Lanny McDonald

Guide Note

Retired National Hockey League player Lanny McDonald played professional hockey in the NHL for 18 years, from 1973 through 1989. Originally drafted fourth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first round of the 1973 NHL Entry Draft, McDonald played seven seasons with the Leafs, three with the Colorado Rockies and then eight with the Calgary Flames.

In addition to being a top scorer, McDonald was also a heavy but fair hitter and not one to back down from a challenge. During a game against the New York Islanders in the 1978 playoffs, McDonald suffered a broken nose and fractured wrist, but still managed to score a game-winning overtime goal that advanced his team to the next round.

Fast Facts

1. Birth date: February 16, 1953
2. Birth place: Hanna, Alberta
3. Position: Right wing
4. His jersey number 9 was retired by the Calgary Flames
5. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992
6. Nicknamed "the walrus" for his large red mustache

The Flames reached the playoffs every year McDonald played with them and then finally won the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history in 1989. The Flames beat the Montreal Canadiens in game six of the playoff final, during which McDonald scored his last NHL goal, to become the only visiting team to win the Cup in Montreal in League history. During the 1989 playoffs, McDonald earned his 1,000th point and scored his 500th goal. He announced his retirement shortly after the Stanley Cup win.

McDonald acted as captain for both the Colorado Rockies and the Calgary Flames. A strong leader both on and off the ice, McDonald was involved with many charities including acting as a spokesman for the Special Olympics. In 1998, he was presented with the League's humanitarian award, the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.