 |
Defenceman Doug Wilson, who starred with the Chicago Blackhawks
throughout the 1980s, will be part of the class of 2020
inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Source: https://https://www.secondcityhockey.com(Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images) (may be subject to copyright) |
The Chicago Blackhawks were in over their head in the 1983 Campbell
Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers, who were about to win five
Stanley Cups in seven years. After another one-sided loss, and heading back to
the friendly confines of Chicago Stadium, Chicago coach Orville Tessier said “I
think we need to stop at the Mayo Clinic and get 18 heart transplants”.
One player on that team never showed a lack of heart or determination.
He started his career in an era where he wasn’t required to wear a helmet, so
there he was on the ice, blocking shots and throwing heavy body checks with a
thick, curly brown shock of hair. So he was courageous too.
For all his hard work, effort, determination, skill and accomplishment,
and almost 30 years since he retired, Doug Wilson was elected to the Hockey
Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020.
Hall of Fame stats
The Blackhawks drafted Wilson in 1977, sixth overall, from the Ottawa
67’s, and he joined the Blackhawks immediately, playing the next 14 seasons for
Chicago.
By the time he was traded to the expansion San Jose Sharks before their
inaugural season in 1991-1992, he was the Blackhawks’ all-time leader among
defenceman in points (779), goals (225), and assists (554). He was also fifth all-time in games
played for the Blackhawks with 938.
His best season may have been 1981-1982 when he set the Blackhawk
single season record for defenceman with 39 goals and 85 points, both records.
He was also awarded the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman and was
named a first team all-star.
He would appear in seven all-star games for the Blackhawks and be
named an second team all-star in 1985 and 1990.
Wilson’s best years were in the 1980s, when he played the majority of
his career.
His individual success translated into only limited success in the
playoffs, where the Blackhawks benefitted from the playoff system of the time.
Mixed blessings
On the up side, the Blackhawks made the playoffs every season of the
1980s. The down side, they never made it to a Stanley Cup Final, and they owed both
results to the playoff format of the time.
At the dawn of the decade, Chicago won the Smythe Division but lost in
the second round of the playoffs. The next year, they finished second in the
Smythe but lost to the first-year Calgary Flames.
There would be a seismic shift in fortunes for the Blackhawks. The
National Hockey League realigned, placing the Blackhawks in the Norris Division
with Detroit, Toronto, St. Louis, and Minnesota. The Norris Division was part
of the Campbell Conference with the much stronger Smythe Division, made up of
Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and others. The winners of the two divisions met
in the conference final for a berth in the Stanley Cup final. From the year of
realignment up to and including the 1989-1990 season, the Smythe Division won the
Campbell Conference every single year.
So, the mixed blessing was the Blackhawks were virtually assured a
spot in the playoffs, but they hit a ceiling in the conference final, which
doubled as the Stanley Cup semi-final.
The Blackhawks would advance to the conference final in 1982, when
they lost to Vancouver; 1983 and 1985, when they lost to Edmonton; and 1989
when they lost to Calgary. They also advanced to the conference final in 1990
but lost to Edmonton. (They would eventually triumph and break through to the
Stanley Cup final before running into the juggernaut Pittsburgh Penguins, defending
Stanley Cup champion led by superstars Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.)
They were never really competitive, losing 4-1 in 1982, 4-0 in 1983,
4-2 in 1985, and 4-1 in 1989.
It was in 1983 when Orville Tessier came along.
You gotta have heart, miles and miles and miles of heart
Tessier was hired in 1982 and led the Backhwaks to a record of
47-23-10 for 104 points and first place in the Norris Division. For his efforts
he would be named NHL coach of the year.
However, the playoffs would not be his finest hour. The Blackhawks
beat St. Louis then Minnesota to advance to the Campbell Conference Final,
where the Edmonton Oilers were looming. The Oilers were not yet the powerhouse
they became, but they were hungry to advance to their first Stanley Cup Finals.
They blasted the Blackhawks 8-4 in Game 1, then followed that up with
an 8-2 win in Game 2 to lead 2-0 going to Chicago for Game 3 and 4.
Perplexed by his team allowing 16 goals in two games, Tessier said he
had been in hockey a long time and never been that embarrassed.
“We’ll probably call the Mayo Clinic for 18 heart transplants,” he
said.
Ouch.
Chicago did play better at home in Game 3, but still lost 3-2, and
were swept in Game 4 after the Oilers won by a score of 6-3.
After a first-round loss the next year, Tessier was fired part way
through the 1984-1985 season, replaced by general manager Bob Pulford.
Ironically. The Blackhawks would again advance to the conference final against
Edmonton, and again drop the first two games in Edmonton. This time, they
allowed 18 goals in the first two games, including an 11-2 shellacking in Game
1. However, this time they rebounded to tie the series 2-2.
Perhaps, the Blackhawks had found the heart Tessier had been looking
for, although they bowed out in six games.
Parting thoughts
For the better part of a decade, Doug Wilson was the heart of the
Blackhawks, despite what anyone said.
He had a booming slap shot, scored, and was a stalwart on the blue
line. He also represented Canada in the 1984 Canada Cup, which the Canadians
won. He would reach many milestones with the San Jose Sharks where he moved
into the front office and has been very successful as the Sharks’ general
manager. He has been GM since 2003, the second longest tenured GM in the league.
The only question left to ask on a Hall of Fame career was, “Why did
it take so long?”
Whatever, the reason, Doug Wilson will tentatively be inducted into
the Hall of Fame on Nov. 16 in Toronto
No comments:
Post a Comment