| Round | Overall |
| 5 | 67 |
 |
 |
Right-hand shot
Pre-Draft Statistics
| Year | Team | League | GP | G | A | TP | PIM |
| 1967-68 | Hamilton | OHA | 53 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 57 |
| 1968-69 | Hamilton | OHA | 52 | 18 | 23 | 41 | 144 |
| 1969-70 | Hamilton | OHA | 54 | 22 | 26 | 48 | 79 |
Pre-Draft Notes
Also played center.
Career Vitals
| First contract: | 1970 |
| Debut: | October 10, 1973 (California vs. St. Louis) |
| Final NHL game: | April 6, 1975 (Kansas City vs. St. Louis) |
| Retired: | 1979 |
| Stanley Cup: | Never won |
| Numbers worn: | 15 (California); 12 (Kansas City) |
Career NHL Statistics
Teams:
California, Kansas City
Years: 1973-1975. Playoffs:
None
| Regular Season | |||||
| GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
| 2 years | 34 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| Stanley Cup Playoffs | |||||
| GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
| 0 years | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Complete statistics available at NHL.com | |||||
Career Highlights
Also played center during his pro career. ... Played on 1970-71 Omaha team that won CHL regular-season title. ... Won CHL Adams Cup with Omaha in 1971. ... Won CHL Adams Cup with Omaha in 1973 ... Tied for fourth in WHL with 38 goals for Salt Lake in 1973-74. ... Played on first Kansas City Scouts team (franchise that became the New Jersey Devils) during team's inaugural 1974-75 season.
Transaction History
May 17, 1973 -- Sent by N.Y. Rangers with Dave Hrechkosy to California to complete March 4, 1973, deal in which Seals traded Bert Marshall to Rangers for cash and future considerations. June 12, 1974 -- Claimed by Kansas City from California in NHL Expansion Draft.
Life Outside the NHL
Full Name: Gary
Merritt Charles Coalter
Other Post-Draft Teams: Omaha (CHL); Providence (AHL); Salt Lake (WHL); Baltimore, Springfield (AHL); Maine (NAHL); Philadelphia (AHL)
Career Beyond Hockey: Moved to
Newmarket, Ontario, and worked in
the construction after his retirement.
Family: Father of former
minor-leaguer Brandon Coalter.
Significant Injuries
Missed part of 1974-75 season with broken left ankle, an injury suffered while playing for Baltimore (AHL). ... Missed part of 1978-79 season with broken ankle, an injury suffered while playing for Philadelphia (AHL).
Miscellaneous:
| Selected by Ottawa Nationals in 1972 WHA Draft -- the first-ever WHA Draft -- in February 1972. | At age 21, he began to run a hockey school in Ontario during off-seasons of his playing days. | Was Kansas City's seventh pick, 13th overall, in the 1974 NHL Expansion Draft. | Was member of Baltimore (AHL) team that folded on Jan. 23, 1975. |
| SNAPSHOT '70 | |
| Total Selected: | 115 |
| Forwards: | 67 |
| Defense: | 36 |
| Goaltenders: | 12 |
| Major Junior: | 87 |
| College Players: | 18 |
| Canadian: | 109 |
| Euro-Canadian: | 0 |
| American: | 6 |
| European: | 0 |
| Reached NHL: | 62 |
| Won Stanley Cup: | 12 |
| Hall of Fame: | 3 |
| All-Star Game: | 11 |
| Year-end All-Star: | 4 |
| Olympians: | 2 |
| Picks Traded: | 13 |
| 1970 PICKS BY TEAM | ||
| Boston | Buffalo | Chicago |
| Detroit | Los Angeles | Minnesota |
| Montreal | New York | Oakland |
| Philadelphia | Pittsburgh | St. Louis |
| Toronto | Vancouver | |
OTHERS DRAFTED IN 1970