Pierre Turgeon

{{About|the ice hockey player|the Canadian novelist and essayist|Pierre Turgeon (writer)|the priest|Pierre-Flavien Turgeon}}

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image = Pierre Turgeon 2.jpg

| image_size = 270px

| caption = Turgeon in 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|8|28}}

| birth_place = Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 199

| position = Centre

| shoots = Left

| played_for = Buffalo Sabres
New York Islanders
Montreal Canadiens
St. Louis Blues
Dallas Stars
Colorado Avalanche

| draft = 1st overall

| draft_year = 1987

| draft_team = Buffalo Sabres

| career_start = 1987

| career_end = 2007

| halloffame = 2023

}}

Pierre Julien Turgeon (TUHR-zhawn,{{cite web|url=https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/2021-22/2021-22PronunciationGuide.pdf|title=2021-22 PronunciationGuide|publisher=NHL|accessdate=2023-12-25}} {{IPA|fr|tyʁ.ʒɔ̃}}; born August 28, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. Selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, Turgeon played in the NHL for the Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche. He is the younger brother of former NHL player Sylvain Turgeon. He is one of 48 players to have scored 500 goals. Turgeon was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 13, 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/hockey-hall-of-fame/2023-hockey-hall-of-fame-induction-speech-highlights|title=Highlights from Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023 speeches|website=NHL.com|author=NHL.com|date=November 13, 2023|accessdate=November 13, 2023}}

Playing career

=Early years=

Turgeon was a member of Canada's team that was involved in the "Punch-up in Piestany", a bench-clearing brawl between Canada and the Soviet Union during the final game of the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Piešťany, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia) on January 4, 1987. He was the only Canadian who did not initially leave the bench until Canadian head coach Bert Templeton convinced him to go on the ice.{{cite news |last1=Maki |first1=Alan |title=The brawl that started it all |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/the-1987-brawl-that-made-the-world-junior-hockey-championships-what-they-aretoday/article37423757/ |access-date=January 4, 2020 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=December 22, 2017}} Many of his teammates never forgave Turgeon for failing to defend his teammates. In the words of Everett Sanipass: "I'm looking for someone to help (Stéphane) Roy out and I look over at the bench. There's this dog Turgeon, just sitting there, with his head down. He wouldn't get his ass off the bench ... just sitting there when everyone's off the Soviet bench and at least one of our guys is in real trouble getting double-teamed."{{Cite book|surname=Joyce|given=Gare|year=2006|title=When the Lights Went Out|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-0-385-66275-8}} Regarding not leaving the bench, Turgeon stated in 2017: "that wasn't my job. I didn't have to fight." Two other players for Canada in forward Steve Nemeth and goalie Jimmy Waite also did not throw a punch.

=Buffalo Sabres=

Turgeon was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres as the first overall pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Rick Jeanneret, play-by-play announcer for the Sabres, coined the phrase "Ooh-la-la Pierre" for Turgeon.

Turgeon would quickly make an impact with the Sabres once he arrived. In his rookie season, he contributed a respectable 42 points (14 goals, 28 assists) during the 1987–88 season, helping the Sabres reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in three years. His production increased to 88 points (34 goals and 54 assists) for the 1988–89 season as he quickly became a fan favourite. In the 1989–90 season, he became a star by scoring 106 points (40 goals and 66 assists) and playing in the 1990 NHL All-Star Game. Turgeon's production dipped a little bit in the 1990–91 season to 79 points (32 goals and 47 assists), but he was still a solid performer.

=New York Islanders=

On October 25, 1991, after over four years with the Sabres, Turgeon was traded (along with Benoît Hogue, Uwe Krupp and Dave McLlwain) to the New York Islanders in exchange for Pat LaFontaine, Randy Wood, Randy Hillier and future considerations.{{cite web|url=http://buffalonews.com/1991/10/25/sabres-deal-turgeon-get-lafontaine/|title=Sabres deal Turgeon, get LaFontaine|work=The Buffalo News|date=October 25, 1991|access-date=April 23, 2018}} Turgeon's best season as an Islander was in 1992–93, where he scored 58 goals and 132 points and helped lead the Islanders to the Wales Conference Finals, where they would lose to eventual Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens in five games. En route, the Islanders defeated the Washington Capitals and upset the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins.

The first round series, which the Islanders won in six games, is infamous for an on-ice incident. After scoring a goal to put the Islanders up 5-1 during game six at Nassau Coliseum, Turgeon was checked from behind by Dale Hunter of the Capitals as he celebrated his goal. Turgeon suffered a separated shoulder and missed the first six games of the ensuing series against the Penguins. Hunter received a then-record 21-game suspension for the hit.{{cite news|last1=LaPointe|first1=Joe|title=HOCKEY; Hunter's Attack Costs Him the First 21 Games|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/05/sports/hockey-hunter-s-attack-costs-him-the-first-21-games.html|access-date=January 1, 2018|work=The New York Times|date=May 5, 1993|location=Pittsburgh}} In the semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens, Turgeon tallied five points in four games.{{cite web|title=Hockey-Reference.com|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/1993-montreal-canadiens-vs-new-york-islanders-prince-of-wales-conference-finals.html|access-date=November 13, 2013}}

{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138705/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702024225/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138705/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-07-02|title=Dale Hunter|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=1993-12-06|last=Crothers|first=Time|access-date=2011-01-11}} The Islanders bowed out of the playoffs after a hard-fought five-game series, two of which went to overtime. After defeating the Islanders, the Canadiens went on to win the Stanley Cup.

As an Islander, Turgeon was awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in the 1992–93 season.

=Montreal Canadiens=

Following the 1994–95 NHL lockout in which the 1994–95 season was limited to 48 games, Islanders general manager Don Maloney decided to rebuild the team, which included trading Turgeon and Vladimir Malakhov to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Kirk Muller, Mathieu Schneider and Craig Darby at the trading deadline. Turgeon would be named captain of the Canadiens for the 1995–96 season after the departure of Mike Keane to the Colorado Avalanche in December 1995. During the 1995–96 season, Turgeon would nearly record a 100-point season with 38 goals and 58 assists for 96 points; he would also play in the 1996 NHL All-Star Game.

File:Pierre Turgeon jersey in HHOF (photo by Djuradj Vujcic).jpg, including an October 9, 1999 game in Edmonton against the Oilers where Turgeon recorded the 1,000th point of his 13-year NHL career, becoming just the 55th player in league history to reach the milestone.]]

=St. Louis Blues=

On October 29, 1996, Turgeon was traded to the St. Louis Blues (along with Rory Fitzpatrick and Craig Conroy) in exchange for Murray Baron, Shayne Corson and a fifth-round pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Turgeon spent the next five seasons producing well with the likes of Brett Hull, Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis and Grant Fuhr as teammates. He averaged more than 70 points per season and scored several key post-season goals during his tenure in St. Louis.

=Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche=

On July 1, 2001, Turgeon joined the Dallas Stars as a free agent, followed by the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent on August 3, 2005. Turgeon took a year off during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Upon signing with the Avalanche, Turgeon switched his jersey number to #87 from his customary #77, as the number was retired by Colorado for Ray Bourque.

On November 8, 2005, Turgeon became the 34th player in NHL history to score 500 goals, doing so against the San Jose Sharks.

On September 5, 2007, Turgeon announced his retirement from the NHL.{{cite web|title=Pierre Turgeon retires from NHL|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pierre-turgeon-retires-from-nhl-1.633207|website=cbc.ca|access-date=January 1, 2018|date=September 5, 2007}}

Post-playing career

File:Pierre Turgeon-Mario Lemieux.jpg in a faceoff in 2009]]

Turgeon was first considered for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010, but was not selected. In 2023, after 13 years of being eligible, Turgeon would be selected for the Hockey Hall of Fame, with him being inducted on November 13, 2023. Up until his selection, he was one of only 5 (Peter Bondra, Jeremy Roenick (later elected in 2024), Keith Tkachuk, and Pat Verbeek) eligible players with 500 goals to not be in the Hall of Fame. Also, at the time of his induction, he is the 9th (Dale Hawerchuk, Guy Lafleur, Mario Lemieux, Eric Lindros, Mike Modano, Gilbert Perreault, Denis Potvin, and Mats Sundin) enshrined player to have been a first pick in the NHL draft.

Coaching career

On July 10, 2017, Turgeon was named as the offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Kings.{{cite web|title=Pierre Turgeon Joins LA Kings as 'Offensive Coordinator' Assistant Coach|url=https://www.nhl.com/kings/news/pierre-turgeon-joins-la-kings-as-offensive-coordinator-assistant-coach/c-290343652|website=NHL.com|access-date=July 11, 2017|date=July 10, 2017}} On June 8, 2018, the Kings announced that they had accepted Turgeon's resignation to leave the organization due to family reasons.{{cite web|title=LA Kings Announce Change to Coaching Staff|url=https://www.nhl.com/kings/news/la-kings-announce-change-to-coaching-staff/c-299001522|website=NHL.com|access-date=June 8, 2018|date=July 8, 2018}}

Personal life

Turgeon and his wife Elisabeth have four children and currently live in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. One of their children, Elizabeth, died in a car accident on December 23, 2010, near Vaughn, New Mexico, at age 18.{{cite news|title=Pierre Turgeon's daughter killed in crash|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2010/12/25/pierre_turgeons_daughter_killed_in_crash.html|access-date=January 1, 2018|publisher=The Toronto Star|date=December 25, 2010|location=Vaughan, N.M}} Turgeon represented Canada in the Little League World Series in 1982. Turgeon's son Dominic was drafted 63rd overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.[http://redwings.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=30291 3rd Round Draft Pick], NHL.com, June 28, 2014. His daughter, Valérie Turgeon, was a forward for Harvard Crimson women's ice hockey team, playing for two seasons.{{cite web|title=Val Turgeon|url=https://gocrimson.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/roster/val-turgeon/10713|website=Harvard|publisher=Harvard University|access-date=1 January 2021}}{{cite web|title=Valérie Turgeon|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/372838/valerie-turgeon|website=Elite Prospects|access-date=1 January 2021}}

In popular culture

George W. Strawbridge, Jr., an active shareholder of the Buffalo Sabres and director and member of the team's executive committee for more than 30 years, named one of his thoroughbred racehorses in Pierre Turgeon's honor. Turgeon raced for Strawbridge's racing stable in France where he won several conditions races and, after retiring, is developing into a successful sire. [https://web.archive.org/web/20071201164110/http://www.ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=1924] [http://www.pedigreequery.com/turgeon]

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="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1984–85

| Bourassa Angevins

| QMAAA

| 41

| 49

| 52

| 101

| 26

| 5

| 3

| 8

| 11

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1985–86

| Granby Bisons

| QMJHL

| 69

| 47

| 67

| 114

| 31

| —

1985–86

| Canada

| Intl

| 11

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1986–87

| Granby Bisons

| QMJHL

| 58

| 69

| 85

| 154

| 8

| 7

| 9

| 6

| 15

1987–88

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 76

| 14

| 28

| 42

| 34

| 6

| 4

| 3

| 7

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1988–89

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 80

| 34

| 54

| 88

| 26

| 5

| 3

| 5

| 8

| 2

1989–90

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 80

| 40

| 66

| 106

| 29

| 6

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1990–91

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 78

| 32

| 47

| 79

| 26

| 6

| 3

| 1

| 4

| 6

1991–92

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 8

| 2

| 6

| 8

| 4

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1991–92

| New York Islanders

| NHL

| 69

| 38

| 49

| 87

| 16

| —

1992–93

| New York Islanders

| NHL

| 83

| 58

| 74

| 132

| 26

| 11

| 6

| 7

| 13

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1993–94

| New York Islanders

| NHL

| 69

| 38

| 56

| 94

| 18

| 4

| 0

| 1

| 0

1994–95

| New York Islanders

| NHL

| 34

| 13

| 14

| 27

| 10

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1994–95

| Montreal Canadiens

| NHL

| 15

| 11

| 9

| 20

| 4

| —

1995–96

| Montreal Canadiens

| NHL

| 80

| 38

| 58

| 96

| 44

| 6

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1996–97

| Montreal Canadiens

| NHL

| 9

| 1

| 10

| 11

| 2

| —

1996–97

| St. Louis Blues

| NHL

| 69

| 25

| 49

| 74

| 12

| 5

| 1

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1997–98

| St. Louis Blues

| NHL

| 60

| 22

| 46

| 68

| 24

| 10

| 4

| 8

| 2

1998–99

| St. Louis Blues

| NHL

| 67

| 31

| 34

| 65

| 36

| 13

| 4

| 9

| 13

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1999–2000

| St. Louis Blues

| NHL

| 52

| 26

| 40

| 66

| 8

| 7

| 0

| 7

| 0

2000–01

| St. Louis Blues

| NHL

| 79

| 30

| 52

| 82

| 37

| 15

| 5

| 10

| 15

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001–02

| Dallas Stars

| NHL

| 66

| 15

| 32

| 47

| 16

| —

2002–03

| Dallas Stars

| NHL

| 65

| 12

| 30

| 42

| 18

| 5

| 0

| 1

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2003–04

| Dallas Stars

| NHL

| 76

| 15

| 25

| 40

| 20

| 5

| 1

| 3

| 4

| 2

2005–06

| Colorado Avalanche

| NHL

| 62

| 16

| 30

| 46

| 32

| 5

| 0

| 2

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2006–07

| Colorado Avalanche

| NHL

| 17

| 4

| 3

| 7

| 10

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 1,294

! 515

! 812

! 1,327

! 452

! 109

! 35

! 62

! 97

! 36

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM
1987 \| Canada \| WJC \| DSQ \| 6	3	0	3	2
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4" \| Junior totals ! 6 !! 3 !! 0 !! 3 !! 2

Awards and honours

class="wikitable" ! Award ! Year !
colspan="3" \|QMJHL
Michel Bergeron Trophy \|1986 \|
Mike Bossy Trophy \|1987 \|
colspan="3" \|NHL
All-Star Game \|1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000 \|
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy \|1993 \|{{cite web\| url = https://records.nhl.com/awards/trophies/lady-byng-memorial-trophy \| title = Lady Byng Memorial Trophy \| publisher = National Hockey League \| date = June 23, 2023 \| accessdate = June 23, 2023}}

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

colspan="3" |QMJHL

Michel Bergeron Trophy

colspan="3" |NHL

|1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

|1993

|{{cite web| url = https://records.nhl.com/awards/trophies/lady-byng-memorial-trophy | title = Lady Byng Memorial Trophy | publisher = National Hockey League | date = June 23, 2023 | accessdate = June 23, 2023}}

References

External links

{{icehockeystats}}
[http://habslegends.blogspot.com/2007/09/pierre-turgeon.html Profile at Greatest Hockey Legends]

{{succession box | before = Joe Murphy | title = NHL first overall draft pick | years = 1987 | after = Mike Modano}}

{{succession box | before = Shawn Anderson | title = Buffalo Sabres first round draft pick | years = 1987 | after = Joel Savage}}

{{succession box | before = Wayne Gretzky | title = Winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy | years = 1993 | after = Wayne Gretzky}}

{{succession box | before = Mike Keane | title = Montreal Canadiens captain | years = 1995–96 | after = Vincent Damphousse}}

Category:1969 births

Category:Living people

Category:Buffalo Sabres draft picks

Category:Buffalo Sabres players

Category:Canadian ice hockey centres

Category:Colorado Avalanche players

Category:Dallas Stars players

Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States

Category:Granby Bisons players

Category:Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winners

Category:Montreal Canadiens players

Category:National Hockey League All-Stars

Category:First overall NHL draft picks

Category:NHL first-round draft picks

Category:New York Islanders players

Category:Ice hockey people from Rouyn-Noranda

Category:St. Louis Blues players

Category:Los Angeles Kings coaches

Category:Sportspeople from Arapahoe County, Colorado

Category:Canadian ice hockey coaches

Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM
1987 \| Canada \| WJC \| DSQ \| 6	3	0	3	2
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4" \| Junior totals ! 6 !! 3 !! 0 !! 3 !! 2

Pierre Turgeon

Playing career

=Early years=

=Buffalo Sabres=

=New York Islanders=

=Montreal Canadiens=

=St. Louis Blues=

=Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche=

Post-playing career

Coaching career

Personal life

In popular culture

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

=International=

Awards and honours

See also

References

External links