Gary Croteau

Gary Croteau (born June 20, 1946) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward, most notably with the Colorado Rockies of the National Hockey League.

Gary Croteau
Born	June 20, 1946 Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	NHL Los Angeles Kings Detroit Red Wings California Golden Seals Kansas City Scouts Colorado Rockies
Playing career	1968–1981

Playing career

Croteau was born in Sudbury, Ontario. After a dominant collegiate hockey career at St. Lawrence University, capped by being selected to the ECAC First All-Star Team in 1968, Croteau was signed as a free agent by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1968, which promptly dealt him to the Los Angeles Kings. He played two sound seasons with LA's American Hockey League Springfield Kings farm team, and in limited action with Los Angeles in 1968 scored a fine five goals in eleven games. On the strength of that performance, he played with the Kings in the playoffs that year, scoring five goals in eleven games as Los Angeles went to the semifinals. After only three further games for the Kings early in 1969-70, he was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings February 1970, seeing only limited action with Detroit before being claimed by the California Golden Seals in the 1970 waiver draft. With the talent-thin Golden Seals, he became a regular for four seasons, finishing among the team's leading scorers in his first and final seasons with the squad.

When the NHL expanded to Kansas City and Washington in 1974, Croteau was the seventh pick of the Scouts[1] and a key player for the weak franchise from the beginning. After a modest 1974-75 season, Croteau was one of the team's leading scorers and few decent players for four years thereafter, even after the franchise moved to Denver and became the Colorado Rockies in 1976. His best season came in 1976-77, when he scored 24 goals and 27 assists for 51 points, all career highs.

After an injury that cost him most of the 1979-80 season, Croteau retired from hockey, save for a brief stint in the minor leagues the following year.

Croteau finished his career with 144 goals and 175 assists in 688 games for 319 points, adding 143 penalty minutes.

Awards and honors

Award	Year
All-ECAC Hockey First Team	1967–68

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1964–65	St. Lawrence University	ECAC		14	18	13	31	—		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	St. Lawrence University	ECAC		24	20	11	31	12		—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	St. Lawrence University	ECAC		27	21	17	38	—		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	St. Lawrence University	ECAC		19	21	19	40	—		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		11	5	1	6	6		11	3	2	5	8
1968–69	Springfield Kings	AHL		53	24	20	44	27		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		3	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Springfield Kings	AHL		52	23	21	44	22		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		10	0	2	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	California Golden Seals	NHL		74	15	28	43	12		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	California Golden Seals	NHL		73	12	12	24	11		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	California Golden Seals	NHL		47	6	15	21	8		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	California Golden Seals	NHL		76	14	21	35	16		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Kansas City Scouts	NHL		77	8	11	19	16		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Kansas City Scouts	NHL		79	19	14	33	12		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Colorado Rockies	NHL		78	24	27	51	14		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Colorado Rockies	NHL		62	17	22	39	24		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Colorado Rockies	NHL		79	23	18	41	18		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Colorado Rockies	NHL		15	1	4	5	4		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Fort Worth Texans	CHL		4	1	1	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				684	144	175	319	143		11	3	2	5	8

References

1. 1974 NHL Expansion Draft

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database