| Rod Zaine | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1946-05-18)May 18, 1946 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Died | July 7, 2022(2022-07-07) (aged 76) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | |||
| Playing career | 1969–1975 | ||
Rodney Carl Zaine (May 18, 1946 – July 7, 2022) was a Canadian professionalice hockey player who played two seasons in theNational Hockey League (NHL). He played for thePittsburgh Penguins andBuffalo Sabres from 1970 to 1972. He later played for theChicago Cougars of theWorld Hockey Association from 1972 to 1975.
Zaine was born inOttawa on May 18, 1946.[1] He attendedRideau High School in his hometown, where he wasquarterback andsafety on its Canadian football team that won three municipal championships,[2] and scored the championship-winningsingle in November 1962.[3] He began his junior career by playing for theOshawa Generals of theOntario Hockey League (OHL) during the 1963–64 season, before joining theOttawa Montagnards andSmiths Falls Bears. He then played two seasons for theClinton Comets of theEastern Hockey League (EHL) from 1966 to 1968. Zaine played the 1968–69 season with the Ottawa Nationals.[4]
Zaine signed with theBaltimore Clippers of theAmerican Hockey League (AHL) in October 1969.[1] Over the next two seasons, he scored 20goals and 25assists in 61 games played.[4] He was later traded to thePittsburgh Penguins in July 1970 for cash considerations and was assigned to itsAmarillo Wranglers affiliate.[1]
Zaine made hisNational Hockey League (NHL) debut for the Penguins on November 4, 1970,[5] against theVancouver Canucks at theCivic Arena.[6] After appearing in four games, he did not play in the NHL between November 10 and December 31, 1970,[5] when he was recalled from the Wranglers afterKen Schinkel suffered abroken collarbone.[7]
During his rookie season, Zaine scored eight goals and recorded five assists in 37 games played for the Penguins. He was subsequently claimed by theBuffalo Sabres in theIntra-League Draft on June 8, 1971.[1] He went on to have two goals and one assist in 24 games with the franchise.[1][8] Zaine was drafted by theChicago Cougars of theWorld Hockey Association on February 12, 1972. In his three seasons with the team, he scored 11 goals and added 33 assists in 219 games.[1][4] He also briefly co-owned the Cougars withPat Stapleton,Ralph Backstrom, andDave Dryden.[9] He later served as field manager of theNorthumberland Whiskey Jacks baseball team inCobourg,[10] leading them to the Canada–New York league playoff title in 1998.[11]
Zaine had five children.[12] He resided at a retirement home in Ottawa during his later years.[13]
Zaine died on July 7, 2022, atQueensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa. He was 76 years old.[12][8]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1963–64 | Oshawa Generals | OHA | 55 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1964–65 | Ottawa Montagnards | CJHL | 24 | 18 | 31 | 49 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1965–66 | Smiths Falls Bears | CJHL | 34 | 35 | 56 | 91 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1966–67 | Clinton Comets | EHL | 72 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1967–68 | Clinton Comets | EHL | 72 | 24 | 53 | 77 | 68 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 5 | ||
| 1968–69 | Ottawa Nationals | OHA Sr | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Baltimore Clippers | AHL | 53 | 19 | 23 | 42 | 36 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1970–71 | Baltimore Clippers | AHL | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Amarillo Wranglers | CHL | 27 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 37 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Cincinnati Swords | AHL | 32 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | ||
| 1971–72 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 24 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Chicago Cougars | WHA | 74 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Chicago Cougars | WHA | 77 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1974–75 | Chicago Cougars | WHA | 68 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| WHA totals | 219 | 11 | 33 | 44 | 58 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| NHL totals | 61 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Sources:[1][4] | ||||||||||||||