Les Binkley
Leslie John Binkley (born June 6, 1936 in Owen Sound, Ontario) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Binkley played goaltender in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins and in the World Hockey Association for the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros. He later served as a scout for both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets.
| Les Binkley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
June 6, 1936 Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Right | ||
| Played for |
NHL Pittsburgh Penguins WHA Toronto Toros Ottawa Nationals AHL Cleveland Barons EHL Baltimore Clippers Charlotte Clippers IHL Fort Wayne Komets Toledo Mercurys NAHL Buffalo Norsemen | ||
| Playing career | 1967–1976 | ||
Career
Les Binkley spent his early career in the minor leagues and did not play in the NHL until his thirties. He won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's top rookie in 1962, and was awarded the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award four years later for allowing the fewest goals in the league. Binkley was the starting goaltender for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the team's inaugural season in the NHL. During the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs, Binkley won six games--the first postseason victories for the Penguin franchise. After five seasons with the Penguins, he played in the WHA with the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros. Binkley played in 196 NHL regular season games and retired with a career GAA of 3.12.[1]
He won two Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 as a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins.[2]
Achievements and awards
- EHL Second All-Star Team (1957)
- Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (Rookie of the Year - AHL) (1962)
- AHL Second All-Star Team (1964, 1966)
- Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award (fewest goals against - AHL) (1966)
- WHL Second All-Star Team (1967)
- Two Stanley Cup championships as a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991 and 1992)
- First NHL goaltender to wear contact lenses (1967)
- First player signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins club in its first NHL season
Personal life
Binkley currently resides in Walkerton, Ontario, with his wife Eleanor. He has two children, Randall and Leslie, and five grandchildren, Jana, Jonathan, Curtis, Kara and Jordan. Curtis Binkley is also a goaltender, and was drafted by the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League in 2002.
Career statistics
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967–68 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 54 | 20 | 24 | 10 | 3141 | 151 | 6 | 2.88 |
| 1968–69 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 50 | 10 | 31 | 8 | 2885 | 158 | 0 | 3.29 |
| 1969–70 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 27 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 1477 | 79 | 3 | 3.21 |
| 1970–71 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 34 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 1870 | 89 | 2 | 2.86 |
| 1971–72 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 31 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 1673 | 98 | 0 | 3.51 |
| 1972–73 | Ottawa Nationals | WHA | 30 | 10 | 17 | 1 | 1709 | 106 | 0 | 3.72 |
| 1973–74 | Toronto Toros | WHA | 27 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 1412 | 77 | 1 | 3.27 |
| 1974–75 | Toronto Toros | WHA | 17 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 772 | 47 | 0 | 3.65 |
| 1975–76 | Toronto Toros | WHA | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 335 | 32 | 0 | 5.73 |
| 1975–76 | Buffalo Norsemen | NAHL | 24 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 1195 | 85 | 0 | 4.27 |
| NHL Totals | 196 | 58 | 94 | 34 | 11046 | 575 | 11 | 3.12 | ||
References
- "Les Binkley - Stats - NHL.com - Players". NHL. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- Les Binkley biography at Legends of Hockey. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database