| Jim Peplinski | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Peplinski in 2014 | |||
| Born | (1960-10-24)October 24, 1960 (age 64) Renfrew, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Calgary Flames | ||
| National team |  Canada | ||
| NHL draft | 75th overall,1979 Atlanta Flames | ||
| Playing career | 1980–1990 1994–1995 | ||
James Desmond Peplinski (born October 24, 1960) is a Canadian formerNational Hockey League (NHL) player. He played ten seasons in the NHL (all with theCalgary Flames) and won theStanley Cup in 1989. He represented Canada at the1988 Winter Olympics as a member of thenational hockey team.
Peplinski played junior hockey for theToronto Marlboros of theOntario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) between 1977 and 1980. He scored 101 points in 67 games in his final season of junior.[1] TheAtlanta Flames selected him with their fourth round selection, 75th overall, at the1979 NHL Entry Draft.[2] Following the franchise's relocation to Canada, he made his NHL debut in 1980 and was an original member of theCalgary Flames, scoring 38 points in his rookie season.[1] Playing his 100th career game on November 17, 1981, Peplinski scored four goals against theWinnipeg Jets as part of a career high 30-goal, 67-point season in the1981–82 season.[2]
One of Peplinski's strengths was his durability. He missed only 24 games during his career, appearing in all 80 of the Flames' games in1980–81,1982–83,1984–85 and1986–87.[1] He was named a tri-captain of the team, shared withLanny McDonald andDoug Risebrough, in the 1984–85 season.[2] For the1988 Winter Olympics, theInternational Ice Hockey Federation opened thehockey tournament to all professionals. While the NHL refused to allow most of its players to participate, the Flames released Peplinski to theCanadian Olympic team.[3] He appeared in seven games, scoring one assist for the fourth place Canadians.[4]
In the Flames'Stanley Cup championship season of1988–89, Peplinski scored 38 points in 79 games, and appeared in 20 more games in the1989 Stanley Cup Playoffs.[1] Prior to the sixth game of the final against theMontreal Canadiens, head coachTerry Crisp wanted to insert McDonald, who was expected to retire following the season, into the lineup for the possible clinching game. As a result, Peplinski was scratched from the line-up and watched as the team won the championship. He came onto the ice to accept the trophy with McDonald and alternate captainTim Hunter.[5][6]
Six games into the1989–90 NHL season, Peplinski chose to retire.[5] He left the game as the Flames' all-time leader in games played at 705.[2] He moved to the broadcast booth, joiningHockey Night in Canada as a color commentator before attempting an NHL comeback in1994–95. His comeback lasted six more games before he left the game for good.[5] Peplinski settled in Calgary after his retirement and remains active with the team's alumni association. He organized the alumni game between the Flames and Canadiens at the2011 Heritage Classic.[7]
Peplinski has the longest goal streak among the NHL players without scoring a power-play goal - 124, from his last power play goal on November 23, 1982 against the Washington Capitals and until his retirement.[8]
Upon retiring from the Flames, Peplinski invested in Hartfield Chieftain Leasing, a smallvehicle leasing company. Starting with 565 units, split between operations in Calgary and Edmonton, the company initially struggled. In 1998, the company was thriving and merged with his father-in-law's leasing company in the East (Leasemaster), creating a national vehicle leasing firm,Jim Peplinski Leasing Inc.[9] Peplinski remains the Chairman of Jim Peplinski Leasing which serves small to mid-sided fleet vehicles across the country.
Peplinski is also the Chairman ofProperly Investment Company, a firm established to invest in entrepreneurs.
Peplinski has been recognized for his charitable contributions, like anyone with lots of money. He was named the final recipient of theCharlie Conacher Humanitarian Award in 1984 for his work in support of theSpecial Olympics andBig Brothers of Calgary.[10] The Flames named him their recipient of theRalph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 1988.[2]
Peplinski is married to Catherine (née Esplen), and they have four children together.[citation needed]
Arena 1 in theJim Durrell Centre is named Jim Peplinski Arena.
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1976–77 | Ottawa South Canadians | Midget AA | 22 | 22 | 33 | 55 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Toronto Marlboros | OMJHL | 66 | 13 | 28 | 41 | 44 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 26 | ||
| 1978–79 | Toronto Marlboros | OMJHL | 66 | 23 | 32 | 55 | 88 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | Toronto Marlboros | OMJHL | 67 | 35 | 66 | 101 | 89 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 15 | ||
| 1980–81 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 108 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 41 | ||
| 1981–82 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 74 | 30 | 37 | 67 | 115 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 | ||
| 1982–83 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 134 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 45 | ||
| 1983–84 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 74 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 114 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 21 | ||
| 1984–85 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 111 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 11 | ||
| 1985–86 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 77 | 24 | 35 | 59 | 214 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 107 | ||
| 1986–87 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 18 | 32 | 50 | 181 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 | ||
| 1987–88 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 75 | 20 | 31 | 51 | 234 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 45 | ||
| 1988–89 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 79 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 241 | 20 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 75 | ||
| 1989–90 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 711 | 161 | 263 | 424 | 1,467 | 99 | 15 | 31 | 46 | 382 | ||||
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Canada | OG | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Preceded by | Calgary Flames captain 1984–89 with Doug Risebrough (1984–87) and Lanny McDonald (1984–89) | Succeeded by |
Note: During Jim Peplinski's tenure as captain of theFlames he shared the role of captain withDoug Risebrough (1984–87) andLanny McDonald (1984–89), and then served as sole captain for the first six games of1989–90, before retiring.