Don Cairns

Last updated
Don Cairns
Born (1955-10-08) October 8, 1955 (age 68)
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Kansas City Scouts
Colorado Rockies
NHL Draft 20th overall, 1975
Kansas City Scouts
WHA Draft 17th overall, 1975
Michigan Stags
Playing career 19751978

Donald Cairns (born October 8, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 9 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Kansas City Scouts and Colorado Rockies between 1975 and 1977, as well as several years in various minor leagues during his career, which lasted from 1975 to 1978. Selected by the Scouts in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft and the Michigan Stags of the World Hockey Association in the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft, Cairns signed with the Scouts and made his NHL debut that year, playing 7 games in the NHL and 33 in and the minor leagues. He played a further 2 NHL games the following year with Colorado, where the Scouts had relocated to, again spending time in the minors, and briefly played one further season before retiring in 1978.

Contents

Early life

Cairns was born in Red Deer, Alberta and was raised in the neighbourhood of Fairview and went to Lord Beaverbrook High School in south Calgary.

Pro hockey career

Cairns was drafted by the Kansas City Scouts in the second round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. [1] He was also selected by the Michigan Stags in the second round of the World Hockey Association (WHA) Amateur Draft in that same year.

Despite having a respectable minor career his professional one was short lived he bounced around the minors and got called up playing just seven games in the National Hockey League wearing jersey #20 for the Kansas City Scouts. He would end up playing two more games for the Rockies after the Scouts moved after poor season ticket sales in Kansas City.

In Colorado, Cairns would attain his only NHL point, an assist. He retired from hockey after the 1977–1978 season.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1973–74 Calgary Canucks AJHL 54303161180
1974–75 Victoria Cougars WCHL 683237692141254910
1975–76 Kansas City Scouts NHL 70000
1975–76 Springfield Indians AHL 1542613
1975–76 Port Huron Flags IHL 1868141315381119
1976–77 Colorado Rockies NHL20110
1976–77 Flint Generals IHL1035813
1976–77 Oklahoma City Blazers CHL 2112334
1977–78 Phoenix Roadrunners CHL91342
NHL totals90112

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas City Scouts</span> Ice hockey team

The Kansas City Scouts were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1974 to 1976. In 1976, the franchise relocated to Denver, and became the Colorado Rockies. In 1982, the Rockies relocated to New Jersey where they have since been known as the New Jersey Devils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver Spurs</span> Ice hockey team in Denver, Colorado

The Denver Spurs were a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Spurs began play in the Western Hockey League in 1968, and played at the Denver Coliseum. The Spurs became the first professional sports team in Colorado to win a championship in 1971–72. After the WHL folded in 1974, the team transferred to the Central Hockey League for the 1974–75 season.

Henry Charles Boucha was a Native American professional ice hockey center. Boucha played in both the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1971 and 1977. In the NHL he played for the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars, Kansas City Scouts, and Colorado Rockies, while in the WHA he played for the Minnesota Fighting Saints. His career was cut short by an eye injury by Dave Forbes. Internationally Boucha played for the American national team at two World Championships and at the 1972 Winter Olympics, where he won a silver medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilf Paiement</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1955)

Wilfrid Paiement, Jr. is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right wing who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1974 through 1988, for seven different NHL teams. He is the younger brother of former NHL hockey player Rosaire Paiement.

Blair David MacKasey is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played one game in the National Hockey League, with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1976–77 season, on October 5, 1976 against the Colorado Rockies. He was drafted in the fourth round, 55th overall, by the Washington Capitals in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft. He was also drafted by the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association in the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft. MacKasey was born in Hamilton, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Plasse</span> Canadian ice hockey player (1948–2006)

Michel Pierre Plasse was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He played in the National Hockey League from 1970 to 1982. He was selected first overall in the 1968 NHL Amateur Draft by the Montreal Canadiens

Joseph Gérard Marquis Tardif is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in both the National Hockey League (NHL) and the World Hockey Association (WHA), principally for the Quebec Nordiques, and is the all-time leading goal scorer in the WHA.

Steven George Andrascik is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey right winger. He played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers during the 1972 Stanley Cup playoffs, and 97 games in the World Hockey Association with the Indianapolis Racers, Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades, and Cincinnati Stingers from 1974 to 1976.

Barry James Dean is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Dean was drafted second overall in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft by the Kansas City Scouts. He played 71 World Hockey Association (WHA) games for the Phoenix Roadrunners, as well as 165 National Hockey League (NHL) games for the Colorado Rockies and the Philadelphia Flyers, and retired in 1982.

Harry Steven Durbano was a Canadian professional ice hockey player noted for his villainous behaviour on the ice and his larger-than-life persona off it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Rockies (NHL)</span> Defunct U.S. ice hockey team

The Colorado Rockies were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) that played in Denver from 1976 to 1982. They were founded as the Kansas City Scouts, an expansion team that began play in the NHL in the 1974–75 season. The Scouts moved from Kansas City, Missouri, to Denver for the 1976–77 season. After six seasons in Denver, the franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, for the 1982–83 season and was renamed the New Jersey Devils. Denver went without an NHL team until the Quebec Nordiques relocated to become the Colorado Avalanche following the 1994–95 season. The Rockies name itself would be applied to Denver's Major League Baseball expansion team that began play in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Dillon</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1955)

Gerald Wayne Dillon is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the World Hockey Association with the Toronto Toros and Birmingham Bulls, and in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets between 1973 and 1980.

Larry Stuart Roy Johnston is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played for over 14 years in seven different hockey leagues. He spent the most time with the Springfield Indians/Kings of the American Hockey League and the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, where he served a short term as captain.

Edward Lavern "Eddie" Johnstone is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played for the Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades in the World Hockey Association (WHA), followed by parts of ten seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. He featured in the 1979 Stanley Cup Finals with the Rangers.

Ralph Leo Klassen was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 497 games in the National Hockey League. In Klassen's ten-year career, he played for the California Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Blues.

Gary Raymond Veneruzzo is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played seven games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues during the 1967–68 and 1971–72 seasons, and 348 games in the World Hockey Association (WHA) with the Los Angeles Sharks, Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades, Cincinnati Stingers, Phoenix Roadrunners, and San Diego Mariners from 1972 to 1977. Veneruzzo was born in Fort William, Ontario.

Barry Graham Legge is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 107 games in the National Hockey League and 345 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, Michigan Stags, Baltimore Blades, Denver Spurs, Ottawa Civics, Cleveland Crusaders, Minnesota Fighting Saints, and Cincinnati Stingers.

Roger Marcel Lemelin was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 36 games in the National Hockey League for the Kansas City Scouts and the Colorado Rockies between 1974 and 1978. The rest of his career was spent in the minor leagues, mainly the American Hockey League (AHL).

Richard Ronald Bourbonnais is a Canadian retired ice hockey right winger. He played 71 games in the National Hockey League with the St. Louis Blues from 1975 to 1978. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1975 to 1989, was spent in the minor leagues and then in Europe.

The 1976 NHL Amateur Draft was the 14th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the NHL office in Montreal, Quebec, on June 1, 1976. It's notable as featuring one of the weakest first rounds in draft history, as only two players played more than 450 career NHL games. In 2002, Federko was elected into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame after playing fourteen seasons (1976–1990), with 13 of those with the St. Louis Blues. The Cleveland Barons drafted as the California Golden Seals and the Colorado Rockies took part as the Kansas City Scouts. The two franchises would relocate to their new cities on July 15 of that year.

References

  1. Weldon, Scott. "2011 NHL Entry Draft: Each NHL Team's Best Second Round Pick of All Time". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.