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Dean Prentice

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Dean Prentice
Born (1932-10-05)October 5, 1932
Schumacher, Ontario, Canada
Died November 2, 2019(2019-11-02) (aged 87)
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shot Left
Played for New York Rangers
Boston Bruins
Detroit Red Wings
Pittsburgh Penguins
Minnesota North Stars
Playing career 1952–1974

Dean Sutherland Prentice (October 5, 1932 – November 2, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 22 seasons between 1952–53 and 1973–74. He had 10 NHL seasons with 20 or more goals. Over his NHL career, Prentice played for the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Minnesota North Stars.

Early life

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Prentice helped the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters win the 1952 Memorial Cup.[1] At the time the Mad Hatters were the New York Rangers' farm team, and Prentice made the jump to the parent club the following season.

Playing career

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In the 1950s, Prentice, while on the NY Rangers, skated on a line with Andy Bathgate and Larry Popein. Prentice was 10th in the league with 358 points (163 goals)from 1955-56 through 1961-62.[2]

On February 4, 1963, Prentice was traded to the Bruins for Don McKenney and Dick Meissner.[2]

On December 27, 1964, in Chicago Stadium, Prentice, while playing for the Bruins, was hauled down on a breakaway by Stan Mikita. Initially knocked unconscious, Prentice came to and took the awarded penalty shot, scoring on Blackhawks' goaltender Denis DeJordy. Back on the bench, Prentice was unable to leave the bench for his next shift when his back and legs locked up. After being stretchered off and undergoing x-rays, it was revealed that Prentice had scored with a broken back.[3][4][1]

After the Rangers and Bruins failed to make the playoffs each season Prentice was there, he finally appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs after a trade in 1966 sent him to Detroit. In his first season with Detroit, the Red Wings won the first two games of the 1966 Stanley Cup Finals, before losing four straight. But it was Prentice who put up 10 points in 12 games during the Red Wings 1966 playoff run.[1]

The Penguins claimed Prentice from Detroit in the 1969 NHL Intra-League Draft.[1]

In the 1970 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis, Prentice scored the only goal for the West Division team in their 4-1 loss to the East Division. He was 37 years old at the time.

In October 1971 Prentice was traded from Pittsburgh to Minnesota for cash.[1]

Prentice played 1378 career NHL games, scoring 391 goals and 469 assists for 860 points.

In 1976, Prentice staged a comeback of sorts, coming out of retirement at 44 years old by suiting up for the Traverse City Bays of the United States Hockey League for 28 games.[4]

Coaching career

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In 1974-75, he became the head coach of the AHL's New Haven Nighthawks. In 1976-77, he became a player-coach of the Traverse City Bays of the USHL.

From 1980-82, Prentice served as an assistant coach with the University of Guelph.[5]

Personal life

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Prentice and his wife June had two daughters, Kelly and Kerry.

His brother, Eric, played five games for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1943–44 NHL season. Former Alberta premier Jim Prentice was Dean's nephew (and Eric's son). Prentice died on November 2, 2019, at the age of 87.[6][7] Grandsons Phil and Dan Brewer were also hockey players, with Phil reaching the ECHL and AHL level.[8]

Following his career, Prentice moved back to Ontario in 1977 and became Ayr's director of recreation.[9]

Legacy

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In the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats, the authors ranked Prentice at No. 37 all-time of the 901 New York Rangers who had played during the team's first 82 seasons.[10]

Career statistics

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1950–51 Guelph Biltmores OHA-Jr. 51 20 16 36 26 4 1 1 2 15
1951–52 Guelph Biltmores OHA-Jr. 51 48 27 75 68 23 21 10 31 28
1951–52 Guelph Biltmores M-Cup — — — — — 12 13 5 18 14
1952–53 Guelph Biltmores OHA-Jr. 5 1 1 2 16 — — — — —
1952–53 New York Rangers NHL 55 6 3 9 20 — — — — —
1953–54 New York Rangers NHL 52 4 13 17 18 — — — — —
1954–55 New York Rangers NHL 70 16 15 31 20 — — — — —
1955–56 New York Rangers NHL 70 24 18 42 44 5 1 0 1 2
1956–57 New York Rangers NHL 69 19 23 42 38 5 0 2 2 4
1957–58 New York Rangers NHL 38 13 9 22 14 6 1 3 4 4
1958–59 New York Rangers NHL 70 17 33 50 11 — — — — —
1959–60 New York Rangers NHL 70 32 34 66 43 — — — — —
1960–61 New York Rangers NHL 56 20 25 45 17 — — — — —
1961–62 New York Rangers NHL 68 22 38 60 20 3 0 2 2 0
1962–63 New York Rangers NHL 49 13 25 38 18 — — — — —
1962–63 Boston Bruins NHL 19 6 9 15 4 — — — — —
1963–64 Boston Bruins NHL 70 23 16 39 37 — — — — —
1964–65 Boston Bruins NHL 31 14 9 23 12 — — — — —
1965–66 Boston Bruins NHL 50 7 22 29 10 — — — — —
1965–66 Detroit Red Wings NHL 19 6 9 15 8 12 5 5 10 4
1966–67 Detroit Red Wings NHL 68 23 22 45 18 — — — — —
1967–68 Detroit Red Wings NHL 69 17 38 55 42 — — — — —
1968–69 Detroit Red Wings NHL 74 14 20 34 18 — — — — —
1969–70 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 75 26 25 51 14 10 2 5 7 8
1970–71 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 69 21 17 38 18 — — — — —
1971–72 Minnesota North Stars NHL 71 20 27 47 14 7 3 0 3 0
1972–73 Minnesota North Stars NHL 73 26 16 42 22 6 1 0 1 16
1973–74 Minnesota North Stars NHL 24 2 3 5 4 — — — — —
1976–77 Traverse City Bays USHL 28 5 22 27 20 — — — — —
NHL totals 1,378 391 469 860 484 54 13 17 30 38

Awards

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Prentice was named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1960 after finishing with NHL career highs in goals (32) and points (66). He appeared the NHL All-Star Game five times (1957, 1961, 1963, 1970), the final time in 1970 at age 37.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Dean Prentice Stats and News".
  2. ^ a b "The late Dean Prentice highlights lopsided Rangers-Bruins trade history". 9 November 2019.
  3. ^ "50 Years Ago in Hockey: Wings Oust Hawks in Six". 20 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b "NHL legend Dean Prentice passes away at 87".
  5. ^ "Dean Prentice - Player Facts". eliteprospects.com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03.
  6. ^ Lance Hornby (3 November 2019). "Maple Leafs need to clean up their act". National Post. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
  7. ^ "Dean Sutherland Prentice". Corbettfuneralhome.ca. 1932-10-05. Archived from the original on 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
  8. ^ "Phil Brewer - Player Facts". eliteprospects.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-28.
  9. ^ "Former NHL player Dean Prentice dies at age 87 | CBC News".
  10. ^ Cohen, Russ; Halligan, John; Raider, Adam (2009). 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters. John Wiley & Sons. p. 138. ISBN 978-0470736197. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
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