Poul Popiel

Last updated
Poul Popiel
Born (1943-02-28) February 28, 1943 (age 80)
Søllested, Denmark
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Boston Bruins
Los Angeles Kings
Detroit Red Wings
Vancouver Canucks
Houston Aeros
Innsbrucker EV
Edmonton Oilers
Playing career 19621980

Poul Peter Popiel (born February 28, 1943) is a Danish-American former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA), and also served as a head coach in the minor leagues. Following a brief 12 games in the International Hockey League (IHL) with the Muskegon Mohawks, he retired and became the head coach. Popiel and Garry Peters were co-winners of the inaugural Ken McKenzie Trophy as Central Professional Hockey League rookies of the year in 1963-64. His younger brother Jan Popiel is also a former professional hockey player.

Contents

Popiel was the first Danish-born player in the National Hockey League. [1] Popiel's family moved to Canada in 1951 when he was a child, and subsequently moved to the United States and he acquired American citizenship before making his NHL debut. [2]

Awards

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1960–61 St. Catharines Teepees OHA-Jr. 3829117430112
1961–62 St. Catharines TeepeesOHA-Jr.4931619128600011
1962–63 St. Catharines Black Hawks OHA-Jr.50113445131
1962–63 Buffalo Bisons AHL 20112
1963–64 St. Louis Braves CPHL 549142378601117
1963–64 Buffalo BisonsAHL40004
1964–65 Buffalo BisonsAHL487121976901129
1965–66 Hershey Bears AHL636263210130002
1965–66 Boston Bruins NHL 30112
1966–67 Hershey BearsAHL6352732134510110
1967–68 Springfield Kings AHL728273518040004
1967–68 Los Angeles Kings NHL1000031014
1968–69 Springfield KingsAHL130101019
1968–69 Detroit Red Wings NHL622131582
1969–70 Cleveland Barons AHL223151814
1969–70 Detroit Red WingsNHL320443110000
1970–71 Vancouver Canucks NHL7810223261
1971–72 Rochester Americans AHL12741110
1971–72 Vancouver CanucksNHL3811236
1972–73 Houston Aeros WHA 7316486415810291123
1973–74 Houston AerosWHA7874148126141141522
1974–75 Houston AerosWHA78115364123131101134
1975–76 Houston AerosWHA78103646711735816
1976–77 Houston AerosWHA80125668871107710
1977–78 Houston AerosWHA806313753602213
1978–79 Innsbrucker EV AUT 346283499
1979–80 Edmonton Oilers NHL100000
1979–80 Houston Apollos CHL572272928601110
1981–82 Muskegon Mohawks IHL 1204410
AHL totals299361221585402111245
NHL totals22413415421241014
WHA totals467622653276187174754118

Coaching statistics

SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLW%
1981–82Muskegon MohawksIHL5524300.445

Related Research Articles

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

Wayne Douglas Gretzky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One", he has been called the greatest ice hockey player ever by many sportswriters, players, The Hockey News, and by the NHL itself, based on extensive surveys of hockey writers, ex-players, general managers and coaches. Gretzky is the leading goal scorer, assist producer and point scorer in NHL history, and has more career assists than any other player has total points. He is the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season, a feat he accomplished four times. In addition, Gretzky tallied over 100 points in 15 professional seasons, 13 of them consecutive. At the time of his retirement in 1999, he held 61 NHL records: 40 regular season records, 15 playoff records, and 6 All-Star records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmonton Oilers</span> National Hockey League team in Alberta

The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which opened in 2016. Their current head coach Jay Woodcroft was hired on February 11, 2022, and Ken Holland was named as the general manager on May 7, 2019. The Oilers are one of two NHL franchises based in Alberta, the other being the Calgary Flames; their close proximity to each other has led to a fierce rivalry known as the "Battle of Alberta".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Hull</span> Canadian ice hockey player (1939–2023)

Robert Marvin Hull was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blonde hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot the puck at very high velocity all earned him the nickname "the Golden Jet". His talents were such that an opposing player was often assigned just to shadow him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Hockey Association</span> Defunct ice hockey major league from 1972 to 1979

The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926. Although the WHA was not the first league since that time to attempt to challenge the NHL's supremacy, it was by far the most successful in the modern era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Fighting Saints</span> Former ice hockey team of the World Hockey Association

The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972 to 1976. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and played for part of the 1976–77 season. Neither edition of the franchise completed its final season of play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ferguson Sr.</span> Canadian ice hockey player and executive

John Bowie "Fergy" Ferguson Sr. was a professional ice hockey player and executive. Ferguson played left wing for the Montreal Canadiens from 1963 to 1971. After retiring from active play, he became a coach, and later a general manager. He is the father of John Ferguson Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Bulls (WHA)</span> Former ice hockey team of the World Hockey Association

The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.

Richard Norman Ley is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. C. Tremblay</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Joseph Henri Jean-Claude Tremblay was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association (WHA), notable for play-making and defensive skills.

André Joseph Lacroix is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association, and is the WHA's all-time leading career scorer.

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

John Albert McKenzie was a Canadian professional hockey player and coach. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several seasons, most notably with the Boston Bruins, with whom he won the Stanley Cup twice. He also played several seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Howe</span> American ice hockey player

Mark Steven Howe is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and left winger who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) following six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He is currently serving as the director of pro scouting for the Detroit Red Wings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Stanfield</span> Canadian ice hockey player (1944–2021)

Frederic William Stanfield was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1964 until 1978. He won two Stanley Cups with the Boston Bruins, in 1970 and 1972. He was known as a clean player, as only once did he receive more than 14 penalty minutes in any season of his professional career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Ftorek</span> American ice hockey player and coach

Robert Brian Ftorek is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was enshrined as member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.

Mark Robert Napier is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played over a thousand professional games between the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association. He was a two-time Stanley Cup winner in the NHL.

The 1967 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 6, 1967, in the ballroom of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's six expansion teams for the 1967–68 season: the California Seals, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and the St. Louis Blues.

Howard Bradley "Gasser" Gassoff, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A left wing, Gasoff played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

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

Murray Winston Hall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association during the 1960s and 1970s.

Jan Popiel is a Danish-Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 296 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Chicago Cougars, Denver Spurs, Houston Aeros and Phoenix Roadrunners. He is the younger brother of former NHL player Poul Popiel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Walton</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Michael Robert Walton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Walton played forward in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1965 until 1979.

References

  1. Duff, Bob (11 November 2016). "Detroit's Nielsen holds place in Danish NHL history". Windsor Star. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  2. Sapurji, Sunaya (28 November 2017). "Grassroots to Gold: Denmark's tight-knit hockey family is..." The Athletic. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  3. Surgent, Scott (2013). The Complete World Hockey Association, 9e. Tempe, Arizona. p. 287. ISBN   978-0-9644774-4-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)