Rob Ramage
Encyclopedia
George Robert Ramage is a Canadian former professional ice hockey
defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League
(NHL) for the Colorado Rockies
, St. Louis Blues
, Calgary Flames
, Toronto Maple Leafs
, Minnesota North Stars
, Tampa Bay Lightning
, Montreal Canadiens
and Philadelphia Flyers
. He also played one season in the World Hockey Association
(WHA) for the Birmingham Bulls
.
in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft
. He spent his junior career with the London Knights
, who have since retired his number 5, and also played a season in the WHA for the Birmingham Bulls
.
In his rookie season with Colorado, Ramage became a part of history. While the Rockies were playing the New York Islanders
, the Rockies' goaltender
left the ice for an extra skater after a delayed penalty was called on the Islanders. The puck deflected off the chest protector of Islanders goalie Billy Smith
into the corner. Ramage picked up the puck and accidentally made a blind pass from the corner boards in the opposing zone to the blue line
. Nobody was there to receive the pass, and so the puck sailed all the way down the length of the ice and into the Colorado net. Smith had been the last Islander to touch the puck, and so he became the first NHL goalie ever to be credited with a goal.
Ramage's name is engraved twice on the Stanley Cup
, as a member of the 1989 Calgary Flames
and the 1993 Montreal Canadiens
. He also played in four NHL All-Star Games (1981, 1984, 1986, 1988).
and Saunders Secondary School
in London, Ontario
. Ramage married his high school sweetheart Dawn Van Diepen in 1982. They have three children, Tamara, Jaclyn and John, who is currently a prospect in the Calgary Flames
system.
Up until January 23, 2009, Ramage was a broker at the Clayton, Missouri branch of Wachovia Securities
(formerly A.G. Edwards
& Sons, Inc. brokerage firm), soon to be acquired by Wells Fargo
.
Rob's son, John Ramage, was selected by the Calgary Flames
in the 4th round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
. John currently plays NCAA Division I college ice hockey with the Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey
, and he was named the USA team captain at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
.
captain Keith Magnuson
to an NHLPA players' alumni meeting when his rented Chrysler Intrepid car swerved into the oncoming lane and collided with another vehicle, killing Magnuson and injuring the driver of the other vehicle. Ramage was charged with impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving
causing death. Defense lawyer Brian Greenspan
claimed the blood and urine tests were flawed, and the smell of alcohol came from beer cans that exploded after the crash.
On October 10, 2007, Ramage was found guilty on all counts. The Magnuson family had forgiven Ramage and urged the judge not to send him to prison, instead suggesting that Ramage speak to teens about the dangers of drinking and driving. On December 3, 2007, in a Missouri
civil suit, Ramage and National Car Rental of Canada were found liable for the death of Magnuson. The family of Magnuson was awarded $9.5 million. On January 17, 2008, Ramage was sentenced to four years in prison. Legal experts described the sentence as the harshest ever handed out in Ontario to a motorist with no previous record for drinking and driving. Ramage remained free on bail until his appeal of the sentence was denied on July 12, 2010.
In July 2010, Ramage began serving his sentence at Frontenac Institution, a minimum security facility in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. In March 2011, Ramage made his first application for day parole and release to a halfway house, but this request was denied. The board did grant him permission to leave the minimum-security prison for three-day unescorted absences once a month. The board cited its belief that Ramage did not yet understand the severity of the actions which led to his incarceration. Their concern centered on Ramage's drinking habits and whether he took responsibility for the crash. On May 5, 2011 Ramage's second request for day parole was granted. He is barred from drinking alcohol and he is restricted from visiting establishments where alcohol is the primary focus. Ramage must undergo psychological counseling and the court order prevents him from driving.
Originally Ramage was not eligible to seek accelerated parole because his crime was considered violent. The federal government is abolishing legal provisions that free some non-violent, first-time offenders as soon as six months into their sentences. Ramage’s full sentence is to expire in July 2014.
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...
defenceman who played 15 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...
(NHL) for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies (NHL)
The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League that played in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982 and was...
, St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following 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...
, Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
, Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
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 one season 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) for the Birmingham Bulls
Birmingham Bulls
The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being...
.
Playing career
Ramage was selected first overall by the Colorado RockiesColorado Rockies (NHL)
The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League that played in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982 and was...
in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft
1979 NHL Entry Draft
The 1979 NHL Entry Draft took place on August 9, 1979, at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 126 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1978–79 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those...
. He spent his junior career with the London Knights
London Knights
The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.-Early days–1968:...
, who have since retired his number 5, and also played a season in the WHA for the Birmingham Bulls
Birmingham Bulls
The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being...
.
In his rookie season with Colorado, Ramage became a part of history. While the Rockies were playing the 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...
, the Rockies' 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...
left the ice for an extra skater after a delayed penalty was called on the Islanders. The puck deflected off the chest protector of Islanders goalie Billy Smith
Billy Smith (ice hockey)
William John Smith, better known as Billy Smith, is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender and is best known for winning four Stanley Cups with the New York Islanders and being the first goalie to be credited with a goal....
into the corner. Ramage picked up the puck and accidentally made a blind pass from the corner boards in the opposing zone to the blue line
Hockey rink
An ice hockey rink is an ice rink that is specifically designed for ice hockey, a team sport. It is rectangular with rounded corners and surrounded by a wall approximately 40 inches high called the boards.- Name origins :...
. Nobody was there to receive the pass, and so the puck sailed all the way down the length of the ice and into the Colorado net. Smith had been the last Islander to touch the puck, and so he became the first NHL goalie ever to be credited with a goal.
Ramage's name is engraved twice on the 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...
, as a member of the 1989 Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
and the 1993 Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. He also played in four NHL All-Star Games (1981, 1984, 1986, 1988).
Personal
He attended Byron Northview Public SchoolByron Northview Public School
Byron Northview Public School is an elementary school in the community of Byron in London, Ontario, Canada and part of the Thames Valley District School Board. It is sitting on one of the oldest school sites in London. It currently has 23 staff members....
and Saunders Secondary School
Saunders Secondary School
Saunders Secondary School is located at 941 Viscount Road in the Westmount suburb of London, Ontario, Canada. It is named after William Saunders and his family. William Saunders was a Canadian pioneer and an authority on all matters pertaining to agriculture and horticulture. Grades offered are...
in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. Ramage married his high school sweetheart Dawn Van Diepen in 1982. They have three children, Tamara, Jaclyn and John, who is currently a prospect in the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
system.
Up until January 23, 2009, Ramage was a broker at the Clayton, Missouri branch of Wachovia Securities
Wachovia Securities
Wells Fargo Advisors, is a subsidiary of Wells Fargo, located in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the second largest brokerage firm in the United States as of October 1, 2007 with $1.17 trillion retail client assets under management....
(formerly A.G. Edwards
A.G. Edwards
A.G. Edwards, Inc. was an American financial services holding company; its principal wholly owned subsidiary was A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., which operated as a full-service securities broker-dealer in the United States and Europe. The firm was acquired by Wachovia Securities, which later was...
& Sons, Inc. brokerage firm), soon to be acquired by Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
.
Rob's son, John Ramage, was selected by the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
in the 4th round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial record of 11 American-trained players were selected in...
. John currently plays NCAA Division I college ice hockey with the Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey
Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey
The Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. The team plays at the Kohl Center and is coached by former Badger and NHL player Mike Eaves...
, and he was named the USA team captain at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2011 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred to as the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 2011 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was hosted by the United States. The games were played in Western New York, at HSBC Arena in Buffalo and Niagara...
.
Impaired driving conviction
On December 15, 2003, Ramage was driving former Chicago BlackhawksChicago 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...
captain 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...
to an NHLPA players' alumni meeting when his rented Chrysler Intrepid car swerved into the oncoming lane and collided with another vehicle, killing Magnuson and injuring the driver of the other vehicle. Ramage was charged with impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving
Dangerous driving
Dangerous driving is a statutory offence in England and Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is also a term of art used in the definition of the offence of causing death by dangerous driving...
causing death. Defense lawyer Brian Greenspan
Brian Greenspan
Brian H. Greenspan, is a Canadian lawyer. He is one of the most famous and well-regarded defence lawyers in Canada, owing to several high-profile clients and to his record in both trial and appellate law....
claimed the blood and urine tests were flawed, and the smell of alcohol came from beer cans that exploded after the crash.
On October 10, 2007, Ramage was found guilty on all counts. The Magnuson family had forgiven Ramage and urged the judge not to send him to prison, instead suggesting that Ramage speak to teens about the dangers of drinking and driving. On December 3, 2007, in a Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
civil suit, Ramage and National Car Rental of Canada were found liable for the death of Magnuson. The family of Magnuson was awarded $9.5 million. On January 17, 2008, Ramage was sentenced to four years in prison. Legal experts described the sentence as the harshest ever handed out in Ontario to a motorist with no previous record for drinking and driving. Ramage remained free on bail until his appeal of the sentence was denied on July 12, 2010.
In July 2010, Ramage began serving his sentence at Frontenac Institution, a minimum security facility in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. In March 2011, Ramage made his first application for day parole and release to a halfway house, but this request was denied. The board did grant him permission to leave the minimum-security prison for three-day unescorted absences once a month. The board cited its belief that Ramage did not yet understand the severity of the actions which led to his incarceration. Their concern centered on Ramage's drinking habits and whether he took responsibility for the crash. On May 5, 2011 Ramage's second request for day parole was granted. He is barred from drinking alcohol and he is restricted from visiting establishments where alcohol is the primary focus. Ramage must undergo psychological counseling and the court order prevents him from driving.
Originally Ramage was not eligible to seek accelerated parole because his crime was considered violent. The federal government is abolishing legal provisions that free some non-violent, first-time offenders as soon as six months into their sentences. Ramage’s full sentence is to expire in July 2014.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
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 | ||
| 1975–76 | London Knights London Knights The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.-Early days–1968:... |
OMJHL | 65 | 12 | 31 | 43 | 113 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | London Knights | OMJHL | 65 | 15 | 58 | 73 | 177 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | London Knights | OMJHL | 59 | 17 | 47 | 64 | 162 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Birmingham Bulls Birmingham Bulls The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being... |
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... |
80 | 12 | 36 | 48 | 165 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Colorado Rockies Colorado Rockies (NHL) The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League that played in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982 and was... |
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... |
75 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 135 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Colorado Rockies | NHL | 79 | 20 | 42 | 62 | 193 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Colorado Rockies | NHL | 70 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 201 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | St. Louis Blues St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade... |
NHL | 78 | 16 | 35 | 51 | 193 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 22 | ||
| 1983–84 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 80 | 15 | 45 | 60 | 121 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 32 | ||
| 1984–85 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 80 | 7 | 31 | 38 | 178 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1985–86 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 77 | 10 | 56 | 66 | 171 | 19 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 66 | ||
| 1986–87 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 59 | 11 | 28 | 39 | 106 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 21 | ||
| 1987–88 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 67 | 8 | 34 | 42 | 127 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL | 12 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 37 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 21 | ||
| 1988–89 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 68 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 156 | 20 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 26 | ||
| 1989–90 | 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... |
NHL | 80 | 8 | 41 | 49 | 202 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 20 | ||
| 1990–91 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 80 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 173 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Minnesota North Stars Minnesota North Stars The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white... |
NHL | 34 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the... |
NHL | 66 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 138 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1993–94 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | 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... |
NHL | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1044 | 139 | 425 | 564 | 2224 | 84 | 8 | 42 | 50 | 218 | ||||