Don Luce

Don Luce
Born	October 2, 1948 (1948-10-02) (age 63) London, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	New York Rangers Detroit Red Wings Buffalo Sabres Los Angeles Kings Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL Draft	14th overall, 1966 New York Rangers
Playing career	1968–1982

Donald Harold Luce (born October 2, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres from 1969 to 1982. He is currently the Director of Player Development for the Philadelphia Flyers.^[1]

Playing career

Luce was drafted by the New York Rangers and played three seasons (1965–68) for their farm team; the Kitchener Rangers in Kitchener, Ontario. He then played 1.5 seasons with another Rangers farm team, the Omaha Knights, before being brought up to the NHL team for the last 12 games in the 1969–70 season. While in New York, he often ate dinner with hockey legend Tim Horton.

During the 1970–1971 season he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings, where he played 58 games and then dealt to the Buffalo Sabres, where he played from 1971–1981. During the 1974 season, Luce was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded to the NHL player annually who best demonstrates the qualities of perseverance, leadership and dedication to the sport of hockey.

In the middle of the 1980–81 season he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. He finished his career in 1981–82 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Luce was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 1986 ^[2] and also served as an assistant coach for the Buffalo Sabres in 1986–87. He had served as the Sabres' Head of Player development from the end of his term as assistant coach until July 2006, when the team fired him and cut much of its scouting department. Many saw this as a classless way to treat an alum and employee of over 20 years experience in the organization. Luce was responsible for bringing in the likes of Alexander Mogilny, Maxim Afinogenov, Marty Biron, Brian Campbell, and Jason Pominville.

He is remembered among Sabres fans fondly for his work ethic on the ice, his amazing abilities on the penalty kill, in the team's front office, and in the community where he and his wife Diane continue to act charitably even though they are no longer affiliated with the Sabres. He is also remembered by some as having the best hair not only in Sabres history but also in Buffalo sports history.

Luce played 894 career NHL games, scoring 225 goals and 329 assists for 554 points. His best statistical season was the 1974–75 season with the Buffalo Sabres, when he set career highs in goals (33), points (76), shorthanded goals (8), and plus minus with a +61 rating.

Luce was appointed Director of Hockey Development for the Philadelphia Flyers on December 1, 2006.^[1]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1965–66	Kitchener Rangers	OHA		47	16	19	35	71		—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Kitchener Rangers	OHA		48	19	42	61	94		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Kitchener Rangers	OHA		54	24	70	94	88		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Omaha Knights	CHL		72	22	34	56	56		7	3	4	7	11
1969–70	New York Rangers	NHL		12	1	2	3	8		5	0	1	1	4
1969–70	Omaha Knights	CHL		64	22	35	57	82		2	1	2	3	4
1970–71	New York Rangers	NHL		9	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		58	3	11	14	18		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		78	11	8	19	38		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		78	18	25	43	32		6	1	1	2	2
1973–74	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		75	26	30	56	44		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		80	33	43	76	45		16	5	8	13	19
1975–76	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		77	21	49	70	42		9	4	3	7	6
1976–77	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		80	26	43	69	16		6	3	1	4	2
1977–78	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		78	26	36	61	24		8	0	2	2	6
1978–79	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		79	26	35	61	14		3	1	1	2	0
1979–80	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		80	14	29	43	30		14	3	3	6	11
1980–81	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		61	15	13	28	19		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		10	1	0	1	2		4	0	2	2	2
1981–82	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		39	4	4	8	32		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	CHL		2	1	0	1	4		10	2	5	7	8
NHL totals				894	225	328	553	364		71	17	22	39	52

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "bio - luce - Philadelphia Flyers - Team". Philadelphia Flyers. http://flyers.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=35748. Retrieved 2011-02-05. 
2. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". http://www.sabresalumni.com/history/halloffame.php. 

External links

• Don Luce's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Don Luce at Hockey-Reference.com
• Don Luce's NHL player profile

Persondata
Name	Luce, Don
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 2, 1948
Place of birth	London, ON, CAN
Date of death
Place of death