Phil Esposito

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Philip Anthony Esposito, OC (born February 20, 1942 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) is a retired professional hockey center who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best to have ever played in the National Hockey League.

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[edit] Playing career

Esposito joined the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1964 season and, centering for the great Bobby Hull for four seasons, proved himself a quality playmaker, twice finishing amongst the league-leading scorers.

In 1967, he was dealt to the Boston Bruins in a blockbuster trade, along with Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield. While the hitherto unremarkable Hodge and Stanfield became stars in the Black-and-Gold, Esposito blossomed into the greatest scorer of his day, becoming the first NHL player to score 100 points in a season with 126 in the 1969 season. He would top the "century" mark six times in all, including five consecutive seasons between 1971 and 1975 (plus a 99-point season in 1970). Esposito would also capture the Art Ross Trophy in 1969 and 1971-74 as the top regular season scorer.

Esposito was named to the NHL's First All-Star team six consecutive times (from 1969-74), and won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 1969 and 1974. His Boston fans printed and displayed bumper stickers during his best years to celebrate his scoring: they read, "Jesus saves, Espo scores on the rebound." Esposito, while not a fast or graceful skater, was best known for his unmovable presence in front of the opposition net from which he could score from all angles. During these great years, centering one of the most renowned forward lines in history with Hodge on right wing and left winger Wayne Cashman, Esposito and fellow superstar Bobby Orr led the Bruins to Stanley Cup victories in 1970 and 1972, and first-place finishes in the league in 1971, 1972, and 1974.

During 1970-71, Esposito shattered the record for most goals scored in a season when he finished up with 76. This record stood until 1982 when Wayne Gretzky scored his 77th, 78th and 79th goal against the Buffalo Sabres. Esposito was on hand to present the game puck to Gretzky. Esposito also set the single season point-scoring record in 1971 with 152, a mark likewise now held by Gretzky. Only three other players have reached the 150 point-scoring plateau — Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman and Bernie Nicholls — and only Gretzky, Lemieux, Brett Hull, Teemu Selänne and Alexander Mogilny have scored 76 or more goals in a season.

After his performance in the Summit Series, where he was the inspirational captain for Team Canada and its leading scorer in the series, he won the 1972 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's outstanding male athlete of the year and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Esposito also scored the first goal of the series and he scored or assisted four times in the deciding game. During that series, his scolding of Canadian fans, who booed the national team after a 4-2 loss to the Soviet Union in Game Four, was credited with firing up his teammates [1]:

"If the Russian fans boo their players in Moscow like you people are booing us, I'll come back and apologize personally to every one of you, but I really don't think that will happen. We gave it and are doing our best. All of us are really disheartened ... We came out here because we love Canada. They're a good hockey team, and we don't know what we could do better, but I promise we will figure it out. But it's totally ridiculous — I don't think it is fair that we should be booed."

He also played for Team Canada in the inaugural Canada Cup in 1976 and in the 1977 World Championships.

In 1975-76, he and Carol Vadnais were traded to the New York Rangers for Brad Park, Joe Zanussi and Jean Ratelle. While not as glittering an offensive force as in his glory days, as captain of the Rangers, Esposito led the Blueshirts in points each of his full seasons with the club and remained an effective scorer until his final season. The highlight of his years in New York was leading the Rangers to the Stanley Cup final in 1979 where he finished third in postseason scoring. He retired in 1981, then only second to Gordie Howe in career goals and total points, and third in assists to Howe and Stan Mikita.

[edit] Retirement

Esposito served as General Manager and coach of the Rangers for three years in the mid 1980s, during which he earned the nickname "Trader Phil" for the numerous transactions he made. He moved on to found the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning -- his reputation and force of personality was widely credited with winning the expansion bid for Tampa Bay -- in 1992, serving as the team's president and general manager until 1998. He remains the team’s radio color commentator, and also co-hosts a daily call-in show on XM Satellite Radio's Home Ice channel. He has appeared in the last year on the FX network show Rescue Me, a show with strong hockey elements.

Esposito was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. In December of 1987, his #7 jersey was retired by the Boston Bruins in an emotional ceremony where the then-current wearer, superstar defenseman Ray Bourque, surrendered the number in Esposito's honor.

Phil Esposito was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. Esposito's younger brother Tony is also an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Former NHLer Alexander Selivanov is Esposito's son-in-law.

[edit] Awards & achievements

[edit] Career statistics

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1961-62 St. Catharines OHA 49 32 39 71 54 6 1 4 5 9
1961-62 Sault Ste. Marie EPHL 6 0 3 3 2 -- -- -- -- --
1962-63 St. Louis EPHL 71 36 54 90 51 -- -- -- -- --
1963-64 St. Louis EPHL 43 26 54 80 65 -- -- -- -- --
1963-64 Chicago NHL 27 3 2 5 2 4 0 0 0 0
1964-65 Chicago NHL 70 23 32 55 44 13 3 3 6 15
1965-66 Chicago NHL 69 27 26 53 49 6 1 1 2 2
1966-67 Chicago NHL 69 21 40 61 40 6 0 0 0 7
1967-68 Boston NHL 74 35 49 84 21 4 0 3 3 0
1968-69 Boston NHL 74 49 77 126 79 10 8 10 18 8
1969-70 Boston NHL 76 43 56 99 50 14 13 14 27 16
1970-71 Boston NHL 78 76 76 152 71 7 3 7 10 6
1971-72 Boston NHL 76 66 67 133 76 15 9 15 24 24
1972-73 Boston NHL 78 55 75 130 87 2 0 1 1 2
1973-74 Boston NHL 78 68 77 145 58 16 9 5 14 25
1974-75 Boston NHL 79 61 66 127 62 3 4 1 5 0
1975-76 Boston NHL 12 6 10 16 8 -- -- -- -- --
1975-76 New York Rangers NHL 62 29 38 67 28 -- -- -- -- --
1976-77 New York Rangers NHL 80 34 46 80 52 -- -- -- -- --
1977-78 New York Rangers NHL 79 38 43 81 53 3 0 1 1 5
1978-79 New York Rangers NHL 80 42 36 78 37 18 8 12 20 20
1979-80 New York Rangers NHL 80 34 44 78 73 9 3 3 6 8
1980-81 New York Rangers NHL 41 7 13 20 20 -- -- -- -- --
NHL Totals 1282 717 873 1590 910 130 61 76 137 138

[edit] International play

International statistics

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1972 Canada Summit 8 7 6 13 15
1976 Canada Canada Cup 7 4 3 7 0
1977 Canada WC 10 7 3 10 14

[edit] Pop-culture references

Phil Esposito is referred to in the Barenaked Ladies song "Celebrity". Fun Lovin' Criminals refer to Phil in the song "Smoke 'Em"

[edit] See also

Preceded by:
Michel Bergeron		 Head Coaches of the New York Rangers
1989		 Succeeded by:
Roger Neilson
Preceded by:
Tom Webster		 Head Coaches of the New York Rangers
1986-1987		 Succeeded by:
Michel Bergeron
Preceded by:
Brad Park		 New York Rangers captains
1975-78		 Succeeded by:
Dave Maloney
Preceded by:
Bobby Hull		 NHL Goal Leader
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975		 Succeeded by:
Reggie Leach
Preceded by:
Bobby Clarke		 Winner of the Hart Trophy
1974		 Succeeded by:
Bobby Clarke
Preceded by:
Stan Mikita		 Winner of the Hart Trophy
1969		 Succeeded by:
Bobby Orr
Preceded by:
Bobby Orr		 Winner of the Art Ross Trophy
1971, 1972, 1973, 1974		 Succeeded by:
Bobby Orr
Preceded by:
Stan Mikita		 Winner of the Art Ross Trophy
1969		 Succeeded by:
Bobby Orr
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