| Rick St. Croix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 St. Croix with theFlint Generals, circa 1977 | |||
| Born | (1955-01-03)January 3, 1955 (age 70) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Philadelphia Flyers Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
| NHL draft | 72nd overall,1975 Philadelphia Flyers | ||
| WHA draft | 169th overall,1975 Houston Aeros | ||
| Playing career | 1975–1986 | ||
Richard St. Croix (born January 3, 1955) is a Canadian former professionalice hockeygoaltender. He played 131 games in theNational Hockey League with thePhiladelphia Flyers andToronto Maple Leafs between 1978 and 1985. After his playing career he worked as anassistant coach for the Maple Leafs.[1] He also served as a goaltending coach for theDallas Stars, and an assistant coach and goaltending coach for theManitoba Moose andSt. John's IceCaps of theAmerican Hockey League. He was selected in the fourth round of the1975 NHL Amateur Draft by the Flyers, and his two sons would also be drafted, though neither played in the NHL.
St. Croix was drafted by thePhiladelphia Flyers in the fourth round of the1975 NHL Amateur Draft after a junior hockey career with theOshawa Generals of theOntario Hockey Association (OHA).[2] He was also drafted by theWorld Hockey AssociationHouston Aeros in the 13th round of the1975 WHA Amateur Draft.[2] He had been a Second Team OHA All Star in 1973.[3]
St. Croix made his NHL debut for the Flyers during the 1977–78 season on February 16, 1978 at theSpectrum against theMinnesota North Stars.[2][4] He played 7 games for the Flyers that season, while playing most of the season with theMaine Mariners of theAmerican Hockey League (AHL).[2] He played 2 games for the Flyers in 1978–79 and one game for the record-setting Flyer team of 1979-80.[2] In 1979–80 he also won theHap Holmes Memorial Award, awarded to goaltenders playing at least 25 games for the AHL team with the lowestgoals against average, sharing the award with teammateRobbie Moore.[2][5][6][7] He was also named a First Team AHL All-Star that season.[3][5] 1980-81 was St. Croix's first full season in the NHL, in which he split time as the Flyers' goaltender withPete Peeters andPhil Myre.[2][8] He spent parts of three seasons with the Flyers before being traded to theToronto Maple Leafs during the 1982–83 season in exchange for goaltenderMichel Larocque.[2][4][9]
St. Croix's final season in the NHL was 1984–85, which he split between the Maple Leafs and theSt. Catharines Saints in the AHL.[2] He spent one more season as a professional hockey player, 1985-86 with theInternational Hockey League (IHL)Fort Wayne Komets.[2] With the Komets that season, he shared the IHLJames Norris Memorial Trophy with teammatePokey Reddick, awarded to the goaltender(s) having the fewest goals against during the season.[2][5][10][11] He was also named an IHL Second Team All Star that season.[5][9]
After retiring as a player, St. Croix became a coach. He served as an assistant coach for theWinnipeg Jets for the 1987–88 and 1988-89 seasons.[2] He was later named goaltending coach for theDallas Stars where he won theStanley Cup with the team in1999.[4][5] St. Croix was goaltending coach for theManitoba Moose from 2008 to 2011. Prior to the 2011–12 season, the team was relocated to Newfoundland and renamed theSt. John's IceCaps where St. Croix continued to serve as an assistant coach/goaltending coach.[2] In September 2012, with the resignation of Francois Allaire, St. Croix was hired as the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending coach.[12] St. Croix was fired in an organizational housecleaning on April 12, 2015.[13]
When the IceCaps returned as the Manitoba Moose in 2015, St. Croix rejoined the organization as developmental goaltending coach and scout until he retired in 2021.[14]
St. Croix's oldest son,Chris, was a 4th round draft choice of theCalgary Flames in the1997 NHL Entry Draft, and played professional hockey as adefenseman in Germany, as well as in the AHL,ECHL andCHL.[4][15][16][17] His youngest son,Michael played junior hockey as a forward for theEdmonton Oil Kings of theWestern Hockey League.[4][18][19] He was drafted by theNew York Rangers in the 4th round of the2011 NHL Entry Draft.[20] Michael played several years in the AHL and ECHL before retiring in 2016. He also has two daughters.[4] In addition to his coaching duties, St. Croix also runs a goaltending school.[4]
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 1970–71 | Kenora Muskies | MJHL | 23 | — | — | — | 1265 | 71 | 0 | 3.37 | .922 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Kenora Muskies | MJHL | 43 | — | — | — | 2402 | 172 | 0 | 4.30 | .892 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Winnipeg Jets | WCHL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 160 | 13 | 0 | 4.88 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Oshawa Generals | OHA | 52 | — | — | — | 3176 | 247 | 0 | 4.67 | .882 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Oshawa Generals | OHA | 33 | — | — | — | 1932 | 130 | 1 | 4.04 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Oshawa Generals | OMJHL | 32 | — | — | — | 1965 | 131 | 1 | 4.00 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 9 | 0 | 9.00 | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Flint Generals | IHL | 42 | — | — | — | 2201 | 118 | 0 | 3.22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Flint Generals | IHL | 53 | — | — | — | 2956 | 179 | 3 | 3.63 | — | 5 | 1 | 4 | 337 | 30 | 0 | 5.34 | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 3 | 0 | 3.00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 394 | 20 | 0 | 3.05 | .879 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 40 | 22 | 14 | 2 | 2266 | 116 | 2 | 3.07 | — | 4 | 1 | 3 | 174 | 18 | 0 | 6.21 | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 117 | 6 | 0 | 3.08 | .887 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Philadelphia Firebirds | AHL | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 484 | 22 | 0 | 2.73 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 22 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 1312 | 63 | 0 | 2.88 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 2 | 0 | 2.00 | .920 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 46 | 25 | 14 | 7 | 2729 | 132 | 1 | 2.90 | .902 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 311 | 16 | 0 | 3.09 | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 27 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 1564 | 65 | 2 | 2.50 | .913 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 538 | 27 | 1 | 3.01 | .892 | ||
| 1981–82 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 29 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 1726 | 112 | 0 | 3.89 | .870 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 3.11 | .875 | ||
| 1982–83 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 939 | 54 | 0 | 3.45 | .875 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 17 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 915 | 58 | 0 | 3.80 | .886 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 225.00 | .000 | ||
| 1983–84 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 20 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 937 | 80 | 0 | 5.13 | .849 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | St. Catharines Saints | AHL | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 482 | 29 | 0 | 3.61 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 133 | 10 | 0 | 4.50 | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 12 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 628 | 56 | 0 | 5.35 | .824 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | St. Catharines Saints | AHL | 18 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 1076 | 92 | 0 | 5.33 | .849 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 42 | 25 | 13 | 0 | 2474 | 132 | 2 | 3.20 | — | 8 | 3 | 4 | 411 | 30 | 0 | 4.38 | — | ||
| NHL totals | 131 | 49 | 54 | 18 | 7277 | 453 | 2 | 3.74 | .875 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 557 | 29 | 1 | 3.12 | .888 | ||||