Shot Left Height 1.78 m Playing career Weight 73 kg | Name Val Fonteyne Positions Winger Role Ice hockey player | |
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Born December 2, 1933 (age 90)
Wetaskiwin, AB, CAN ( 1933-12-02 ) Played for National Hockey League, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings | ||
Valere Ronald Fonteyne (born December 2, 1933) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1959 to 1972, serving the Detroit Red Wings (on two tours of duty), New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, and in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 to 1974 with the Alberta/Edmonton Oilers.
Playing career
While not an offensive star, Fonteyne was a hard-working and effective defensive forward. He is regarded as one of the cleanest players in National Hockey League history. In 820 NHL games spanning 13 seasons, he served a remarkable total of just 26 minutes in the penalty box. He went completely unpenalized in five different seasons, including three in a row from 1965–1968. In a further 149 World Hockey Association games he was assessed only two minor penalties. In his entire professional career, Fonteyne only received a single fighting penalty.
In his NHL career, Fonteyne scored 75 goals and 154 assists for 229 points in 820 games. He also played in 59 playoff games, scoring 3 goals and 10 assists. He made it to the Stanley Cup finals with the Detroit Red Wings in 1961, 1963 and 1966 but lost each time.
The Alberta native was the first player chosen by the then-Alberta Oilers in the 1972 WHA General Player Draft; he played two seasons in the WHA before ending his career. He was one of dozens of players to appear in a post-game ceremony when the Edmonton Oilers played their final game at Rexall Place in April 2016 before moving to a new arena.