Paul Shmyr

Paul Shmyr
Born (1946-01-18)January 18, 1946
Cudworth, SK, CAN
Died September 2, 2004(2004-09-02) (aged 58)
Surrey, BC, CAN
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Chicago Blackhawks
California Golden Seals
Cleveland Crusaders
San Diego Mariners
Edmonton Oilers (WHA)
Minnesota North Stars
Hartford Whalers
National team  Canada
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 19681982

Paul Shmyr (January 18, 1946 in Cudworth, Saskatchewan – September 2, 2004 in Surrey, British Columbia) was a World Hockey Association and National Hockey League defenceman.

Playing career

Shmyr was one of the top defensive stars in the short history of the WHA, noted for his hard-nosed play, having jumped from the NHL's California Golden Seals to the upstart Cleveland Crusaders. He played four seasons for Cleveland, garnering the league's top defenceman trophy in 1976. He subsequently played for the WHA's San Diego Mariners, where he enjoyed his best offensive campaign, and played two years for the Edmonton Oilers, captaining the club to a regular season league championship in the WHA's final season.

After the WHA folded, the Minnesota North Stars, which owned his rights, reclaimed him, and as a noted leader, was named to captain the North Stars in 1979. While the Stars' captain, he led them to a semifinals appearance in 1980 and to the 1981 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the New York Islanders. He then signed with the Hartford Whalers as a free agent in 1981, and retired after one season.

Shmyr was named to the WHA's First All-Star Team in 1973, 1974 and 1976, and to its Second All-Star Team in 1979. He finished third in the WHA's career leaders for games played, twentieth in assists, and fourth in penalty minutes. He represented Canada at the 1974 Summit Series and was one of only two WHAers (the other being Bobby Hull) to be invited to try out for Team Canada at the 1976 Canada Cup, though he failed to make the team.

Shmyr died of throat cancer in 2004, at the age of 58.[1]

Honours

In 2010, he was elected as an inaugural inductee into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame.[2]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1965–66 New Westminster Royals BCHL
1965–66 New Westminster Royals M-Cup 4 2 0 2 9
1966–67 New Westminster Royals BCHL
1966–67 Vancouver Canucks WHL 1 0 0 0 0
1966–67 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 70 3 18 21 89 11 3 3 6 19
1967–68 Dallas Black Hawks CPHL 70 5 15 20 73 5 0 0 0 0
1968–69 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 3 1 0 1 8
1968–69 Dallas Black Hawks CHL 69 7 39 46 118 11 4 12 16 17
1968–69 Portland Buckaroos WHL 1 0 1 1 0
1969–70 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 24 0 4 4 26 8 1 2 3 0
1969–70 Dallas Black Hawks CHL 48 3 21 24 88
1970–71 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 57 1 12 13 41 9 0 0 0 17
1971–72 California Golden Seals NHL 69 6 21 27 156
1972–73 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 73 5 43 48 169 8 1 3 4 19
1973–74 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 78 13 31 44 165 5 0 4 4 31
1974–75 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 49 7 14 21 103 5 2 1 3 15
1975–76 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 70 6 44 50 101
1976–77 San Diego Mariners WHA 81 13 37 50 103 7 0 2 2 8
1977–78 Edmonton Oilers WHA 80 9 40 49 100 5 1 3 4 11
1978–79 Edmonton Oilers WHA 80 8 39 47 119 13 1 5 6 23
1979–80 Minnesota North Stars NHL 63 3 15 18 84 14 2 1 3 23
1980–81 Minnesota North Stars NHL 61 1 9 10 79 3 0 0 0 4
1981–82 Hartford Whalers NHL 66 1 11 12 134
NHL totals 343 13 72 85 528 34 3 3 6 44
WHA totals 511 61 248 309 860 43 5 18 23 107

International

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1974 Canada SS 7 0 2 2 6

References

  1. "Former NHL player Paul Shmyr dies". CBC News. 3 September 2004. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  2. WHA Hall of Fame Members
Preceded by
Glen Sather
Edmonton Oilers captain
197779
Succeeded by
Ron Chipperfield
Preceded by
J. P. Parise
Minnesota North Stars captain
197981
Succeeded by
Tim Young
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