Garth Rizzuto
Encyclopedia
Garth Alexander Rizzuto is a retired professional ice hockey
centre
who played in the National Hockey League
and the World Hockey Association
during the early 1970s.
A hard-working center, Rizzuto came up through the system of the Chicago Blackhawks
, turning pro in 1967. He spent three solid years in the minors with the Dallas Black Hawks
, but never saw an NHL game in Chicago. In the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft
he was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks
.
Rizzuto spent most of the 1970–71 season on the Canucks' roster as a utility player, recording 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points in 37 games. He is probably most notable for being the first player born and trained in British Columbia
to suit up with the Canucks or score for the team. He would fall out of the teams plans, however, and spend the entire 1971–72 season in the minors.
For the 1972–73 season, Rizzuto signed on with the Winnipeg Jets of the rival upstart World Hockey Association
. He would have his best professional season, recording 10 goals and 20 points, helping a team led by Bobby Hull
to the Avco Cup finals. In 1973–74, however, his role would be reduced and he finished with just 3 goals and 7 points in 41 games. After a brief stint in the Western International Hockey League
, he retired in 1975.
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...
and 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...
during the early 1970s.
A hard-working center, Rizzuto came up through the system of 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...
, turning pro in 1967. He spent three solid years in the minors with the 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....
, but never saw an NHL game in Chicago. In the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft
1970 NHL Expansion Draft
The 1970 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 9, 1970. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's two expansion teams for the 1970–71 season, the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks.-Draft results:-Trades:...
he was claimed by 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,...
.
Rizzuto spent most of the 1970–71 season on the Canucks' roster as a utility player, recording 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points in 37 games. He is probably most notable for being the first player born and trained in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to suit up with the Canucks or score for the team. He would fall out of the teams plans, however, and spend the entire 1971–72 season in the minors.
For the 1972–73 season, Rizzuto signed on with the Winnipeg Jets of the rival upstart 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...
. He would have his best professional season, recording 10 goals and 20 points, helping a team led by Bobby Hull
Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning...
to the Avco Cup finals. In 1973–74, however, his role would be reduced and he finished with just 3 goals and 7 points in 41 games. After a brief stint in the Western International Hockey League
Western International Hockey League
The Western International Hockey League was a senior level ice hockey league that featured teams from the Western United States and Western Canada. It operated from 1946–62 and 1963–88...
, he retired in 1975.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | 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 | ||
| 1967–68 | 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 | 47 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1968–69 | Dallas Black Hawks | CHL | 72 | 30 | 29 | 59 | 71 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | ||
| 1969–70 | Dallas Black Hawks | CHL | 72 | 20 | 42 | 62 | 55 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1970–71 | 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,... |
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... |
37 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 16 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1970–71 1970–71 AHL season The 1970–71 AHL season was the 35th season of the American Hockey League. Eight teams played 72 games each in the schedule. The Baltimore Clippers finished first overall in the regular season... |
Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
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... |
22 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 56 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1971–72 1971–72 AHL season The 1971–72 AHL season was the 36th season of the American Hockey League. Major changes occurred in the off-season. The league welcomed four expansion teams, and lost both Quebec-based teams. Eleven teams played 76 games each in the schedule. The Boston Braves finished first overall in the regular... |
Rochester Americans | AHL | 36 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 11 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1971–72 | Seattle Totems Seattle Totems The Seattle Totems were a professional ice hockey franchise in Seattle, Washington. They were a member of various minor professional and semi-professional leagues between 1945 and 1975. They played their home games in the Mercer Arena and later at the Seattle Center Coliseum... |
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... |
23 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 36 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1972–73 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA 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... |
61 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 32 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||
| 1973–74 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 41 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1974–75 | Nelson Maple Leafs | WIHL Western International Hockey League The Western International Hockey League was a senior level ice hockey league that featured teams from the Western United States and Western Canada. It operated from 1946–62 and 1963–88... |
6 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 34 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| WHA Totals | 102 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 40 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||||
| NHL Totals | 37 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 16 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||