Jim Wiste
Encyclopedia
James Andrew Wiste is a retired professional ice hockey
player who spent parts of three seasons in the National Hockey League
between 1968 and 1971. He was an original member of the Vancouver Canucks
upon their entry into the NHL in 1970, although his time with the club would be limited.
Wiste was a college hockey star at the University of Denver
, where he was named a Western Collegiate Hockey Association
First-Team All-Star and NCAA First-Team All-American in both 1966–67 and 1967–68. He would also lead Denver to a memorable triumph over the University of North Dakota
in the 1968 NCAA Championship game.
Following his graduation, Wiste was signed as a free agent by the NHL Chicago Black Hawks
in 1968, one of three University of Denver teammates to join Chicago along with Keith Magnuson
and Cliff Koroll
. He would establish himself as a quality scorer in minor-pro, but unlike Magnuson and Koroll who both became fixtures in the Chicago lineup for more than a decade, Wiste found the adjustment to the NHL difficult, and found it hard to get icetime on a deep Black Hawk team. After a 3-game stint in Chicago in 1968–69, he spent most of the 1969–70 campaign with the Black Hawks, but was often a healthy scratch and failed to record a goal in 26 games.
Exposed by Chicago in the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft
, Wiste was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks
. He was a member of the inaugural Vancouver Canuck squad in 1970–71, but again struggled to produce. After recording just 1 goal and 3 points through 23 games, he was re-assigned to the Seattle Totems
of the WHL
.
After another season in the minors, Wiste was one of many fringe NHL players to jump to the rival upstart World Hockey Association
for the 1972–73 campaign, signing with the Cleveland Crusaders
. In Cleveland, he would experience the most successful portion of his career, recording totals of 71 and 58 points in his two years there.
Wiste moved to the Indianapolis Racers
for the 1974–75 season, but slumped to totals of 13 goals and 41 points. After a poor start to the 1975–76 campaign, Wiste was assigned to the minors and would eventually retire.
Wiste recorded 1 goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 52 NHL games, and added 64 goals and 108 assists for 172 points in 228 WHA contests.
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 who spent parts of three seasons 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...
between 1968 and 1971. He was an original member of 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,...
upon their entry into the NHL in 1970, although his time with the club would be limited.
Wiste was a college hockey star at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
, where he was named a Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
First-Team All-Star and NCAA First-Team All-American in both 1966–67 and 1967–68. He would also lead Denver to a memorable triumph over the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
in the 1968 NCAA Championship game.
Following his graduation, Wiste was signed as a free agent by the NHL Chicago Black Hawks
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...
in 1968, one of three University of Denver teammates to join Chicago along with Keith Magnuson
Keith Magnuson
Keith Arlen Magnuson was a professional ice hockey defenceman from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan who played in the National Hockey League between 1969 and 1979...
and Cliff Koroll
Cliff Koroll
Clifford Eugene Koroll is a retired professional ice hockey right winger. After earning all-WCHA honors at the University of Denver in 1968, Koroll signed an NHL contract and played his entire National Hockey League career spanning from 1969 to 1980 with the Chicago Black Hawks...
. He would establish himself as a quality scorer in minor-pro, but unlike Magnuson and Koroll who both became fixtures in the Chicago lineup for more than a decade, Wiste found the adjustment to the NHL difficult, and found it hard to get icetime on a deep Black Hawk team. After a 3-game stint in Chicago in 1968–69, he spent most of the 1969–70 campaign with the Black Hawks, but was often a healthy scratch and failed to record a goal in 26 games.
Exposed by 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:...
, Wiste 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,...
. He was a member of the inaugural Vancouver Canuck squad in 1970–71, but again struggled to produce. After recording just 1 goal and 3 points through 23 games, he was re-assigned to the 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...
of the 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...
.
After another season in the minors, Wiste was one of many fringe NHL players to jump to 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...
for the 1972–73 campaign, signing with the Cleveland Crusaders
Cleveland Crusaders
The Cleveland Crusaders were a professional ice hockey team from Cleveland, Ohio. The Crusaders were founded by Nick Mileti, and played in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1976...
. In Cleveland, he would experience the most successful portion of his career, recording totals of 71 and 58 points in his two years there.
Wiste moved to the Indianapolis Racers
Indianapolis Racers
The Indianapolis Racers were a franchise in the former World Hockey Association from 1974 to 1978. They competed in five seasons, folding 25 games into the 1978–79 season. They played at Market Square Arena...
for the 1974–75 season, but slumped to totals of 13 goals and 41 points. After a poor start to the 1975–76 campaign, Wiste was assigned to the minors and would eventually retire.
Wiste recorded 1 goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 52 NHL games, and added 64 goals and 108 assists for 172 points in 228 WHA contests.