Garry Valk
Encyclopedia
Garry Valk is a retired Canadian ice hockey
player. He was selected 108th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft
. Valk went on to have a distinguished NHL career spanning over a decade, debuting with the Vancouver Canucks
in the 1990–91 season
, scoring ten goals and eleven assists for twenty-one points, while recording sixty-seven penalty minutes. Valk's career year came in 1993–94
, when he recorded forty-five points in seventy-eight games for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, after being selected in the NHL's expansion draft
.
Arguably his best work came in the late 1990s, when he was signed as a free agent by the Toronto Maple Leafs
. Valk became a player coach Pat Quinn
depended on, fighting off opponents in crucial situations while always posing an offensive threat.
Career highlights for Valk include the 1998–1999 playoffs
, when he scored a key overtime goal to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the NHL playoffs. As well, the spring of 1999 saw Valk elected President of Northern Secondary School
in Toronto, a feat never accomplished by an individual not enrolled at the school.
After a brief stint in 2003 with the Chicago Blackhawks
, Valk retired to pursue an interest in broadcasting
, and to spend time with his wife, son, daughter and Boston terrier
named Lola. Today, Garry coaches his son's junior hockey team in North Vancouver, British Columbia
, and was featured in a Canadian Business Magazine article on athletes who have gone on to be successful after their careers. He is also a Vancouver Canucks analyst on the sports news show Sportsnet Connected
.
In 2010, developers of a downtown Toronto
condominium project enlisted the public's assistance in picking a name for the structure. Among the names submitted in the Internet poll, "Garry Valk Plaza" proved to be amongst the most popular entries.
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...
player. He was selected 108th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft
1987 NHL Entry Draft
The 1987 NHL Entry Draft was held at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The National Hockey League teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1986–87 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players selected.-Selections...
. Valk went on to have a distinguished NHL career spanning over a decade, debuting with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver 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 1990–91 season
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:...
, scoring ten goals and eleven assists for twenty-one points, while recording sixty-seven penalty minutes. Valk's career year came in 1993–94
1993-94 NHL season
-Final:The Final pitted the New York Rangers, seeking to win their first Cup since 1940, versus the Vancouver Canucks, looking for their first-ever Cup win. The series was hard-fought and went the full seven games. The Rangers took a 3–1 series lead, but the Canucks won the next two to force a game...
, when he recorded forty-five points in seventy-eight games for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, after being selected in the NHL's expansion draft
1993 NHL Expansion Draft
The 1993 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 24, 1993, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's two expansion teams for the 1993–94 season, the Florida Panthers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.-Rules:...
.
Arguably his best work came in the late 1990s, when he was signed as a free agent by 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...
. Valk became a player coach Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (ice hockey)
John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
depended on, fighting off opponents in crucial situations while always posing an offensive threat.
Career highlights for Valk include the 1998–1999 playoffs
1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League , began in April, 1999, following the 1998–99 NHL season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the...
, when he scored a key overtime goal to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the NHL playoffs. As well, the spring of 1999 saw Valk elected President of Northern Secondary School
Northern Secondary School
Northern Secondary School is a public high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It teaches grades 9 through 12.Northern's football team, the Red Knights, have won numerous titles in Toronto's high school league...
in Toronto, a feat never accomplished by an individual not enrolled at the school.
After a brief stint in 2003 with 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...
, Valk retired to pursue an interest in broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
, and to spend time with his wife, son, daughter and Boston terrier
Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. Color and markings are important when distinguishing this breed to the AKC standard. They should be either black,...
named Lola. Today, Garry coaches his son's junior hockey team in North Vancouver, British Columbia
North Vancouver, British Columbia
There are two municipalities in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada, that use the name North Vancouver. These are:*The City of North Vancouver...
, and was featured in a Canadian Business Magazine article on athletes who have gone on to be successful after their careers. He is also a Vancouver Canucks analyst on the sports news show Sportsnet Connected
Sportsnet Connected
Sportsnet Connected is the flagship sports news program on Sportsnet in Canada. Originally known as Sportscentral and later Sportsnetnews, it was re-branded as Sportsnet Connected on January 7, 2008 with an emphasis on more local coverage of sports teams...
.
In 2010, developers of a downtown Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
condominium project enlisted the public's assistance in picking a name for the structure. Among the names submitted in the Internet poll, "Garry Valk Plaza" proved to be amongst the most popular entries.