The Greatest, Weirdest, Most Amazing NHL Debuts of All Time by Andrew Podnieks

Author:Andrew Podnieks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ECW Press
Published: 2019-10-07T16:00:00+00:00

The Debut That Wasn’t (or Was?)

Marc D’Amour

Calgary Flames // October 11, 1985

Of the 7,863 NHL debuts since 1917, none was like the one experienced by Marc D’Amour.

D’Amour was a goalie. Born in Sudbury in 1961, he played four years of junior with the Soo Greyhounds (1978–82). He was never drafted by an NHL team, so he signed with the Colorado Flames in the CHL. He played his way up to the IHL and AHL, eventually signing with the Calgary Flames and being assigned to their AHL farm team in Moncton.

D’Amour was called up to the NHL Flames for the home opener on October 11, 1985, against Winnipeg. Reggie Lemelin played the whole game, and D’Amour was the backup.

It was an odd game. The visiting Jets could do no wrong in the early going, building a 3–0 lead 13 minutes after the opening faceoff. But the Flames struck for two quick goals midway through the second and then tied the game at 13:33.

Then all hell broke loose.

The fun began when Calgary’s Tim Hunter high-sticked Jets goalie Brian Hayward. Hayward responded with a spear, and Dave Ellett jumped in to protect his goalie, earning a game misconduct. Then the benches emptied, which meant D’Amour came onto the ice as well. He ended up with a roughing minor and game misconduct, going to the dressing room despite never having been on ice during game action.

The NHL never credited D’Amour with a game played because he never was on ice during play, but how can a player who didn’t play earn 12 minutes in penalties? If that were his only time in the NHL, he’d have a stats line that read 0-0-0 and 12 PIM.

Regardless, D’Amour is the only player in NHL history to accrue statistics in a game in which he didn’t officially play. It’s surely the oddest NHL debut ever.

Marc D’Amour was credited with statistics before he ever played an NHL game.

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