Michel Dion
Encyclopedia
Michel J. Dion is a retired Canadian
ice hockey
goaltender
who was active in the World Hockey Association
and National Hockey League
from 1975 to 1985. He also played minor league baseball
before deciding on a career in professional hockey.
and initially hoped for a career as a professional baseball player. During the 1971 and 1972 seasons, Michel played professional baseball in the Montreal Expos
' organization. Eventually, he gave up on baseball in favor of hockey.
After playing his first two pro seasons with the NAHL's Mohawk Valley Comets
, Dion joined the WHA's Indianapolis Racers
in the second half of the 1975-76 season. His play in the last 31 games of the season earned Dion the Ben Hatskin Trophy
as the league's top netminder.
After playing two years with the Cincinnati Stingers
, Dion was claimed by the Quebec Nordiques
in the Dispersal Draft
following the WHA/NHL merger in 1979. Dion excelled in 50 games in Quebec, and kept them in many games late in the season when they were decimated by injuries.
Dion was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for cash in 1980-81 after he chose to leave his net to retreat in the locker room during a local game. In June, 1981, he signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins
and enjoyed his best NHL season. Dion recorded 25 wins for the Pens in 1981-82 and was chosen to play in the NHL all-star game. He also starred in the opening round of the playoffs when Pittsburgh nearly upset the defending Stanley Cup
champion New York Islanders
. Dion was solid over the next two years but only played ten games in 1984-85. He spent most of the year in the AHL
before retiring from hockey.
Dion currently resides in Bluffton, SC. He is a certified Master golf
instructor with the USGTF
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
who was active 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...
and 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...
from 1975 to 1985. He also played minor league baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
before deciding on a career in professional hockey.
Playing career
Dion enjoyed a successful junior hockey career with the Montreal Bleu Blanc RougeMontreal Bleu Blanc Rouge
The Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1972 to 1975. They played at the Montreal Forum.-History:...
and initially hoped for a career as a professional baseball player. During the 1971 and 1972 seasons, Michel played professional baseball in the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
' organization. Eventually, he gave up on baseball in favor of hockey.
After playing his first two pro seasons with the NAHL's Mohawk Valley Comets
Mohawk Valley Comets
They Mohawk Valley Comets are a former professional ice hockey team based in Utica, NY. They were a member of the North American Hockey League from 1973 to 1977.-Season-by-season results:...
, Dion joined the WHA's 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...
in the second half of the 1975-76 season. His play in the last 31 games of the season earned Dion the Ben Hatskin Trophy
Ben Hatskin Trophy
The Ben Hatskin Trophy was presented annually to the World Hockey Association's best goaltender.It was named in honour of Ben Hatskin, who founded the Winnipeg Jets.Ben Hatskin Trophy winners have included:*1979 – Dave Dryden, Edmonton Oilers...
as the league's top netminder.
After playing two years with the Cincinnati Stingers
Cincinnati Stingers
The Cincinnati Stingers was an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Its home arena was Riverfront Coliseum and it was the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati.-History:The Stingers franchise was awarded in...
, Dion was claimed by the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in the Dispersal Draft
1979 NHL Expansion Draft
The 1979 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 13, 1979. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's new teams for the 1979–80 season: the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets...
following the WHA/NHL merger in 1979. Dion excelled in 50 games in Quebec, and kept them in many games late in the season when they were decimated by injuries.
Dion was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for cash in 1980-81 after he chose to leave his net to retreat in the locker room during a local game. In June, 1981, he signed as a free agent with 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...
and enjoyed his best NHL season. Dion recorded 25 wins for the Pens in 1981-82 and was chosen to play in the NHL all-star game. He also starred in the opening round of the playoffs when Pittsburgh nearly upset the defending Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
champion New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Dion was solid over the next two years but only played ten games in 1984-85. He spent most of the year in 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...
before retiring from hockey.
Dion currently resides in Bluffton, SC. He is a certified Master golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
instructor with the USGTF
United States Golf Teachers Federation
The United States Golf Teachers Federation was founded in 1989 by Geoff Bryant, to train and certify golf teaching professionals. The USGTF has over 12,000 members in the United States and is a part of the World Golf Teachers Federation...
.