Paul Shmyr

Paul Shmyr (January 18, 1946 – September 2, 2004) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and National Hockey League (NHL).

Paul Shmyr
Born (1946-01-18)January 18, 1946
Cudworth, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died September 2, 2004(2004-09-02) (aged 58)
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
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
Minnesota North Stars
Hartford Whalers
National team  Canada
Playing career 19681982

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.

He was from a hockey-playing family; his younger brother John Shmyr also played in the WHA. 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 GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1965–66 New Westminster Royals BCHL
1965–66 New Westminster Royals M-Cup 42029
1966–67 New Westminster Royals BCHL
1966–67 Vancouver Canucks WHL 10000
1966–67 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 703182189 1133619
1967–68 Dallas Black Hawks CPHL 705152073 50000
1968–69 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 31018
1968–69 Dallas Black Hawks CHL 6973946118 114121617
1968–69 Portland Buckaroos WHL 10110
1969–70 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 2404426 81230
1969–70 Dallas Black Hawks CHL 483212488
1970–71 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 571121341 900017
1971–72 California Golden Seals NHL 6962127156
1972–73 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 7354348169 813419
1973–74 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 78133144165 504431
1974–75 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 4971421103 521315
1975–76 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 7064450101
1976–77 San Diego Mariners WHA 81133750103 70228
1977–78 Edmonton Oilers WHA 8094049100 513411
1978–79 Edmonton Oilers WHA 8083947119 1315623
1979–80 Minnesota North Stars NHL 633151884 1421323
1980–81 Minnesota North Stars NHL 61191079 30004
1981–82 Hartford Whalers NHL 6611112134
WHA totals 51161248309860 4351823107
NHL totals 343137285528 3433644

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". Archived from the original on 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
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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