WHL alumnus McDonald named to Order of Hockey in Canada
WHL alumnus, and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Lanny McDonald has been named to the Order of Hockey in Canada.
McDonald, who skated with the Calgary Centennials and Medicine Hat Tigers before embarking on an NHL career that included stops in Toronto, Colorado and Calgary, was one of three players selected as Distinguished Honourees of the Order of Hockey in Canada by Hockey Canada.
The product of Hanna, Alta. is joined in this year’s class by Guy Lafleur and Kim St-Pierre. The trio will be honoured at the Hockey Canada Gala & Golf in Niagara Falls, Ont. this coming June.
McDonald began his WHL career with the Calgary Centennials, appearing in six games during the 1970-71 season before proceeding to log 253 points (112G-141A) over the 1971-72 and 1972-73 seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Over the following 16 seasons, McDonald registered 1,006 points (500G-506A) in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames, winning a Stanley Cup with the Flames during his final NHL campaign in 1988-89. He scored 40 or more goals in six of his NHL seasons including a career-best 66 tallies for Calgary in 1982-83.
The four-time NHL All-Star won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1983 as well as the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 1988.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. His number 8 has been retired by the Tigers, while the Flames raised his number 9 to the rafters in 1990.
McDonald was also honoured with the WHL Governors Award during the 2015-16 season.
Internationally, McDonald won the Canada Cup in 1976, and captured a gold medal as director of player personnel for Team Canada at the 2004 IIHF World Championship.
The Order is a Hockey Canada initiative to celebrate individuals for their outstanding contributions or service to the growth and development of the sport of hockey in Canada. A total of 36 men and women have now been named to the Order of Hockey in Canada since it was first introduced in 2012.
