Réjean Lemelin

Réjean Lemelin
Born (1954-11-19) November 19, 1954 (age 70)
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Atlanta Flames
Calgary Flames
Boston Bruins
National team  Canada
NHL draft 125th overall, 1974
Philadelphia Flyers
WHA draft 209th overall, 1974
Chicago Cougars
Playing career 1974–1992

Réjean M. "Reggie" Lemelin (born November 19, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and coach. Lemelin played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins. He is perhaps best known for leading the Bruins over the Montreal Canadiens for the first time since 1943, a span of 45 years and 18 series, in the 1988 playoffs.[1][2] After his playing career, Lemelin spent 13 years as a goaltending coach for the Philadelphia Flyers, who had originally drafted him into the NHL.

Playing career

As a youth, Lemelin played in the 1965, 1966 and 1967 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Orsainville, Quebec City.[3]

After playing two seasons in the QMJHL with the Sherbrooke Beavers, Lemelin joined the North American Hockey League's Philadelphia Firebirds. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the seventh round, 125th overall, in the 1974 NHL amateur draft, and was also selected by the Chicago Cougars in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft; however, he never played in the WHA, due to an argument with management.[citation needed] His NHL debut came with the Atlanta Flames during the 1978–79 season.[4]

Lemelin remained with the Flames through their move to Calgary, where he enjoyed the most success of his career. He split goaltending duties with Pat Riggin and then Don Edwards, earning the starting job in 1983. In 1984, he played 2 games for Canada in the 1984 Canada Cup, going 1-1. After losing his starting job in Calgary to Mike Vernon, he joined the Boston Bruins for the 1987–88 season, and would be instrumental in the Bruins overcoming the Canadiens for the first time since 1943 in the 1988 playoffs. Lemelin went 4-0, with a .952 save percentage, stopping 99 of 104 shots, and 1 shutout against the Habs after starting game 2 over Andy Moog, who had lost the series opener 5-2.[5] The Bruins would make it to the Stanley Cup Finals that year, losing in a sweep to the Edmonton Oilers. The following season, he and Moog would win the NHL's William M. Jennings Trophy (for fewest team goals allowed).[4]

After battling numerous injuries, Lemelin retired during the 1992–93 season, with his final game on December 29, 1992 in Winnipeg against the Jets.[6] In his NHL career, he appeared in 507 games and had only two losing seasons.

After 13 seasons as the goaltending coach for the Philadelphia Flyers, Lemelin was replaced on June 25, 2009, by Jeff Reese. As of 2010, he was active in Boston area charity hockey games, playing as a goaltender with the Boston Bruins Alumni exhibition team.[4]

Personal life

Lemelin married his wife, Rona, in July 1976. They have two children together, Brian and Stephanie.

Awards

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs statistics.[7]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1972–73 Sherbrooke Castors QMJHL 28 — — — 1,660 146 0 5.28 .874 2 — — 120 12 0 6.00 .836
1973–74 Sherbrooke Castors QMJHL 35 — — — 2,060 158 0 4.60 .866 1 — — 60 3 0 3.00 .927
1974–75 Philadelphia Firebirds NAHL 43 21 16 2 2,277 131 3 3.45 — — — — — — — — —
1975–76 Richmond Robins AHL 3 — — — 402 30 0 4.48 — — — — — — — — —
1975–76 Philadelphia Firebirds NAHL 29 — — — 1,601 97 1 3.63 — 3 — — 171 15 0 5.26 —
1976–77 Springfield Indians AHL 3 2 1 0 180 10 0 3.33 .895 — — — — — — — —
1976–77 Philadelphia Firebirds NAHL 51 26 19 1 2,763 170 1 3.61 — 3 — — 191 14 0 4.40 —
1977–78 Philadelphia Firebirds AHL 60 31 21 7 3,585 177 4 2.96 — 2 0 2 119 12 0 6.05 —
1978–79 Atlanta Flames NHL 18 8 8 1 994 55 0 3.32 .881 1 0 0 20 0 0 0.00 1.000
1978–79 Philadelphia Firebirds AHL 13 3 9 1 780 36 0 2.77 — — — — — — — — —
1979–80 Atlanta Flames NHL 3 0 2 0 150 15 0 6.00 .776 — — — — — — — —
1979–80 Birmingham Bulls CHL 38 13 21 2 2,188 137 0 3.76 .884 2 0 1 79 5 0 3.80 —
1980–81 Calgary Flames NHL 29 14 6 7 1,629 88 2 3.24 .902 6 3 3 366 22 0 3.61 .897
1980–81 Birmingham Bulls CHL 13 3 8 2 757 56 0 4.44 .864 — — — — — — — —
1981–82 Calgary Flames NHL 34 10 15 6 1,866 135 0 4.34 .873 — — — — — — — —
1982–83 Calgary Flames NHL 39 16 12 8 2,211 133 0 3.61 .888 7 3 3 237 27 0 4.95 .852
1983–84 Calgary Flames NHL 51 21 12 9 2,568 150 0 3.50 .893 8 4 4 448 32 0 4.29 .890
1984–85 Calgary Flames NHL 56 30 12 10 3,176 183 1 3.46 .888 4 1 3 248 15 1 3.63 .883
1985–86 Calgary Flames NHL 60 29 24 4 3,369 229 1 4.08 .872 3 0 1 109 7 0 3.85 .854
1986–87 Calgary Flames NHL 34 16 9 1 1,735 94 2 3.25 .886 2 0 1 101 6 0 3.56 .872
1987–88 Boston Bruins NHL 49 24 17 6 2,822 138 3 2.93 .889 17 11 6 1,024 45 1 2.64 .895
1988–89 Boston Bruins NHL 40 19 15 6 2,392 120 0 3.01 .887 4 1 3 252 16 0 3.82 .857
1989–90 Boston Bruins NHL 43 22 15 2 2,310 108 2 2.80 .892 3 0 1 135 13 0 5.79 .772
1990–91 Boston Bruins NHL 33 17 10 3 1,829 111 1 3.64 .868 2 0 0 32 0 0 0.00 1.000
1991–92 Boston Bruins NHL 8 5 1 0 407 23 0 3.39 .890 2 0 0 54 3 0 3.33 .870
1992–93 Boston Bruins NHL 10 5 4 0 542 31 0 3.43 .862 — — — — — — — —
NHL totals 507 236 162 63 28,000 1613 12 3.46 .884 59 23 25 3,116 186 2 3.58 .881

References

  1. ^ Frank The Tank, April 26, 2021. "On This Date in Sports April 26, 1988: 45 Years of Frustration". barstoolsports.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Murphy, Austin (May 5, 1988). "HERE'S THAT MAN AGAIN: After a quiet regular season, Wayne Gretzky had Edmonton flying in the Stanley Cup playoffs". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  3. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Reggie Lemelin player profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  5. ^ hockey-reference.com (April 30, 2024). "1988 NHL Adams Division Finals: Boston Bruins defeat Montreal Canadiens 4-1". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: HOCKEY; Lemelin Puts Away Mask". The New York Times. January 12, 1993. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  7. ^ "Lemelin's stats". The Goaltender Home Page. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
Preceded by Winner of the William M. Jennings Trophy
1989–90
(with Andy Moog) 		Succeeded by