Garry Unger
Garry Douglas Unger ( born December 7, 1947 in Edmonton, Alberta ) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player ( center ) and coach, from 1967 to 1983 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Atlanta Flames, Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers played in the National Hockey League.
Career
Unger played during his time at the London Junior Nationals in the OHA. After several assignments in different teams coach Punch Imlach took him on 24 February 1968 in the squad of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He replaced the injured Dave Keon as a center in a row with Mike Walton and Chief Armstrong. Hardly anyone would have thought that Unger should not miss a single game in the NHL in the following years. Here Unger was released in the next few years four times to other clubs. For the Maple Leafs, he played only 15 games before he - was delivered to the Detroit Red Wings - among others with Frank Mahovlich and the rights to Carl Brewer. In turn, came four players, including Norm Ullman and Paul Henderson, to Toronto.
In Detroit, Unger was a regular right away. He developed into one of the best scorer on the team and brought it in the season 1969/70 to 66 points. In February 1971, the Red Wings gave him along with Wayne Connelly from in exchange for Red Berenson and Tim Ecclestone at the St. Louis Blues.
Four times in a row he was the best scorer of the Blues and in his fifth season 1975/76 he won despite a personal best of 83 points, only the second rank. At the end of the season Unger surpassed the record set by Andy Hebenton, who played 630 games in a row. In the following years his point yield eased, although he reached three times in a row, more than 50 points. A tragic accident occurred at a light team celebration on Ungers plot on 27 May 1977. Tipsy got some players on motorcycles and drove around. His teammate Bob Gassoff these resulted in an accident.
After the end of the 1978/79 season the Atlanta Flames two players and a draft law gave from the Blues to commit Unger. Unger felt his life as unfulfilled and with the Flames, he came into contact with Paul Henderson. Through him, a group of Christian Unger player discovered his spirituality. When Al MacNeil, the coach of the Flames, not set it up on 22 December 1979 Ungers ended series after 914 games without interruption.
Even before the start of the 1980/81 season he moved to the Los Angeles Kings, who submitted it to the Edmonton Oilers before the end of the season. There he finished after the 1982/83 season his career in the NHL. He played a few more years in the UK.
As of 1989, Unger was active as a coach. After two years with the Phoenix Roadrunners of the International Hockey League, he took over the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League and led the team to the championship. In addition to Tulsa, he oversaw some other unterklassige teams.
NHL stats
Sporting successes
- Bronze medal at the 1978 World Cup
- Ray Miron President's Cup (CHL ): 1993 (as coach )
Personal Awards
- All-Star Game MVP: 1974
- Participate in the NHL All-Star Game: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978
- CHL Coach of the Year: 1993
Team Records
- 662 consecutive games for the St. Louis Blues (February 7, 1971 to April 8, 1979 )