Dennis Kearns

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dennis McAleer Kearns (born September 27, 1945, Kingston, Ontario) is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who is the career leading defence scorer for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League.

His rights being held by the Chicago Black Hawks, Kearns served a four year apprentice in the minor leagues, principally with the Portland Buckaroos of the Western Hockey League. Between the 1969 and 1971 seasons, Kearns was a First or Second Team league All-Star all three years.

In the summer of 1971, Chicago - then being deep on defense - exposed Kearns in the Intra-League Draft, and he was claimed by Vancouver, for whom he made his NHL debut that fall. Kearns would play his next ten years in Vancouver, becoming a star playmaker with noteworthy skill on offense and the power play. His best years were between 1976 and 1978, during which he averaged nearly fifty assists a season, was named to the Canadian national team at the World Championships twice, and was called by The Hockey News the "Denis Potvin of the West."[1] Unfortunately, his feats on the ice never translated to success in the playoffs; during his career Kearns played in only eleven playoff games, and the Canucks won only three playoff matches in his tenure.

His production declined sharply after the 1979 season, and no longer a frontline defenceman as the team moved younger players into prominence, retired after the 1981 season. Kearns finished his career with 31 goals and 290 assists for 321 points in 677 games, adding 386 penalty minutes. His 55 assists in 1977 remains the franchise record for defencemen.

In retirement, he and his family live in Vancouver, where he owns an insurance business.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Hockey News 1978 Yearbook, ed. Ken McKenzie, Toronto, Canada, p. 54