Dirk Graham
Encyclopedia
Dirk Milton Graham is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
forward
who played for the Chicago Blackhawks
and Minnesota North Stars
in the National Hockey League
. He was honored in 1991 as the Frank J. Selke Trophy
winner for outstanding defensive play by a forward. Graham served as head coach of the Blackhawks during the 1998–99 season before being relieved of his duties after 59 games.
in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft
after spending four years with the Regina Pats
in the Western Hockey League
. Graham spent four years in the minor leagues which included the International Hockey League and the Central Hockey League. In 1980–81, Graham scored 40 goals with the Toledo Goaldiggers
of the IHL, and he was named to the Second All-Star Team. In 1982–83, he scored 70 goals with the Goaldiggers and was named to the First All-Star Team. This caught the attention of some, and he was signed as a free agent by the Minnesota North Stars
after never playing a game with the Canucks. Graham spent two more years developing in the American Hockey League
and Central Hockey League. He was selected to the CHL First All-Star Team in 1983–84. In 1985–96
, Graham was playing full time with the North Star. He recorded consecutive 20 goal seasons in Minnesota and was chosen to represent Team Canada in the 1987 World Ice Hockey Championships
. Early in the 1987–88 season
, Graham was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks
for Curt Fraser
.
Graham played his best hockey in Chicago. In his first full season with the Blackhawks, Graham topped the 30 goal mark for the first time in his career and finished with a career high 78 points. He scored 20 goals or more four times with the Blackhawks. In 1990–91
, he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy
for best defensive forward in the league and represented Team Canada in the Canada Cup
tournament. Canada would beat the United States to take first place. In 1989–90
, Graham was named team captain
, the first player of African descent to become team captain in the National Hockey League
.http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1979/79089.html He captained the team all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals
in 1991–92
, where they were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins
. Graham retired in 1994–95
after the lockout shortened season.
with the Chicago Blackhawks. Graham took a year off then returned as a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks. He served briefly as coach in 1998–99
until he was replaced by Lorne Molleken
. He is currently a scout for the San Jose Sharks
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
who played for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
and Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. He was honored in 1991 as the Frank J. Selke Trophy
Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to...
winner for outstanding defensive play by a forward. Graham served as head coach of the Blackhawks during the 1998–99 season before being relieved of his duties after 59 games.
Playing career
Graham was selected 89th overall by the Vancouver CanucksVancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft
1979 NHL Entry Draft
The 1979 NHL Entry Draft took place on August 9, 1979, at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 126 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1978–79 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those...
after spending four years with the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
in the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
. Graham spent four years in the minor leagues which included the International Hockey League and the Central Hockey League. In 1980–81, Graham scored 40 goals with the Toledo Goaldiggers
Toledo Goaldiggers
The Toledo Goaldiggers was an International Hockey League franchise that played in Toledo, Ohio from 1974 to 1986. Prior to the Goaldiggers, the city's hockey team was the Toledo Blades, which played under that name from its founding in 1963 until 1970, when it changed its name to the Toledo...
of the IHL, and he was named to the Second All-Star Team. In 1982–83, he scored 70 goals with the Goaldiggers and was named to the First All-Star Team. This caught the attention of some, and he was signed as a free agent by the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
after never playing a game with the Canucks. Graham spent two more years developing in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and Central Hockey League. He was selected to the CHL First All-Star Team in 1983–84. In 1985–96
1985-86 NHL season
-Final:Montreal Canadiens vs. Calgary FlamesMontreal wins best-of-seven series 4–1-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:- Leading goaltenders :-Debuts:...
, Graham was playing full time with the North Star. He recorded consecutive 20 goal seasons in Minnesota and was chosen to represent Team Canada in the 1987 World Ice Hockey Championships
1987 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1987 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 52nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. It was also the 63rd ice hockey European Championships. Teams representing 28 countries participated in four levels of competition....
. Early in the 1987–88 season
1987-88 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring Leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay Goals, SHG = Shorthanded Goals, GWG = Game Winning Goals-Leading goaltenders:...
, Graham was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
for Curt Fraser
Curt Fraser
Curtis Martin Fraser is a former ice hockey player of dual American and Canadian citizenship...
.
Graham played his best hockey in Chicago. In his first full season with the Blackhawks, Graham topped the 30 goal mark for the first time in his career and finished with a career high 78 points. He scored 20 goals or more four times with the Blackhawks. In 1990–91
1990-91 NHL season
-NHL Awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay goals, SHG = Shorthanded goals, GWG = Game winning goals-Leading goaltenders:...
, he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy
Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to...
for best defensive forward in the league and represented Team Canada in the Canada Cup
Canada Cup
The Canada Cup refers to several types of professional sporting events held in Canada: It is also the previous name of the World Cup of Golf and the World Cup of Hockey.* Canada Cup for men's professional ice hockey* Canada Cup...
tournament. Canada would beat the United States to take first place. In 1989–90
1989-90 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring Leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay Goals, SHG = Shorthanded Goals, GWG = Game Winning Goals-Leading goaltenders:...
, Graham was named team captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
, the first player of African descent to become team captain in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1979/79089.html He captained the team all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the professional club championship of ice hockey. Although the Cup itself has existed since 1893, an annual championship series between professional teams was not established until 1913...
in 1991–92
1992 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1992 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Prince of Wales Conference and defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Clarence Campbell Conference champion Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks were making their first appearance in the Final since...
, where they were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. Graham retired in 1994–95
1994-95 NHL season
The 1994–95 NHL season was the 78th regular season of the National Hockey League. The teams played a shortened season, due to a lockout of the players by the owners. In addition, the NHL All-Star Game, which had been scheduled to take place January 20–21, 1995 in San Jose, CA, was canceled...
after the lockout shortened season.
Post-playing career
Right after retiring, Graham served as assistant coach for Craig HartsburgCraig Hartsburg
Craig William Hartsburg is a retired Canadian professional hockey player and associate coach in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames. He also coached in the Ontario Hockey League. He has previously been an NHL head coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and...
with the Chicago Blackhawks. Graham took a year off then returned as a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks. He served briefly as coach in 1998–99
1998-99 NHL season
-Stanley Cup Final:The teams split the first two games, held in Dallas, then split the following two games in Buffalo. In the fifth game, Dallas shut out Buffalo to put the Sabres on the brink of elimination. Game 6 was held in Buffalo and it went to triple-overtime before being decided on Brett...
until he was replaced by Lorne Molleken
Lorne Molleken
Lorne Molleken is a former Canadian ice hockey player and coach. Molleken was head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks at the end of the 1999 and the beginning of the 2000 season...
. He is currently a scout for the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Awards and achievements
- Selected to the IHL Second All-Star Team in 1981.
- Selected to the IHL First All-Star Team in 1983.
- Selected to the CHL First All-Star Team in 1984.
- Frank J. Selke TrophyFrank J. Selke TrophyThe Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to...
winner in 19911990-91 NHL season-NHL Awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay goals, SHG = Shorthanded goals, GWG = Game winning goals-Leading goaltenders:...
. - First player of African descent to be named team captainCaptain (ice hockey)In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
in the NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1975–76 | Regina Blues Regina Blues The Regina Blues were a Tier-II Junior "A" team based out of Regina, Saskatchewan. They used to play out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.-History:... |
SJHL Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in two divisions: the Bauer and Sherwood conferences... |
54 | 36 | 32 | 68 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Regina Pats Regina Pats The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:... |
WCHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | ||
| 1976–77 | Regina Pats | WCHL | 65 | 37 | 28 | 65 | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Regina Pats | WCHL | 72 | 49 | 61 | 110 | 87 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 37 | ||
| 1978–79 | Regina Pats | WHL | 71 | 48 | 60 | 108 | 252 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Dallas Black Hawks Dallas Black Hawks The Dallas Black Hawks were a minor-league professional ice hockey team in Dallas, Texas. They were a member of the Central Hockey League and played home games at State Fair Coliseum.... |
CHL | 62 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 96 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Fort Wayne Komets Fort Wayne Komets The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010... |
IHL | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Toledo Goaldiggers Toledo Goaldiggers The Toledo Goaldiggers was an International Hockey League franchise that played in Toledo, Ohio from 1974 to 1986. Prior to the Goaldiggers, the city's hockey team was the Toledo Blades, which played under that name from its founding in 1963 until 1970, when it changed its name to the Toledo... |
IHL | 61 | 40 | 45 | 85 | 88 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Toledo Goaldiggers | IHL | 72 | 49 | 65 | 105 | 68 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 8 | ||
| 1982–83 | Toledo Goaldiggers | IHL | 78 | 70 | 55 | 125 | 88 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 20 | 30 | ||
| 1983–84 | Minnesota North Stars Minnesota North Stars The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1983–84 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles Salt Lake Golden Eagles The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1969 to 1994.They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International Hockey League from 1984 to 1994... |
CHL | 57 | 37 | 57 | 94 | 72 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 1984–85 1984–85 AHL season The 1984–85 AHL season was the 49th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Binghamton Whalers finished first overall in the regular season... |
Springfield Indians Springfield Indians The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existence for a total of 60 seasons from 1926 to 1994, with... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
37 | 20 | 28 | 48 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 36 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 23 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 7 | ||
| 1985–86 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 80 | 22 | 33 | 55 | 87 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1987–88 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 28 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
NHL | 42 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1988–89 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 80 | 33 | 45 | 78 | 91 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 38 | ||
| 1989–90 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 73 | 22 | 32 | 54 | 102 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 1990–91 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 80 | 24 | 21 | 45 | 88 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 19 | ||
| 1991–92 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 80 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 89 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 8 | ||
| 1992–93 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 84 | 20 | 17 | 37 | 139 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1993–94 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 67 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 45 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1994–95 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 40 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 42 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
| NHL totals | 772 | 219 | 270 | 489 | 919 | 90 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 94 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | P | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 1987 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1987 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 52nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. It was also the 63rd ice hockey European Championships. Teams representing 28 countries participated in four levels of competition.... |
Canada | WC | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | |
| 1991 1991 Canada Cup The 1991 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played in September 1991. The finals took place in Montreal on September 14 and Hamilton, Ontario on September 16, and were won by Canada. The Canadians defeated the USA in a two game sweep, to win the fifth and final Canada... |
Canada | Can-Cup Canada Cup The Canada Cup refers to several types of professional sporting events held in Canada: It is also the previous name of the World Cup of Golf and the World Cup of Hockey.* Canada Cup for men's professional ice hockey* Canada Cup... |
8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| Senior int'l totals | 17 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 9 | |||
Coaching record
| Team | |Regular season | CHI Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
1998–99 | 59 | 16 | 35 | 8 | (70) | 3rd in Central Central Division (NHL) The NHL's Central Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Western Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Norris Division.The Central Division consists of the Western Conference's easternmost teams.-Current lineup:... |
(Fired) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 59 | 16 | 35 | 8 | 40 | |||||