Jamie Macoun
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| name = Jamie Macoun
| image = Jamie Macoun.png
| image_size = 230px
| caption = Macoun in 2011
| alt = A hockey player in a red uniform with yellow and white trim and matching toque. The logo on the chest is a white stylized "flaming C"
| played_for = Calgary Flames
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
| position = Defence
| shoots = Left
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 201
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|8|17|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
| career_start = 1983
| career_end = 1999
| draft = Undrafted
}}
Jamie Neil Macoun (born August 17, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played over 1,000 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) during a 17-year career. An undrafted player, Macoun played three seasons of college hockey with the men before signing with the Calgary Flames in 1983. Macoun was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team on defence in 1984 and, after missing 17 months due to injuries suffered in an automobile accident, was a member of Calgary's 1989 Stanley Cup championship team. He was involved in one of the largest trades in NHL history, a ten-player deal that sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1992. He remained in Toronto until traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1998, with whom he won his second Stanley Cup.
Internationally, Macoun played with Team Canada at three World Championships. He was a member of the silver medal-winning teams in 1985 and 1991, and was named the best defenceman of the 1991 tournament.
Playing career
Macoun played two seasons of junior hockey in the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, first with the Newmarket Flyers in 1978–79 then splitting the following season with Newmarket and the Aurora Tigers.{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449009 |title=Jamie Macoun player card |publisher=National Hockey League |accessdate=2013-11-12}} He stood only five feet tall at age 16, but added 11 inches in height within two years. Macoun later recounted that the skating ability and speed he became known for was developed as a way to escape players who were much larger than him.{{cite news |last=Konotopetz |first=Gyle |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MHZkAAAAIBAJ&pg=1961,3646412 |title=Magic man is Macoun |work=Calgary Herald |date=1984-09-27 |accessdate=2013-11-12 |page=F1}} He went unselected by any team at the National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft and chose to focus instead on his education as he enrolled to study and play college hockey with the Ohio State Buckeyes.{{cite book |last1=Duhatschek |first1=Eric |last2=Simmons |first2=Steve |title=On Fire: The Dramatic Rise of the Calgary Flames |year=1986 |publisher=Polestar Book Publishers |isbn=0-919591-15-9 |page=71}} He had 17 goals and 76 points in two and a half seasons between 1980 and 1983.
=Calgary Flames=
National Hockey League teams had begun to focus attention on Macoun by his junior season and, after he was ruled ineligible to play by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for missing a class, he dropped out of Ohio State to sign a contract with the Calgary Flames in January 1983.{{cite book |editor-last=Ornest |editor-first=Leo |title=1984–85 Calgary Flames Yearbook |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |year=1984 |page=34}} Joining the Flames directly from Ohio State, Macoun made his NHL debut on February 10, 1983. He scored his first NHL goal on February 24 in a 4–2 loss to the Washington Capitals.{{cite book |editor-last=Ornest |editor-first=Leo |title=1991–92 Calgary Flames Media Guide |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |year=1991 |page=30}} Macoun appeared in 22 games and added four assists to his goal. In his first full season, 1983–84, he scored nine goals, added 30 assists and had a plus-minus rating of +44. The NHL recognized his performance with a place on that season's all-rookie team on defence.
Macoun was involved in several notorious incidents throughout his career; the first two came during the 1984–85 season. During a game against the Edmonton Oilers, Macoun was sucker punched by Mark Messier in retaliation for an earlier hit that Macoun placed on the Oilers' player. Macoun suffered a broken cheekbone, while Messier was suspended 10 games for the incident.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FkUwAAAAIBAJ&pg=1495,1709303 |title=Messier suspended for 10 games |work=Montreal Gazette |date=1985-01-15 |accessdate=2013-11-13 |page=B5}} The second incident came during the third game of Calgary's first round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets. In that game, Macoun cross-checked Winnipeg's star player, Dale Hawerchuk, resulting in a broken rib. Hawerchuk missed the remainder of his team's playoff games, but the Jets still won the series.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jEYwAAAAIBAJ&pg=2891,731728 |title=Jets' star Hawerchuk still out |work=Montreal Gazette |date=1985-04-24 |accessdate=2013-11-13 |page=C1}} Following Calgary's elimination from the playoffs, Macoun joined Team Canada for the 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships. It was his first appearance with the national team which won a silver medal.
Following a 32-point season in 1985–86, Macoun recorded what was ultimately the highest point total of his career with 40 in 1986–87. During that off-season, Macoun was involved in a serious automobile accident on May 11, 1987. He lost control of his car on a major freeway, crossed three lanes and the centre median before slamming into an oncoming car.{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/435567179 |title=Flames defenceman injured in car crash |work=Toronto Star |date=1987-05-13 |access-date=2013-11-13 |page=E4}}{{subscription required}} His car rolled onto its roof and skidded {{convert|200|ft|m}}. The first officer to respond was convinced the crash had been fatal, however Macoun survived, albeit with his arm pinned under his vehicle. It took 45 minutes to extract him from the vehicle.{{cite news |last=Hunter |first=Paul |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/436550816 |title=Macoun's comeback true tale of true grit |work=Toronto Star |date=1992-01-18 |access-date=2013-11-13 |page=B1}}{{subscription required}} Macoun was charged with impaired driving, but pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving and was fined $1,000.{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/435576647 |title=Flames' Macoun fined over crash |work=Toronto Star |date=1987-06-14 |access-date=2013-11-13 |page=G4}}{{subscription required}}
Doctors believed he would never play hockey again, and that the significant nerve damage Macoun suffered meant he had only a fifty-fifty chance of ever regaining use in his injured arm. He missed the entire 1987–88 NHL season due to the injury, but after 17 months of rehabilitation, Macoun returned to the Flames lineup for the start of the 1988–89 season. He and Ric Nattress formed one of the NHL's top defensive pairings that season;{{cite book |last=Podnieks |first=Andrew |title=Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL |publisher=Doubleday Canada |year=2003 |location=Toronto |page=525 |isbn=0-385-25999-9}} Macoun had eight goals, 19 assists and was a +40. He added nine points in 22 playoff games as the Flames went on to beat the Montreal Canadiens in the final to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship.{{cite news |last=Duhatschek |first=Eric |title=Stanley Cup: Ours at last |work=Calgary Herald |date=1989-05-26 |page=A1}}
A 27-point season followed in 1989–90 and Macoun's plus-minus of +34 was second in the NHL amongst defencemen and third overall. He made his second appearance with the national team; Macoun scored a goal and an assist for the fourth placed Canadians at the 1990 World Championship. Macoun appeared in his 500th NHL game on December 7, 1990, against the Quebec Nordiques and finished the 1990–91 NHL season with 22 points in 79 games played. At the 1991 World Championship, Macoun scored four goals during the medal round for Team Canada. The team needed a draw between Sweden and the Soviet Union in the final game of the tournament to win gold, but after the Swedes emerged victorious, Canada settled for the silver medal.{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/436412620 |title=Macoun, teammates almost snuck their way to world title |work=Toronto Star |date=1991-05-06 |access-date=2013-11-16 |page=B4}}{{subscription required}} Macoun received the Directorate Award as the tournament's top defenceman.
Macoun was involved in a controversial play early in the 1991–92 season. Attempting to defend against Pat LaFontaine of the Buffalo Sabres, Macoun slashed at his opponent, however since LaFontaine was bent over, Macoun's stick hit him in the face. LaFontaine suffered a broken jaw and lost several teeth, however Macoun was not suspended for the incident as the league ruled there had been no intent to injure. The Sabres were outraged by the decision.{{cite news |last=McKenzie |first=Bob |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/436513839 |title=Sabres outraged as Macoun cleared in LaFontaine case |work=Toronto Star |date=1991-11-26 |access-date=2013-11-16}}{{subscription required}}
=Toronto and Detroit=
Midway through the season, Macoun was involved in a blockbuster trade centred on Doug Gilmour that was, at the time, the largest in NHL history.{{cite news |last=Vessoyan |first=John |url=https://lfpress.com/sports/hockey/2010/01/05/12357126-qmi.html |title=Former Leaf recalls '92 blockbuster trade |work=London Free Press |date=2010-01-05 |accessdate=2013-11-16}} On January 2, 1992, Calgary sent Gilmour, Macoun, Ric Nattress, Rick Wamsley and Kent Manderville to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Gary Leeman, Craig Berube, Alexander Godynyuk, Michel Petit and Jeff Reese. The ten-player deal was credited as being the catalyst to a significant improvement in Toronto's fortunes on the ice. Though Toronto missed the playoffs in 1991–92, they won more games than they lost in 1992–93 for the first time since 1978–79 and reached the Western Conference Final in both 1993 and 1994.{{cite book |editor-last=Downey |editor-first=Craig |editor-last2=Gogishvili |editor-first2=Aaron |editor-last3=Park |editor-first3=Pat |title=2012–13 Toronto Maple Leafs Media Guide |year=2012 |page=180}}
Macoun scored 19 points in 1992–93 and improved to 30 in 1993–94. He was placed in fewer offensive situations over time, however, as head coach Pat Burns paired Macoun with Dave Ellett and use the two in key defensive situations. They were tasked with stopping their opponents' top players and preventing opposition chances at the end of close games.{{cite news |last=Hunter |first=Paul |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/437368933 |title=Macoun joins ranks of Leaf millionaires |work=Toronto Star |date=1995-12-13 |access-date=2013-11-16 |page=B3}}{{subscription required}} Offensively, Macoun had only 10 points in the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season and had eight points, all assists, in 82 games in 1995–96. Recognizing his defensive performance, the Maple Leafs signed the 34-year-old Macoun to a two-year contract extension, with an option year, that paid him $1 million per season.
The struggles by the Maple Leafs as a team, and by Macoun individually, early in the 1996–97 season led to his name being associated with trade rumours as Toronto contemplated moving one of their older defencemen.{{cite news |last=Hunter |first=Paul |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/437557721 |title=Leaf vets facing trade Macoun, Ellett, Murphy might be on bubble |work=Toronto Star |date=1996-10-19 |access-date=2013-11-16 |page=C1}}{{subscription required}} He finished the season with Toronto, and remained with the team into 1997–98. On November 8, 1997, Macoun played the 1,000 game of his NHL career, against the Phoenix Coyotes.{{cite news |last=Sicinski |first=Larry |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/269901568 |title=Macoun to lace up for Game 1,000 |work=Toronto Star |date=1997-11-08 |access-date=2013-11-16 |page=D2}}{{subscription required}} However, with Toronto situated outside of a playoff spot late in the season, the Maple Leafs traded Macoun to the Detroit Red Wings on March 24, 1998, in exchange for a fourth round selection at the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.{{cite news |last=LeBrun |first=Pierre |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/269896510 |title=Leafs retool defence: Macoun, Brown shipped out at deadline |work=Toronto Star |date=1998-03-25 |access-date=2013-11-16}}{{subscription required}}
Macoun appeared in only seven regular season games with the Red Wings, but recorded two goals and two assists in 22 post-season games in the 1998 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He won his second career Stanley Cup after Detroit swept the best-of-seven final and eliminated the Washington Capitals in four games.{{cite news |last=Hanley |first=Brian |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4447201.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924194428/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4447201.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2015-09-24 |title=Sweeping success |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=1998-06-17 |accessdate=2013-11-16}} Following the victory, the Red Wings exercised the contract option and brought Macoun back to Detroit for the 1998–99 season.{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-19760412.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924175421/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-19760412.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2015-09-24 |title=Red Wings retain defenseman Macoun |publisher=Associated Press |date=1998-06-18 |accessdate=2013-11-16}} He appeared in 69 games and recorded one goal and 11 points. However, he appeared in only one playoff game. He retired following the season with 1,128 career games, 76 goals and 282 assists.
Personal life
Macoun and his wife Karin have three children: Colin, Katherine and Jenna.{{cite web |url=http://www.macounrealestate.com/AboutUs.ubr |title=About Us |publisher=Macoun Real Estate |accessdate=2013-11-16 |archive-date=2015-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928003851/http://www.macounrealestate.com/AboutUs.ubr |url-status=dead }} He and Karin briefly operated a stuffed toy selling business while he played for the Calgary Flames. By 1992, he had become a partner in a real estate firm and though he was playing for the Maple Leafs at the time, he returned to the Alberta city in his off-seasons to gain his realtors license. In addition to real estate, Macoun also had an ownership share in a Ford dealership in Ontario. Macoun and his family settled in Calgary following his playing career.{{cite news |url=http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/features/yearoftheflame/story.html?id=2945c7b8-7b11-42c2-81f8-bfd260ead126 |title=Where are they now? |work=Calgary Herald |date=2008-10-02 |accessdate=2013-11-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204005323/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/features/yearoftheflame/story.html?id=2945c7b8-7b11-42c2-81f8-bfd260ead126 |archivedate=2013-12-04 }}
Career statistics
=Regular season and playoffs=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||
| 1978–79
| OPJHL | 49 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 33
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1979–80 | OPJHL | 13 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 26
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80
| Newmarket Flyers | OPJHL | 30 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 30
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1980–81 | Newmarket Flyers | OPJHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81
| CCHA | 38 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 83
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1981–82 | Ohio State Buckeyes | CCHA | 25 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 89
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83
| Ohio State Buckeyes | CCHA | 19 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 54
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1982–83 | NHL | 22 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 25
| 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1983–84
| Calgary Flames | NHL | 72 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 97
| 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1984–85 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 70 | 9 | 30 | 39 | 67
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1985–86
| Calgary Flames | NHL | 77 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 81
| 22 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 23 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1986–87 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 79 | 7 | 33 | 40 | 111
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 1988–89
| Calgary Flames | NHL | 72 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 76
| 22 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 30 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1989–90 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 78 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 70
| 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 1990–91
| Calgary Flames | NHL | 79 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 84
| 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1991–92 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 37 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 53
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92
| NHL | 39 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 18
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1992–93 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 77 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 55
| 21 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 36 |
| 1993–94
| Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 3 | 27 | 30 | 115
| 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1994–95 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 46 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 75
| 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 1995–96
| Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 87
| 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1996–97 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 73 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 93
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98
| Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 67 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 63
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1997–98 | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2
| 22 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 18 |
| 1998–99
| Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 69 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 36
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 1,128 !! 76 !! 282 !! 358 !! 1,208 ! 159 !! 10 !! 32 !! 42 !! 169 |
=International=
{{MedalTableTop|name=}}
{{MedalCountry | {{ih|CAN}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|1985 Czechoslovakia|}}
{{MedalSilver|1991 Finland|}}
{{MedalBottom}}
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:50em" | ||||
| style="background:#e0e0e0;"
! Year ! Team ! Comp ! rowspan="99" style="background:#fff;"| ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM | ||||
| 1985
| Canada | WC | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1990 | Canada | WC | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 1991
| Canada | WC | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 10 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | Senior totals ! 25 ! 5 ! 2 ! 7 ! 26 |
Awards and honours
| class="wikitable"
|+ style="text-align:center; background:#e0e0e0" |Career |
| scope="col" style="width:20em" | Award
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Ref. |
|---|
| NHL All-Rookie Team
| 1983–84 |
| Stanley Cup champion |
| Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award Calgary: Perseverance, determination and leadership | 1990–91 |
| World Championship best defenceman
| 1991 |
References
- Career statistics: {{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449009 |title=Jamie Macoun player card |publisher=National Hockey League |accessdate=2013-11-12}}
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Ice hockey stats}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macoun, Jamie}}
Category:Calgary Flames players
Category:Canadian ice hockey defencemen
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Ohio State Buckeyes men's ice hockey players
Category:Ice hockey people from Newmarket, Ontario
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players
Category:Undrafted National Hockey League players