Michel Dion
Born (1954-02-11) February 11, 1954
Granby, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Indianapolis Racers
Cincinnati Stingers
Quebec Nordiques
Winnipeg Jets
Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Draft Undrafted
WHA Draft 121st overall, 1974
Indianapolis Racers
Playing career 19751985

Michel J. Dion (born February 11, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who was active in the World Hockey Association and National Hockey League from 1975 to 1985. He also played minor league baseball before deciding on a career in professional hockey.

Playing career

Dion enjoyed a successful junior hockey career with the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge and initially hoped for a career as a professional baseball player. During the 1971 and 1972 seasons, Dion played professional baseball in the Montreal Expos' organization with the Cocoa Expos and with the West Palm Beach Expos. Eventually, he gave up on baseball in favour of hockey.

After playing his first two pro seasons with the NAHL's Mohawk Valley Comets, Dion joined the WHA's Indianapolis Racers in the second half of the 1975–76 season. His play in the last 31 games of the season earned Dion the Ben Hatskin Trophy as the league's top netminder.

After playing two years with the Cincinnati Stingers, Dion was claimed by the Quebec Nordiques in the Dispersal Draft following the WHA/NHL merger in 1979. Dion excelled in 50 games in Quebec, and kept them in many games late in the season when they were decimated by injuries.

Dion was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for cash in 1980-81 after abandoning his team during a game against the Boston Bruins.[1] In June 1981, he signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins and enjoyed his best NHL season. Dion recorded 25 wins for the Pens in 1981-82 and was chosen to play in the NHL all-star game. He also starred in the opening round of the playoffs when Pittsburgh nearly upset the defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders. Dion was solid over the next two years but only played ten games in 1984–85. He spent most of the year in the American Hockey League before retiring from hockey.

Dion lives in Bluffton, South Carolina. He is a certified Master golf instructor with the USGTF.[2] He is also currently an instructor at PGCC.[3]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPWLTMINGASOGAASV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1969–70 Montreal Jr. Canadiens OHA 84303905.44
1972–73 Granby Vicks QJHL
1972–73 Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge QMJHL 84793904.88.868
1973–74 Montreal Juniors QMJHL 31 184013504.40.869 160404.00
1974–75 Indianapolis Racers WHA 101059404.07.895
1974–75 Mohawk Valley Comets NAHL 281012214769603.90
1975–76 Indianapolis Racers WHA 311415118608502.74.910 302126502.38
1975–76 Mohawk Valley Comets NAHL 2212958303.84
1976–77 Indianapolis Racers WHA 4217193228612813.36.891 4222451704.16
1977–78 Cincinnati Stingers WHA 4521171235614043.57.885
1978–79 Cincinnati Stingers WHA 301014216819303.32.873
1979–80 Quebec Nordiques NHL 5015256276517123.71.887
1980–81 Quebec Nordiques NHL 120836866105.33.826
1980–81 Indianapolis Checkers CHL 62303641903.13.856
1980–81 Winnipeg Jets NHL 143637566104.84.864
1981–82 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 62252412357222603.80.878 5233102204.25.880
1982–83 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 4912304278019804.27.868
1983–84 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 302194155113805.34.852
1984–85 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 103605504304.69.863
1984–85 Baltimore Skipjacks AHL 21106211186503.49 522229902.36
WHA totals 14962667824245053.28.890 7243752203.56
NHL totals 227601183212,66089824.26.870 5233102204.25.880

References

  1. Pelletier, Joe (2010-06-29). "Michel Dion". Greatest Hockey Legends.com. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  2. http://www.usgtf.com/testimonials.html Archived 2019-04-09 at the Wayback Machine United States Golf Teachers Federation Members
  3. http://www.golfcollege.edu/ The Professional Golfers Career College
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