, an injury suffered in late November 1972. The injury required surgery, and he did not return until late March of 1973.
  
  
• Traded with 1973 WHA third-round pick (Lanny McDonald) by Toronto to Alberta/Edmonton in exchange for the WHA rights to Darryl Sittler on May 18, 1973.
  
  
• Had a goal and three assists in his first game with Edmonton on Oct. 12, 1973, vs. Winnipeg.
  
  
• Represented Edmonton in 1974 WHA All-Star Game at St. Paul, Minn.
  
  
• Led Edmonton in goals (36) and points (74) in 1973-74.
  
  
• Traded by Edmonton (WHA) to New England in exchange for Tim Sheehy on Feb. 16, 1975.
  
  
• Missed remainder of 1975-76 season and entire 1976 playoffs with back injury, suffered during New England's March 4, 1976, game at San Diego. The injury required season-ending surgery and effectively ended his career despite a brief comeback in 1976-77.

Miscellaneous

Full Name: Ronald Malcolm Climie

Post-Draft Teams: Kansas City (CHL); Denver (WHL); Ottawa, Edmonton, New England (WHA); Rhode Island (AHL)

The Amazing Five-Goal Game

Climie made WHA and hockey history on the night of Tuesday, Nov. 6, 1973, at Edmonton when he erupted for five goals in the Oilers' 8-0 win over the New York Golden Blades. What made the five-goal game so remarkable was that Climie scored four straight goals in the third period to become the only player in the WHA's seven-season history to score four goals in one period. His four goals were, in fact, a natural hat trick, plus one, since there was no other scoring in the final period of the blowout Oilers win. His five overall goals tied the WHA record and set the Edmonton WHA record for most goals in one game, as he became only the second player in league history to post a five-goal game. Climie's first goal of the night made it 2-0 at 19:39 of the opening period, and he didn't score again until stretching the lead to 5-0 at 3:38 of the third. Three more third-period goals followed at 4:01 of the third, 7:10 of the third, and 15:29 to close out the scoring. His four goals in 12:11 set another league record. This league record, as well as the league and WHA Oilers single-game and single-period goals records were all still intact when the WHA folded and merged into the NHL after the 1978-79 season. Climie would forever refer to the game as "my greatest thrill in hockey."

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