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Don Luce

For the American anti-war activist, see Don Luce (activist).

Donald Harold Luce (born October 2, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre, executive and scout. Luce played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs from 1969 to 1982.

Don Luce
Born (1948-10-02) October 2, 1948 (age 76)
London, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for New York Rangers
Detroit Red Wings
Buffalo Sabres
Los Angeles Kings
Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL draft 14th overall, 1966
New York Rangers
Playing career 1968–1982

After his playing career, Luce moved into a long career in player development for the Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers. He is currently working as a pro scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs.[1]

Playing career

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Luce was drafted by the New York Rangers and played three seasons (1965–68) for their farm team; the Kitchener Rangers in Kitchener, Ontario. He then played one and a half seasons with another Rangers farm team, the Omaha Knights, before being brought up to the NHL team for the last 12 games of 1969–70.

Luce scored his first NHL goal on March 15, 1970 in his team's 4-2 home loss to the Minnesota North Stars. It was his only goal as a New York Ranger.

During the 1970–1971 season he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings, where he played 58 games before being dealt again, this time to the Buffalo Sabres, for whom he then played until 1981. 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, for the 1974-75 season.

In the middle of the 1980–81 season he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, and finished his career the following season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Luce was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 1986 [2] and also served as an assistant coach for the Buffalo Sabres in 1986–87. He served as the Sabres' Head of Player development from the end of his term as assistant coach until July 2006, when the team let him go and cut much of its scouting department. Luce had been responsible for bringing in the likes of Alexander Mogilny, Maxim Afinogenov, Martin Biron, Brian Campbell, and Jason Pominville.

He is remembered among Sabres fans fondly for his work ethic on the ice, his abilities on the penalty kill, his work 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.[citation needed]

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 Player Development for the Philadelphia Flyers on December 1, 2006[3] and served in that position through the 2011–12 season.

On September 20, 2015, it was announced that Luce had been hired as a professional scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs.[1]

Personal life

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Luce's grandson Griffin played NCAA Division 1 hockey for the University of Michigan.[4]

Career statistics

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1965–66 Kitchener Rangers OHA-Jr. 47 16 19 35 71 19 4 12 16 20
1966–67 Kitchener Rangers OHA-Jr. 48 19 42 61 94 13 7 9 16 35
1967–68 Kitchener Rangers OHA-Jr. 54 24 70 94 88 19 4 8 12 52
1968–69 Omaha Knights CHL 72 22 34 56 56 7 3 4 7 11
1969–70 New York Rangers NHL 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 NHL 58 3 11 14 18 — — — — —
1971–72 Buffalo Sabres 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 35 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 NHL 10 1 0 1 2 4 0 2 2 2
1981–82 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 39 4 4 8 32 — — — — —
1981–82 Salt Lake Golden Eagles CHL 2 1 0 1 4 10 2 5 7 8
NHL totals 894 225 328 553 364 71 17 22 39 52

References

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  1. ^ a b "LEAFS ADD TROY BODIE, DON LUCE AS PRO SCOUTS". The Nation Network. 20 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  2. ^ "Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame". sabresalumni.com. Archived from the original on 2012-06-18.
  3. ^ "bio - luce - Philadelphia Flyers - Team". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved 2011-02-05.
  4. ^ Allentuck, Danielle (July 4, 2018). "With grandfather watching, Griffin Luce makes most out of Sabres camp invite". buffalonews.com. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
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