Orland Kurtenbach

Last updated
Orland Kurtenbach
1963 Topps O Kurtenbach.png
Kurtenbach during his time with the Boston Bruins
Born (1936-09-07) September 7, 1936 (age 87)
Cudworth, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for New York Rangers
Boston Bruins
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career 1954–1974

Orland John Kurtenbach (born September 7, 1936) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach. A centre notable for his defensive skill and as one of the toughest fighters in the game, he played for several National Hockey League (NHL) teams during his twenty professional seasons, principally the Vancouver Canucks, with whom he became the NHL franchise's inaugural captain.

Contents

Early life

Kurtenbach was born in Cudworth, Saskatchewan. He grew up on a farm until his family moved to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, at age 10. [1] It was at this time that Kurtenbach began playing organized hockey. [1] Beginning as a defenceman, he moved to the centre position later in his career. [1]

Playing career

Kurtenbach played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) with the Prince Albert Mintos for two seasons, also making brief appearances with the Saskatoon Quakers of the minor professional Western Hockey League (WHL) during that time. In 1957, after Prince Albert was eliminated from the SJHL playoffs, Kurtenbach finished the season with the Flin Flon Bombers, where he helped the team win a Memorial Cup.

Kurtenbach turned professional in 1957–58, signing a C-form with the Vancouver Canucks of the WHL. [1] He scored 54 points in 52 games en route to earning Rookie of the Year honours. In the playoffs, he helped the Canucks to a President's Cup championship.

The majority of Kurtenbach's early professional career was spent in the minors, splitting time between the AHL with the Buffalo Bisons, Springfield Indians and Providence Reds, and the WHL with the San Francisco Seals and the Canucks. His best season in this stretch was 1962–63 when he notched 87 points for the Seals in 70 games and led the team in scoring in the playoffs en route to winning the league championship.

During his time in the minors, Kurtenbach made two brief appearances in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins, totaling eighteen games, but he did not play his first full NHL season until 1963–64 with the Bruins. In 1965–66, he became a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he played a primarily defensive role. [1] Toronto coach Punch Imlach designated Kurtenbach to the bottom two offensive lines while earning mostly penalty killing time. [1] The following season, he joined the New York Rangers, where he spent four seasons. In the 1970 off-season, he was told by Rangers management he would be unprotected for the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft to be picked up by either the Buffalo Sabres or the Vancouver Canucks (the franchise left the WHL to join the NHL). [1]

Kurtenbach's plaque on the Canucks' Ring of Honour in Rogers Arena. Orland Kurtenbach ring of honour.jpg
Kurtenbach's plaque on the Canucks' Ring of Honour in Rogers Arena.

Kurtenbach was obtained by the Canucks and was named the franchise's first NHL captain. [1] On December 12, 1970, he recorded the first hat trick in Canucks history in a 5-2 victory over the California Golden Seals, it was also the only hat trick he ever recorded in his career. He recorded an NHL career-high point-per-game pace with 53 points in 52 games, despite suffering a serious injury on December 23 that sidelined him until March 3. [2] The following season, he registered a career-high 61 points in 78 games. Many of Vancouver's players left the club that season, defecting to the nascent World Hockey Association (WHA) for larger salaries. [3] Kurtenbach himself was offered a $150,000 contract with the Los Angeles Sharks, but he declined. [3] He often played on a line with Wayne Maki and Murray Hall. [1] Kurtenbach retired from the NHL after his fourth season with Vancouver.

Kurtenbach finished his NHL career with 119 goals and 213 assists for 332 points in 639 games, adding 628 penalty minutes. On October 26, 2010, Kurtenbach was the first Canucks player inducted into the team's Ring of Honour. [1] A ceremony was held before a Canucks' game against the Colorado Avalanche. [1]

Coaching career

The season after his NHL retirement, Kurtenbach joined the Seattle Totems of the Central Hockey League, moving behind the bench as head coach. After a losing season with Seattle, he coached two seasons with the Tulsa Oilers of the same league and won a championship in his first season with them, 1975–76, being awarded the Jake Milford Trophy as CHL coach of the year.

In 1976–77, Kurtenbach returned to the NHL to replace Phil Maloney midway through the season as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. This marked the third time in his playing and coaching career that he would represent Vancouver. However, after one and a half seasons and a 36–62–27 record, Kurtenbach was replaced by Harry Neale at the end of the 1977–78 season. Upon his replacement, Kurtenbach only returned to coaching to represent the Springfield Indians of the AHL in 1982 and the Richmond Sockeyes of the BCHL in 1986 (whom he guided to the 1987 Centennial Cup) before retiring.

Personal life

During his time with the Vancouver Canucks of the WHL, he met his wife. [1] In the 1970s he lived in north Burnaby with his wife Laurel and kids. In 1980s and 1990s he lived in White Rock, BC and operated a south Surrey, BC golf driving range.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1953–54 Prince Albert Mintos SJHL47294069481511102114
1954–55Prince Albert MintosSJHL48304171571087150
1954–55 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 10000—————
1955–56Prince Albert MintosSJHL4341387966125121713
1955–56 Saskatoon QuakersWHL3000420000
1955–56 Flin Flon Bombers M-Cup —————51342
1956–57Prince Albert MintosSJHL504854102115135111613
1956–57 Prince Albert MintosM-Cup—————51342
1957–58 Vancouver Canucks WHL521539545883368
1958–59 Buffalo Bisons AHL 70914237370000
1959–60 Vancouver CanucksWHL42112738511115611
1959–60 Springfield Indians AHL1406617—————
1960–61 Vancouver CanucksWHL5520274731—————
1960–61 New York Rangers NHL 100662—————
1961–62 Boston Bruins NHL80006—————
1961–62 Providence Reds AHL643133645131125
1962–63 San Francisco Seals WHL7030578794174131751
1963–64 Boston BruinsNHL7012253791—————
1964–65 Boston BruinsNHL646202686—————
1965–66 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL70961554400020
1966–67 New York RangersNHL601125365830220
1967–68 New York RangersNHL7315203582610126
1968–69 Omaha Knights CHL 10000—————
1968–69 New York RangersNHL20002—————
1969–70 New York RangersNHL534101447612324
1969–70 Buffalo BisonsAHL61562—————
1970–71 Vancouver Canucks NHL5221325384—————
1971–72 Vancouver CanucksNHL7824376148—————
1972–73 Vancouver CanucksNHL479192838—————
1973–74 Vancouver CanucksNHL528132130—————
WHL totals22376150226238388212970
NHL totals6391192133326281924670

Awards and achievements

Player

Coach

Coaching record

TeamYear Regular season Post season
GWLTPtsDivision rankResult
Vancouver Canucks 1976-77 45161910(42)4th in SmytheMissed playoffs
Vancouver Canucks 1977-78 80204317573rd in SmytheMissed playoffs
Total125366227

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Canucks</span> National Hockey League team in Canada

The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Rick Tocchet is the head coach, Jim Rutherford serves as the president of hockey operations, and Patrik Allvin serves as the general manager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Hockey League</span> Junior ice hockey league

The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada, alongside the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times. The WHL is composed of 22 teams divided into two conferences of two divisions. The Eastern Conference comprises 11 teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, while the Western Conference comprises eleven teams from British Columbia and the American states of Washington and Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Linden</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1970)

Trevor John Linden is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former president of hockey operations and alternate governor of the Vancouver Canucks. He spent 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing centre and right wing with four teams: the Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals. Before joining the NHL in 1988, Linden helped the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) win consecutive Memorial Cup championships. In addition to appearing in two NHL All-Star Games, Linden was a member of the 1998 Canadian Olympic team and participated in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nolan Baumgartner</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1976)

Nolan Baumgartner is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was formerly an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Baumgartner was selected by the Washington Capitals in the 1st round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He played parts of ten seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for six different teams between 1995 and 2010. Baumgartner played only one full season in the NHL, 2005–06 with the Vancouver Canucks, and spent most of his playing career in the AHL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Seals (ice hockey)</span> Ice hockey team in Oakland, California

The San Francisco Seals were a minor league hockey team which played in the Western Hockey League from 1961 to 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alain Vigneault</span> Canadian ice hockey player and coach

Alain Vigneault is a Canadian former professional ice hockey coach. Vigneault has previously coached the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers for 19 seasons in the NHL, as well as in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). During his career with the Canucks, he won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach of the year in 2006–07 and became the team's record holder for wins as a coach. Under Vigneault, Vancouver won back-to-back Presidents' Trophies and made one Stanley Cup Finals appearance (2011). In his first season with New York, he led the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance (2014) in 20 years and a Presidents' Trophy in 2014–15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarret Stoll</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1982)

Jarret Lee Stoll is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Ronning</span> Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1965)

Clifford John Ronning is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the seventh round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, 134th overall. During a National Hockey League (NHL) career that spanned 18 years, Ronning played for the Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Hamhuis</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1982)

Daniel Hamhuis is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in 2001 by the Nashville Predators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Schaefer (ice hockey)</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Peter Schaefer is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks. During his playing career, he was best known as a two-way forward. After his playing career, Schaefer most recently served as head coach, general manager and president of the Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Desjardins</span> Canadian ice hockey player, coach (b. 1957)

Wilbrod "Willie" Desjardins is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and player. He is currently head coach and general manager of the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers. He has also been the head coach of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks from 2014 to 2017 and the interim head coach for the Los Angeles Kings for the 2018–19 season. In July 2017, he was named head of the coaching staff for Canada's men's team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Moran (ice hockey)</span> Ice hockey player

Brad Moran is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre, his last team being the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).

Maxwell Douglas McNab was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, and National Hockey League (NHL) general manager. He played in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings between 1947 and 1951, winning the Stanley Cup with them in 1950. The rest of his playing career, which lasted from 1945 to 1959, was spent in various minor leagues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Hamill</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1988)

Zachary Robert Hamill is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre. Hamill was drafted in the first round, eighth overall by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Boston Bruins in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to turning professional, Hamill spent his entire Western Hockey League (WHL) career with the Everett Silvertips.

Brian Thomas Glynn is a German-born Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). A second round selection of the Calgary Flames, 37th overall at the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, Glynn played with the Flames, Minnesota North Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks and Hartford Whalers during his NHL career before playing one season in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) for Kölner Haie.

Robert Arthur Cook was a Canadian ice hockey player. Cook played professional ice hockey from 1966 to 1975, including 72 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with four teams. Cook finished his career with the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 1974–75 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Rome</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1983)

Aaron Rome is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently serving as a skills coach with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Rome was selected in the fourth round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Maloney</span> Canadian ice hockey player and coach (1927–2020)

Philip Francis Anthony Maloney was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Chicago Black Hawks between 1949 and 1960. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1946 to 1970, was spent in various minor leagues, mainly with the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League. After retiring he turned to coaching and coached the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL from 1974 to 1977. He also served as the general manager of the Canucks from 1974 to 1976.

The history of the Vancouver Canucks begins when the team joined the National Hockey League (NHL). Founded as an expansion team in 1970 along with the Buffalo Sabres, the Vancouver Canucks were the first NHL team to be based in Vancouver. They adopted the name of the minor professional hockey team that had existed in Vancouver since 1945.

Robert Lowes is a Canadian ice hockey executive, and former ice hockey coach. He has worked as the assistant director of player personnel for the Vegas Golden Knights since 2016. Lowes led the Nipawin Hawks to the 1990 ANAVET Cup championship, before being a head coach in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for 12 seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings, and the Regina Pats. He twice won the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as the WHL Coach of the Year, and twice won the CHL Coach of the Year Award. Lowes also coached the Canada men's national under-18 ice hockey team, and later became director of amateur scouting for the Ottawa Senators.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Derek Jory (2010-10-25). "The first". Vancouver Canucks. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  2. ↑ "1970-71 Canuck Results". The Canuck Library. 2010-08-29. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. 1 2 "Ring of Hnour for Kurtenbach". Montreal Gazette . 2010-10-25. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
Preceded by
Position created
 NHL Vancouver Canucks captain
1971–74 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Vancouver Canucks
1977–78 		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.