Kurt Walker (ice hockey)
Kurt Walker (June 10, 1954 – August 17, 2018) was an American professional ice hockey player who played 71 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
| Kurt Walker | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
June 10, 1954 Weymouth, Massachusetts | ||
| Died |
August 17, 2018 (aged 64) Atlanta, Georgia | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 1974–1980 | ||
Playing career
Walker started his professional career with the Saginaw Gears, of the International Hockey League, in the 1974–75 IHL season.
Walker played 71 NHL games, over parts of the 1975–76 through 1977–78 NHL seasons, all with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored his first career NHL goal against the Vancouver Canucks on January 21, 1977.[1] Walker scored 9 points in the NHL and accrued 152 penalty minutes.
He closed out his professional career with the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League in the 1979–80 AHL season.
Post–playing career
Playing as an enforcer throughout his hockey career, Walker required 17 surgeries to repair injuries.[2] He criticized the NHL Alumni organization, which he claimed did not support retired players enough financially.[3] As a result, he created an organization called Dignity after Hockey to raise awareness and funds to provide health care to retired players.[4] In 2017, he added his name to a class-action lawsuit against the NHL alleging neglect of support for players suffering injuries and financial strain once retired.[2]
Walker died in Atlanta, Georgia on August 17, 2018 from sepsis.[5][6][7]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1973–74 | Sherbrooke Castors | QMJHL | 36 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 142 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Saginaw Gears | IHL | 67 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 168 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1975–76 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | ||
| 1975–76 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 59 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 184 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 26 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Dallas Black Hawks | CHL | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 40 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 69 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 1977–78 | Dallas Black Hawks | CHL | 20 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 53 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1978–79 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Tulsa Oilers | CHL | 54 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Binghamton Dusters | AHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Syracuse Firebirds | AHL | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 71 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 152 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | ||||
References
- Malinowski, Mark (August 23, 2015). "GETTING TO KNOW: KURT WALKER". thehockeynews.com. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- Gordon, Sean (November 29, 2013). "Seven seasons, 17 surgeries and Kurt Walker is still in pain". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- McGran, Kevin (May 24, 2014). "Ex-NHLers say they are hurting, need help but NHL Alumni isn't there for them". Toronto Star. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- "Kurt Walker Former NHL Enforcer Heads "Dignity After Hockey"". independentsportsnews.com. May 17, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- Loftus, Mike (August 19, 2018). "Kurt Walker, South Shore native who reached NHL, then advocated for players, dies at 64". The Patriot Ledger. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
- Hornby, Lance (August 18, 2018). "Former Leafs enforcer and advocate for retired NHLers, Kurt Walker, dead at 64". Toronto Sun. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- Cooper, Bruce C."Former Maple Leaf Kurt Walker passes at 64" HockeyBuzz.com