John Wensink
Encyclopedia
John Wensink is a retired professional ice hockey
player.
Growing up in Maxville, Ontario the son of Dutch immigrants, Wensink is best remembered for his time with the Boston Bruins
, where he teamed with Terry O'Reilly
and Stan Jonathan
as the team's enforcers
. In one of the most infamous moments in National Hockey League
history, Wensink, after just pounding a Minnesota North Star
player, approached the North Star bench and motioned with his hands, challenging the entire Minnesota team. He didn't have any takers, though. Wensink is also well known for his large afro
that he sported on the ice. In another scrap with Bob Kelly (another 1970s hockey player with an afro), Wensink and Kelly were pulling at each other's hair.
Besides his skill as a fighter, Wensink also could score as well. He had a career high 46 points in the 1978/79 season for the Bruins.
Wensink played for Nijmegen Tigers
in the Dutch Eredivisie
in 1984–85. In 1989 he played for the Netherlands national ice hockey team
in the 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships
, Pool C.
Currently, John Wensink continues to play hockey in a Sunday night men's league at the Summit Center in Chesterfield, MO.
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...
player.
Growing up in Maxville, Ontario the son of Dutch immigrants, Wensink is best remembered for his time with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, where he teamed with Terry O'Reilly
Terry O'Reilly
Terence Joseph James O'Reilly is a retired ice hockey right winger, who played for the NHL's Boston Bruins, and one of the most effective enforcers in NHL history....
and Stan Jonathan
Stan Jonathan
Stanley Carl "Bulldog" Jonathan is a retired native ice hockey left winger.Jonathan started his National Hockey League career with the Boston Bruins with one game in the 1975-76 season. He continued to play for the Bruins from 1976-1983...
as the team's enforcers
Enforcer (hockey)
Enforcer is an unofficial role in ice hockey. The term is sometimes used synonymously with "fighter", "tough guy", or "goon". NHL players regarded as enforcers include Tiger Williams, Tony Twist, Bob Probert, Dave Semenko, Dave Schultz, Tie Domi, Dave Brown, Joey Kocur, Clark Gillies, Stu Grimson,...
. In one of the most infamous moments in 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...
history, Wensink, after just pounding a Minnesota North Star
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
player, approached the North Star bench and motioned with his hands, challenging the entire Minnesota team. He didn't have any takers, though. Wensink is also well known for his large afro
Afro
Afro, sometimes shortened to fro and also known as a "natural", is a hairstyle worn naturally by people with lengthy kinky hair texture or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair...
that he sported on the ice. In another scrap with Bob Kelly (another 1970s hockey player with an afro), Wensink and Kelly were pulling at each other's hair.
Besides his skill as a fighter, Wensink also could score as well. He had a career high 46 points in the 1978/79 season for the Bruins.
Wensink played for Nijmegen Tigers
Nijmegen Tigers
Nijmegen Tigers was a Dutch ice hockey club based in Nijmegen until 2003, when it was forced into bankruptcy. It has been succeeded by the Nijmegen Devils.-Source:*...
in the Dutch Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
in 1984–85. In 1989 he played for the Netherlands national ice hockey team
Netherlands national ice hockey team
The Dutch men's national ice hockey team is the national men's ice hockey of the Netherlands.The Netherlands are currently ranked 25th in the IIHF World Ranking and currently compete in IIHF World Championship Division I....
in the 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships
1989 World Ice Hockey Championships
-Final Round:-Consolation Round:Poland was relegated to Group B.-World Championship Group B :Played in Oslo and Lillehammer March 30th to April 9th. The April 5th game between Norway and Austria was officially adjusted to 8-0 for Norway because of Siegfried Haberl's positive drug test...
, Pool C.
Currently, John Wensink continues to play hockey in a Sunday night men's league at the Summit Center in Chesterfield, MO.