Wilf Paiement

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Right Wing
shot =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 01
weight_lb = 210
played_for = Kansas City Scouts
Colorado Rockies
Toronto Maple Leafs
Quebec Nordiques
New York Rangers
Buffalo Sabres
Pittsburgh Penguins
league = NHL
nationality = CAN
birth_date = Birth date and age|1955|10|16|mf=y
birth_place = Earlton, Ontario
career_start = 1974
career_end = 1988
draft = Rnd 1, 2nd overall
draft_year = 1974
draft_team = Kansas City Scouts


image_size =
nickname =

Wilf Paiement (born October 16, 1955, in Earlton, Ontario) is a former professional ice hockey right winger in the NHL from 1974 to 1988. He played for six different NHL teams.

Playing career

Wilf Paiement was selected in the first round 1st (2nd overall) of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft by the Kansas City Scouts of the NHL. He played two seasons in Kansas City before the team moved to Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies. On October 25, 1978, Paiement attacked Detroit Red Wing's journeyman Dennis Polonich with his stick. The dimunitive five-foot-six-inch Polonich was trash-talking with Paiement, when Paiement struck Polonich's across the face with a two-handed slash, which resulted in severe facial lacerations, a smashed nose that required extensive reconstructive surgery, and a severe concussion. Along with a match penalty, Paiement was given the longest (at the time) suspension in NHL history - 15 games. Polonich sued, and was rewarded with a settlement of $850,000 in 1982. Polonich suffered with breathing problems from then on.

Paiement was a member of the Canadian team which returned to the World Championship 1977 in Austria after seven years of absence.

Paiement was traded from the Rockies to the Toronto Maple Leafs along with Pat Hickey for Lanny McDonald and Joel Quenneville on December 29, 1979.

Paiement played in Toronto for the next three seasons before again being traded to the Quebec Nordiques for Miroslav Frycer and a 7th round pick in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft (Jeff Triano). After five seasons in Quebec, he was traded to the New York Rangers for Steve Patrick where he only played eight games.

The Buffalo Sabres claimed Paiement off waivers on the 6th of October, 1986. He only played one season in Buffalo before rounding out his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins and finally, the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL in 1987–88.

Trivia

*Wilf Paiement was the first player ever drafted by the current day New Jersey Devils organization.
*He played in the very first games for the Kansas City Scouts and the Colorado Rockies.
*While Paiement was playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs he wore the number 99. He is the last player save Wayne Gretzky to wear that number. He last wore #99 on the 6th of March, 1982 against the Montreal Canadiens. [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1974/74002.html]
*Upon his retirement from the NHL, Paiement was the last active player that had ever played for the Kansas City Scouts.
*Wilf is the younger brother of former NHL and WHA player Rosaire Paiement.
*Wilf appeared in a Leon's commercial in 2008, celebrating their 99th anniversary, since he wore number 99.

ee also

*List of NHL players
*List of NHL seasons

References

*hockeydb|4114
* [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1974/74002.html Wilf's Bio on Hockey Draft Central.com]