Kirk Maltby was Honored in Owen Sound on Saturday.
Story Courtest of Bill Walker at the Sun Times
Captain Kirk has gone where only one man has gone before.
Former Owen Sound Platers captain Kirk Maltby became only the second player in the Ontario Hockey League squad’s history to have a banner in his honour hoisted to the rafters of the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre’s J.D. McArthur Arena.
“I’m very honoured,” the 38-year-old Cambridge native said on Sunday prior to ceremony at the Owen Sound Attack’s game against the Oshawa Generals.
“When I was told what the organization was going to do I didn’t really know how to react and I was very surprised. It wasn’t something I expected.”
Maltby had 96 goals and 88 assists in 191 games with the Attack, capping it with a 50-goal season in 1991-1992.
“For me being here in Owen Sound, it was the first year that (the team) was here after moving up from Guelph,” said Maltby. “It was an exciting year as a rookie and then we beat Sudbury in the first round (of the playoffs) in seven games in triple overtime in Sudbury. It was great.”
Maltby went on to play 17 seasons in the National Hockey League, scoring 128 goals and 132 assists in 1072 games.
Maltby won four Stanley Cups with Detroit and he played for Team Canada at the 2005 World Championships.
He retired after last season and joined the Red Wings as a pro scout.
“Without being greedy I would have liked to have won that fifth Cup instead of losing it,” Maltby joked.
“To say that I would have played over 1000 games and won four Stanley Cups and represent my country in international play, I would have called your bluff on all that. That’s part of why it was easier for me to retire this year and start my new career and spend more time with my family. I have no regrets as far as my playing career goes.”
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