Garry Unger

Garry Unger
Born	(1947-12-07) December 7, 1947 (age 77) Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	AHL Rochester Americans Moncton Alpines NHL Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings St. Louis Blues Atlanta Flames Los Angeles Kings Edmonton Oilers
National team	Canada
Playing career	1967–1988
Medal record Representing   Canada World Championships 1978 Czechoslovakia

}} Garry Douglas Unger (born December 7, 1947) is a former professional ice hockey centre who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1967 until 1983.

Early life

Unger was born on December 7, 1947, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, ^[1] to parents Olive and Jack. ^[2] His younger sister, Carol Ann, contracted polio as a baby and became permanently disabled. ^{[3] [4]}

Playing career

Unger set an NHL record by playing 914 consecutive games in the regular season between February 24, 1968, and December 21, 1979, doing so with four teams: the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Flames. ^[5] Unger passed Andy Hebenton, who had the record of 630 consecutive games played that had stood since the 1963-64 NHL season. Unger's streak came to an end after Flames' coach Al MacNeil benched him on December 21, 1979. ^{[2] [a]}

He was part of a six-player blockbuster transaction in which he was traded along with Frank Mahovlich and Pete Stemkowski to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Norm Ullman, Paul Henderson and Floyd Smith on March 4, 1968. ^[7]

Unger finished his career with 1105 career NHL games, scoring 413 goals and 391 assists for 804 points, and he also registered 1075 career penalty minutes. ^[5] Unger was the 1974 NHL All-Star Game MVP played in Chicago. He had an assist and scored a shorthanded goal in the West Division's 6–4 victory over the East Division.

After retiring from the NHL he played for three seasons in the British professional league. During one season for the Peterborough Pirates, playing in only 30 games, he racked up 95 goals and well over 200 points.

Personal life

Unger became a devout Christian following the death of teammate Bob Gassoff. He also credited his Flames teammates for helping him "on the right path spiritually." ^[8] Unger and his wife and three children together. ^[2]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1965–66	Calgary Buffaloes	AJHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	London Nationals	OHA		48	38	35	73	60		6	2	5	7	27
1966–67	Rochester Americans	AHL		1	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	0	0
1966–67	Tulsa Oilers	CPHL		2	2	0	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	London Nationals	OHA		2	4	1	5	2		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		15	1	1	2	4		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Tulsa Oilers	CHL		9	3	5	8	6		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Rochester Americans	AHL		5	1	3	4	6		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		13	5	10	15	2		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		76	24	20	44	33		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		76	42	24	66	67		4	0	1	1	6
1970–71	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		51	13	14	27	63		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	St. Louis Blues	NHL		28	15	14	29	41		6	3	2	5	20
1971–72	St. Louis Blues	NHL		78	36	34	70	104		11	4	5	9	35
1972–73	St. Louis Blues	NHL		78	41	39	80	119		5	1	2	3	2
1973–74	St. Louis Blues	NHL		78	33	35	68	96		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	St. Louis Blues	NHL		80	36	44	80	123		2	1	3	4	6
1975–76	St. Louis Blues	NHL		80	39	44	83	95		3	2	1	3	7
1976–77	St. Louis Blues	NHL		80	30	27	57	56		4	0	1	1	2
1977–78	St. Louis Blues	NHL		80	32	20	52	66		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	St. Louis Blues	NHL		80	30	26	56	44		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Atlanta Flames	NHL		79	17	16	33	39		4	0	3	3	2
1980–81	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		58	10	10	20	40		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		13	0	0	0	6		8	0	0	0	2
1981–82	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		46	7	13	20	69		4	1	0	1	23
1982–83	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		16	2	0	2	8		1	0	0	0	0
1982–83	Moncton Alpines	AHL		8	2	3	5	0		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Dundee Rockets	BHL		35	86	48	134	64		6	7	6	13	44
1986–87	Peterborough Pirates	BHL-2		30	95	143	238	58		8	17	15	32	38
1987–88	Peterborough Pirates	BHL		32	37	44	81	116		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				1,105	413	391	804	1,075		52	12	18	30	105

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1978	Canada	WC		10	0	0	0	30
1979	Canada	WC		7	2	1	3	12
Senior totals				17	2	1	3	42

See also

• List of NHL players with 1000 games played

Notes

1. His record was surpassed by Phil Kessel in 2022. ^[6]

References

1. "Garry Unger". Elite Prospects. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
2. Conlin, Wendy (February 11, 1991). "Iron Man: Ex-Blues Great Unger Learns To Bend, Finds Peace". St. Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
3. McManaman, Bob (April 21, 1991). "Mettle driving force in Unger's career". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 14, 2025– via newspapers.com.
4. Hanley, Bob (March 11, 1976). "Garry's sister". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved April 14, 2025– via newspapers.com.
5. "Garry Unger player profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
6. Podnieks, Andrew (October 26, 2022). "Kessel the new Iron Man". IIHF. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
7. "Wings obtain Mahovlich in seven-player deal". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. March 5, 1968. Retrieved April 14, 2025– via newspapers.com.
8. Thomas, Jim (April 7, 2020). "Unger's hunger: St. Louis remains special place for former Blues glamour boy". St. Louis Post Dispatch. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2025.

External links

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

Preceded by Red Berenson	St. Louis Blues captain 1976–77	Succeeded by Red Berenson