| Don Luce | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1948-10-02)October 2, 1948 (age 77) London, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | New York Rangers Detroit Red Wings Buffalo Sabres Los Angeles Kings Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
| NHL draft | 14th overall,1966 New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 1968–1982 | ||
Donald Harold Luce (born October 2, 1948) is a Canadian former professionalice hockeycentre, executive and scout. Luce played 13 seasons in theNational Hockey League (NHL) for theNew York Rangers,Detroit Red Wings,Buffalo Sabres,Los Angeles Kings andToronto Maple Leafs from 1969 to 1982.
After his playing career, Luce moved into a long career in player development for the Sabres and thePhiladelphia Flyers. He is currently working as a pro scout for theToronto Maple Leafs.[1]
Luce was drafted by theNew York Rangers and played three seasons (1965–68) for their farm team; theKitchener Rangers inKitchener, Ontario. He then played one and a half seasons with another Rangers farm team, theOmaha Knights, before being brought up to the NHL team for the last 12 games of1969–70.
Luce scored his first NHL goal on March 15, 1970 in his team's 4-2 home loss to the Minnesota North Stars. It was his only goal as a New York Ranger.
During the1970–1971 season he was traded to theDetroit Red Wings, where he played 58 games before being dealt again, this time to theBuffalo Sabres, for whom he then played until 1981. Luce was awarded theBill Masterton Trophy, awarded to the NHL player annually who best demonstrates the qualities of perseverance, leadership and dedication to the sport of hockey, for the1974-75 season.
In the middle of the1980–81 season he was traded to theLos Angeles Kings, and finished his career the following season with theToronto Maple Leafs.
Luce was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 1986[2] and also served as an assistant coach for the Buffalo Sabres in1986–87. He served as the Sabres' Head of Player development from the end of his term as assistant coach until July 2006, when the team let him go and cut much of its scouting department. Luce had been responsible for bringing in the likes ofAlexander Mogilny,Maxim Afinogenov,Martin Biron,Brian Campbell, andJason Pominville.
He is remembered among Sabres fans fondly for his work ethic on the ice, his abilities on the penalty kill, his work in the team's front office, and in the community where he and his wife Diane continue to act charitably even though they are no longer affiliated with the Sabres.[citation needed]
Luce played 894 career NHL games, scoring 225 goals and 329 assists for 554 points. His best statistical season was the1974–75 season with the Buffalo Sabres, when he set career highs in goals (33), points (76), shorthanded goals (8), and plus minus with a +61 rating.
Luce was appointed Director of Player Development for thePhiladelphia Flyers on December 1, 2006[3] and served in that position through the2011–12 season.
On September 20, 2015, it was announced that Luce had been hired as a professional scout for theToronto Maple Leafs.[1]
Luce's grandson Griffin played NCAA Division 1 hockey for theUniversity of Michigan.[4]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1965–66 | Kitchener Rangers | OHA-Jr. | 47 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 71 | 19 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 20 | ||
| 1966–67 | Kitchener Rangers | OHA-Jr. | 48 | 19 | 42 | 61 | 94 | 13 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 35 | ||
| 1967–68 | Kitchener Rangers | OHA-Jr. | 54 | 24 | 70 | 94 | 88 | 19 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 52 | ||
| 1968–69 | Omaha Knights | CHL | 72 | 22 | 34 | 56 | 56 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 11 | ||
| 1969–70 | New York Rangers | NHL | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1969–70 | Omaha Knights | CHL | 64 | 22 | 35 | 57 | 82 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1970–71 | New York Rangers | NHL | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 58 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 18 | 25 | 43 | 32 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1973–74 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 75 | 26 | 30 | 56 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 80 | 33 | 43 | 76 | 45 | 16 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 19 | ||
| 1975–76 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 77 | 21 | 49 | 70 | 42 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 1976–77 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 80 | 26 | 43 | 69 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1977–78 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 26 | 35 | 61 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1978–79 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 26 | 35 | 61 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 80 | 14 | 29 | 43 | 30 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 11 | ||
| 1980–81 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 61 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1981–82 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 39 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | CHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | ||
| NHL totals | 894 | 225 | 328 | 553 | 364 | 71 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 52 | ||||