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Ron Fletcher Biography: Clara's Letters to Ron ronfletchercompany.com | Ron Fletcher Biography: Clara's Letters to Ron fletcherwork.com | Ron Fletcher Biography: Clara's Letters to Ron fletcherpilates.com | Ron Fletcher Biography: Clara's Letters to Ron ronfletcherwork.com |
Ron Hextall (born May 3, 1964 in Brandon, Manitoba) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League. He is the grandson of Hall-of-Famer Bryan Hextall, the son of former NHL player Bryan Hextall Jr. and nephew of former NHL player Dennis Hextall. Hextall played the bulk of his career in two stints with the Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87 to 1991–92, and 1994–95 to 1998–99). He and Jacques Plante are considered responsible for revolutionizing the position of goaltender, leaving the goal mouth regularly to play the puck with their sticks.
[edit] Playing career[edit] Hershey BearsPrior to playing in the NHL, Hextall won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award in 1986 as the top rookie of the American Hockey League, while playing for the Hershey Bears. [edit] Philadelphia yearsHextall joined the Philadelphia Flyers for the 1986–87 season and played until 1991–92. In his first year, he was the winner of the Vezina Trophy (NHL's Best Goaltender), named a NHL postseason First Team All-Star, and named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy (NHL Playoff MVP) as the Flyers took the eventual champions Edmonton Oilers to seven games during the Stanley Cup Finals. The Calder Trophy was the only honor that eluded Hextall that year as he finished second behind Luc Robitaille. Hextall was known for his aggressive play, something which made him a fan-favorite in Philadelphia. On January 24, 1987, he fought and bested New Jersey Devils goaltender Alain Chevrier during a bench-clearing brawl. During the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals, any Oilers player that approached the Flyers' net would receive welts on their legs from Hextall's stick, the most infamous being the slash on Edmonton's Kent Nilsson, which earned Hextall an eight-game suspension for the start of the 1987-88 season. Another notable incident illustrating his aggressiveness occurred in Game 6 of the 1989 Wales Conference Finals series, in which the Flyers faced the Montreal Canadiens. With his team trailing 3-2 in the series and 4-2 on the scoreboard in the game's final minutes, Hextall left the crease and slammed Montreal defenseman Chris Chelios into the boards, apparently in retaliation for Chelios' illegal yet unpenalized hit on Philadelphia's Brian Propp in Game 1 that left the latter with a concussion. After Chelios crumpled to the ice, Hextall continued to pummel him until the referees pulled the Flyer goalie off. For his actions, Hextall received a five-minute major and a match penalty, and was suspended for the first 12 games of the 1989–90 season. He holds the record for most penalty minutes by a goaltender in one season with 113 in 1988–89. Hextall is one of only two goaltenders, along with Henrik Lundqvist, to record at least 30 wins in his first three NHL seasons,[1] which Hextall did from 1986–1989. Lundqvist is the first goaltender to record at least 30 wins in his first four NHL seasons, achieving that on March 12, 2009. [edit] The goalOn December 8, 1987, in a game against the Boston Bruins, Hextall became the first goaltender in NHL history to score a goal by actually shooting the puck into an open net with the opposing goaltender pulled for an extra attacker (an achievement Hextall foreshadowed in 1986)[2]. On its way into the open net, the puck gently touched the left goal-post, so in his post-game interview Hextall quipped, "Now before you guys get started I want you to know I was aiming for that corner." (Because of hockey's score keeping rule that credits a goal to the last offensive player to touch the puck, on November 28, 1979, Billy Smith of the New York Islanders was the first NHL goalie to be credited with a goal; Smith was awarded the goal during a game against the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies' goaltender left the ice for an extra skater after a delayed penalty was called on the Islanders. During the ensuing play, Smith made a save, then a Rockies player passed the puck to a vacant point, and it traveled the length of the ice into the empty net.) Hextall replicated the feat in the playoffs on April 11, 1989 against the Washington Capitals, thus becoming the first goalie to score a goal in a playoff game. [edit] Quebec, Long Island, and back to PhiladelphiaOn June 30 1992, Hextall was traded to the Quebec Nordiques along with Peter Forsberg, Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne, a 1st round selection (Jocelyn Thibault) in 1993, a 1st round selection (later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, later traded to the Washington Capitals - Nolan Baumgartner) in 1994, and $15,000,000 cash for Eric Lindros. He spent the 1992–93 NHL season in Quebec, helping the Nordiques to make the playoffs for the first time in several years, where they were eliminated in the first round in six games by the eventual champions, the Montreal Canadiens, which would be the last time the battle of Quebec would be in the postseason as the Nords moved to Colorado to become the Avalanche. Hextall then moved on to the New York Islanders for the 1993–94 NHL season, where he also appeared in the postseason, again losing to the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the New York Rangers, in a four game sweep of the opening round. The Flyers reacquired him in 1994 and he helped them reach the finals in 1997, although they were quickly swept aside by the Detroit Red Wings in 4 games. Shakey goaltending was partially to blame, with neither Hextall or Garth Snow (who started Game Two) putting on strong performances.[3] Hextall finished out his career with the Flyers in 1999. [edit] Post-retirementIn June 2006, the Los Angeles Kings named Hextall as Assistant General Manager. In addition, Hextall will serve as the General Manager of the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, the Kings’ primary affiliate. On February 6, 2008, Hextall became the 19th member inducted into the Philadelphia Flyers Honored members Flyers Hall of Fame in a ceremony during a game versus the Washington Capitals. Hextall's son, center Brett Hextall was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.[4] With that selection, the Hextalls have a chance to become the first family to have four generations play in the NHL.[5] [edit] Awards
[edit] Media rankings
[edit] Career statistics[edit] Regular season
[edit] Post season
[edit] International play
[edit] See also[edit] References
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Categories: 1964 births | Brandon Wheat Kings alumni | Canadian ice hockey goaltenders | Conn Smythe Trophy winners | Hershey Bears players | Ice hockey personnel from Manitoba | Living people | National Hockey League All-Stars | National Hockey League goaltenders who have scored in a game | New York Islanders players | People from Brandon, Manitoba | Philadelphia Flyers draft picks | Philadelphia Flyers players | Quebec Nordiques players | Vezina Trophy winners | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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