Eddie Joyal
Encyclopedia
Edward Abel "Jet" Joyal (born May 8, 1940 in St. Albert, Alberta
) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
centre
who played in the National Hockey League
(NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings
, Los Angeles Kings
, and Philadelphia Flyers
. He also played in the World Hockey Association
(WHA) with the Edmonton Oilers
.
games, mostly with the Los Angeles Kings
.
Joyal learned to play ice hockey on a frozen river downhill from his home in St. Albert, Alberta
. When healthy, he impressed with the Edmonton Oil Kings
of the WCJHL. He scored 84 points in two seasons when he was restricted to 58 games due to injuries.
Joyal signed on with the Detroit Red Wings
and began his pro career with the Edmonton Flyers
of WHL
in 1960–61. After scoring 37 goals in 1961–62, he was elevated to the Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL
the next season and scored ten points in 14 games for the Detroit Red Wings
. Joyal suited up for 47 games the next year and helped the Wings reach the 1964 Stanley Cup Finals
. His winning goal against Toronto Maple Leafs
' Johnny Bower
gave his team a 3 games to 2 edge in a series they failed to close out. Joyal played one more season in Detroit before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
where he played in 14 games during 1965–66.
NHL expansion gave Joyal's career new life. He was claimed by the Los Angeles Kings
and went on to enjoy four and a half impressive years on the West Coast. He hit the 20-goal mark three times including a career-high 33 goals in 1968–69. Midway through the 1971–72 season he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers
where he was a role player the rest of the season.
After being chosen in the WHA General Player Draft
, Joyal played four years with the Edmonton Oilers
. He scored 22 goals twice and helped his team make the playoffs in 1973–74.
St. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert is a suburban city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. It was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St...
) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
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...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who played 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...
(NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He also played in the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
(WHA) with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
.
Playing career
A gifted offensive centre who played the game cleanly, Eddie Joyal played nearly 500 NHLNational 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...
games, mostly with the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Joyal learned to play ice hockey on a frozen river downhill from his home in St. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert is a suburban city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. It was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St...
. When healthy, he impressed with the Edmonton Oil Kings
Edmonton Oil Kings
This article refers to the original Oil Kings franchises that existed until 1978. For the current team that began play in 2007, see Edmonton Oil Kings...
of the WCJHL. He scored 84 points in two seasons when he was restricted to 58 games due to injuries.
Joyal signed on with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and began his pro career with the Edmonton Flyers
Edmonton Flyers
The Edmonton Flyers are a defunct ice hockey team that was based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The team existed from 1940 until 1963, playing in various senior and minor professional leagues during that time...
of WHL
Western Hockey League (minor pro)
The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League...
in 1960–61. After scoring 37 goals in 1961–62, he was elevated to the Pittsburgh Hornets of the 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...
the next season and scored ten points in 14 games for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
. Joyal suited up for 47 games the next year and helped the Wings reach the 1964 Stanley Cup Finals
1964 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1964 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the defending champion Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings for the second straight year. The Maple Leafs would win the best-of-seven series four games to three to win the Stanley Cup, their third-straight championship...
. His winning goal against Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
' Johnny Bower
Johnny Bower
John William Bower , nicknamed "The China Wall", is a Hockey Hall of Fame goalie.-Playing career:...
gave his team a 3 games to 2 edge in a series they failed to close out. Joyal played one more season in Detroit before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
where he played in 14 games during 1965–66.
NHL expansion gave Joyal's career new life. He was claimed by the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and went on to enjoy four and a half impressive years on the West Coast. He hit the 20-goal mark three times including a career-high 33 goals in 1968–69. Midway through the 1971–72 season he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
where he was a role player the rest of the season.
After being chosen in the WHA General Player Draft
WHA General Player Draft
The World Hockey Association General Player Draft was held over the course of two days, February 12 and February 13, 1972, in Anaheim, California. The purpose of the draft was to establish an orderly process through which WHA teams would stock their rosters by the beginning of their inaugural...
, Joyal played four years with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. He scored 22 goals twice and helped his team make the playoffs in 1973–74.