Lanny McDonald

Who is Lanny McDonald?

Lanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League. He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points. His total of 66 goals in 1982–83 remains the Flames' franchise record.

McDonald was selected by the Maple Leafs as the fourth overall pick in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft and established himself as an offensive forward with three consecutive 40-goal seasons in Toronto in the mid-1970s. His trade to the Rockies in 1979 resulted in Toronto fans protesting the deal in front of Maple Leaf Gardens. He played parts of three seasons in Denver before he was sent to Calgary in 1981 where he spent the remainder of his career. He captained the Flames to a Stanley Cup championship in his final season of 1988–89.

He is among the most popular players in Flames history and his personality and bushy red moustache made him an iconic figure within the sport. McDonald won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for dedication and sportsmanship in 1983 and in 1988 was named the inaugural winner of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership and humanitarian presence, in particular through his long association with the Special Olympics. Internationally, he represented Team Canada as a player on two occasions and in a management role three times. He was a member of the inaugural Canada Cup championship team in 1976 and was director of player personnel of Canada's 2004 World Championship winning team. McDonald was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. The Flames retired his uniform number 9 in 1990.