Don Luce
Encyclopedia
Donald Harold Luce is a Canadian former professional ice hockey
centre
who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League
(NHL) for the New York Rangers
, Detroit Red Wings
, Buffalo Sabres
, Los Angeles Kings
and Buffalo Sabres
from 1969 to 1982. He is currently the Director of Player Development for the Philadelphia Flyers
.
and played three seasons (1965–68) for their farm team; the Kitchener Rangers in Kitchener, Ontario
. He then played 1.5 seasons with another Rangers farm team, the Omaha Knights
, before being brought up to the NHL team for the last 12 games in the 1969–70 season. While in New York, he often ate dinner with hockey legend Tim Horton
.
During the 1970–1971 season he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings
, where he played 58 games and then dealt to the Buffalo Sabres
, where he played from 1971–1981. During the 1974 season, Luce was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy
, awarded to the NHL player annually who best demonstrates the qualities of perseverance, leadership and dedication to the sport of hockey.
In the middle of the 1980–81 season he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings
. He finished his career in 1981–82 with the Toronto Maple Leafs
.
Luce was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 1986 and also served as an assistant coach for the Buffalo Sabres in 1986–87. He had served as the Sabres' Head of Player development from the end of his term as assistant coach until July 2006, when the team fired him and cut much of its scouting department. Many saw this as a classless way to treat an alum and employee of over 20 years experience in the organization. Luce was responsible for bringing in the likes of Alexander Mogilny
, Maxim Afinogenov
, Marty Biron
, Brian Campbell
, and Jason Pominville
.
He is remembered among Sabres fans fondly for his work ethic on the ice, his amazing abilities on the penalty kill, in the team's front office, and in the community where he and his wife Diane continue to act charitably even though they are no longer affiliated with the Sabres. He is also remembered by some as having the best hair not only in Sabres history but also in Buffalo sports history.
Luce played 894 career NHL games, scoring 225 goals and 329 assists for 554 points. His best statistical season was the 1974–75 season with the Buffalo Sabres, when he set career highs in goals (33), points (76), shorthanded goals (8), and plus minus with a +61 rating.
Luce was appointed Director of Hockey Development for the Philadelphia Flyers
on December 1, 2006.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) for the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
from 1969 to 1982. He is currently the Director of Player Development for the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Playing career
Luce was drafted by the New York RangersNew York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
and played three seasons (1965–68) for their farm team; the Kitchener Rangers in Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
. He then played 1.5 seasons with another Rangers farm team, the Omaha Knights
Omaha Knights
The Omaha Knights were a minor league professional ice hockey team from 1959 to 1975, based in Omaha, Nebraska at the Ak-Sar-Ben arena. The Knights were founded in 1959 as members of the International Hockey League...
, before being brought up to the NHL team for the last 12 games in the 1969–70 season. While in New York, he often ate dinner with hockey legend Tim Horton
Tim Horton
Myles Gilbert "Tim" Horton was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in 24 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres. He was also a businessman and a co-founder of Tim Hortons. He died in an...
.
During the 1970–1971 season he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, where he played 58 games and then dealt to the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, where he played from 1971–1981. During the 1974 season, Luce was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association after each team nominates one...
, awarded to the NHL player annually who best demonstrates the qualities of perseverance, leadership and dedication to the sport of hockey.
In the middle of the 1980–81 season he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He finished his career in 1981–82 with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Luce was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 1986 and also served as an assistant coach for the Buffalo Sabres in 1986–87. He had served as the Sabres' Head of Player development from the end of his term as assistant coach until July 2006, when the team fired him and cut much of its scouting department. Many saw this as a classless way to treat an alum and employee of over 20 years experience in the organization. Luce was responsible for bringing in the likes of Alexander Mogilny
Alexander Mogilny
Alexander Gennadevitch Mogilny is a former Russian professional ice hockey player, currently the team consultant of the KHL team Amur Khabarovsk. Mogilny was best known for his lightning quick speed and lethal wrist shot in his early years, which led to his career year of 76 goals in the 1992–93...
, Maxim Afinogenov
Maxim Afinogenov
Maxim Sergeyevich Afinogenov is a Russian professional ice hockey player who is a member of the SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League . Known for his blistering skating speed, he was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres 69th overall in 1997 and played nine seasons with the club. He played...
, Marty Biron
Martin Biron
Martin Gaston Biron is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He has also played professionally for the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders...
, Brian Campbell
Brian Campbell
Brian Wesley Campbell is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
, and Jason Pominville
Jason Pominville
Jason John Pominville is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey right winger and the captain of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
.
He is remembered among Sabres fans fondly for his work ethic on the ice, his amazing abilities on the penalty kill, in the team's front office, and in the community where he and his wife Diane continue to act charitably even though they are no longer affiliated with the Sabres. He is also remembered by some as having the best hair not only in Sabres history but also in Buffalo sports history.
Luce played 894 career NHL games, scoring 225 goals and 329 assists for 554 points. His best statistical season was the 1974–75 season with the Buffalo Sabres, when he set career highs in goals (33), points (76), shorthanded goals (8), and plus minus with a +61 rating.
Luce was appointed Director of Hockey Development for the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
on December 1, 2006.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1965–66 | Kitchener Rangers Kitchener Rangers The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that have called Kitchener, Ontario, Canada their home since 1963. The Rangers are a publicly owned hockey team, governed by a 40-person Board of Directors made up of season ticket subscribers. The Rangers hosted... |
OHA Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the... |
47 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1966–67 | Kitchener Rangers | OHA | 48 | 19 | 42 | 61 | 94 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967–68 | Kitchener Rangers | OHA | 54 | 24 | 70 | 94 | 88 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1968–69 | Omaha Knights Omaha Knights The Omaha Knights were a minor league professional ice hockey team from 1959 to 1975, based in Omaha, Nebraska at the Ak-Sar-Ben arena. The Knights were founded in 1959 as members of the International Hockey League... |
CHL | 72 | 22 | 34 | 56 | 56 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 11 | ||
| 1969–70 | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1969–70 | Omaha Knights | CHL | 64 | 22 | 35 | 57 | 82 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1970–71 | New York Rangers | NHL | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL | 58 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
NHL | 78 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 18 | 25 | 43 | 32 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1973–74 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 75 | 26 | 30 | 56 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 80 | 33 | 43 | 76 | 45 | 16 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 19 | ||
| 1975–76 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 77 | 21 | 49 | 70 | 42 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 1976–77 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 80 | 26 | 43 | 69 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1977–78 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 26 | 36 | 61 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1978–79 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 26 | 35 | 61 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 80 | 14 | 29 | 43 | 30 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 11 | ||
| 1980–81 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 61 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1981–82 | Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 39 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles Salt Lake Golden Eagles The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1969 to 1994.They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International Hockey League from 1984 to 1994... |
CHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | ||
| NHL totals | 894 | 225 | 328 | 553 | 364 | 71 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 52 | ||||