Ron Grahame
Encyclopedia
Ronald Ian Grahame is a former professional ice hockey
goaltender in the National Hockey League
and World Hockey Association
.
After a collegiate career with the University of Denver
during which he was named a First Team All-American, Grahame was signed by the Houston Aeros
of the WHA. He played a season for the minor league Macon Whoopee
in 1973 before coming up to the Aeros at the end of the season. In the 1974–75 season he made the Aeros for good, leading the WHA in wins, shutouts and goals against average and backstopping the club to the AVCO World Trophy
, winning both the Ben Hatskin Trophy
for best goaltender, First Team All-Star accolades and the WHA Playoff MVP
. His following two seasons saw an equal degree of success, including a Second Team All-Star berth in 1976 and a second Hatskin award in 1977.
However, the Aeros folded after the 1977 season, and Grahame signed with the NHL's Boston Bruins
for the 1977–78 NHL season. He continued his starring play, having a fine season as the Bruins' number one goaltender. After that season, however, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings
for a first round draft pick in the 1979 draft (which turned into Ray Bourque
), and played poorly thereafter. He served with the Kings for three seasons before being sold to the Quebec Nordiques
in December, 1980. He played eight games for the Nordiques before being sent down to the minors for the remainder of the season, after which he retired.
, where he works with the hockey team. He also continues to conduct goalie clinics for ice hockey
and inline hockey
goaltenders
2007 - Ron Grahame begins his second year as Senior Associate Athletics Director, and his 14th year as an administrator at the University of Denver. He is responsible for the overall supervision of all 17 varsity sport programs at Denver.
Grahame graduated from the University of Denver in 1973 with a B.A. in physical education and was one of the most successful hockey players in school history. After eight years in professional hockey as a member of the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Houston Aeros and Quebec Nordiques, he returned to Denver as an assistant coach from 1982–1989.
Ron and his wife Charlotte
have two sons, John
, an AHL goaltender who won the 2004 Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Jason, who graduated from the University of Denver in 2003 and now lives in Vancouver. Ron and Charlotte reside in Denver. Charlotte and John are the only mother/son combination to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup
(Charlotte was a member of the Colorado Avalanche
executive management during their 2001 Stanley Cup season).
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 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 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...
.
After a collegiate career with 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....
during which he was named a First Team All-American, Grahame was signed by the Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros (WHA)
The Houston Aeros were a professional ice hockey team in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1978.-Franchise history:The Aeros became one of the original franchises in the World Hockey Association when the Dayton Arrows franchise was moved to Houston in 1972...
of the WHA. He played a season for the minor league Macon Whoopee
Macon Whoopee
The Macon Whoopee was the name given to two distinct former ice hockey teams, both of which were located in Macon, Georgia. The teams played their home games at the Macon Coliseum....
in 1973 before coming up to the Aeros at the end of the season. In the 1974–75 season he made the Aeros for good, leading the WHA in wins, shutouts and goals against average and backstopping the club to the AVCO World Trophy
Avco World Trophy
The Avco World Trophy, also known as the Avco Cup, was the championship trophy of the original World Hockey Association . The trophy's naming rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation , a defense contractor who bought the rights to advertise their consumer finance division...
, winning both 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...
for best goaltender, First Team All-Star accolades and the WHA Playoff MVP
WHA Playoff MVP
The Playoff MVP award for the World Hockey Association was handed out annually from 1975 to 1979 to the most valuable player of the playoffs.WHA Playoff MVP winners*1975 - Ron Grahame, Houston Aeros*1976 - Ulf Nilsson, Winnipeg Jets...
. His following two seasons saw an equal degree of success, including a Second Team All-Star berth in 1976 and a second Hatskin award in 1977.
However, the Aeros folded after the 1977 season, and Grahame signed with the NHL's Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
for the 1977–78 NHL season. He continued his starring play, having a fine season as the Bruins' number one goaltender. After that season, however, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
for a first round draft pick in the 1979 draft (which turned into Ray Bourque
Ray Bourque
Raymond Jean "Ray" Bourque is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player. He currently holds records for most goals, assists and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League . Bourque has become near-synonymous with the Boston Bruins franchise, for which he played 21 seasons and...
), and played poorly thereafter. He served with the Kings for three seasons before being sold to 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 December, 1980. He played eight games for the Nordiques before being sent down to the minors for the remainder of the season, after which he retired.
Today
Currently, Ron Grahame is employed as Associate Athletic Director at The University of DenverUniversity 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 works with the hockey team. He also continues to conduct goalie clinics for 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...
and inline hockey
Inline hockey
Inline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport similar to ice hockey but played with inline skates. Like its parent sport, skaters on two teams use hockey sticks to direct a disk-shaped puck into the opponent's goal; however, various details of the game, such as...
goaltenders
2007 - Ron Grahame begins his second year as Senior Associate Athletics Director, and his 14th year as an administrator at the University of Denver. He is responsible for the overall supervision of all 17 varsity sport programs at Denver.
Grahame graduated from the University of Denver in 1973 with a B.A. in physical education and was one of the most successful hockey players in school history. After eight years in professional hockey as a member of the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Houston Aeros and Quebec Nordiques, he returned to Denver as an assistant coach from 1982–1989.
Ron and his wife Charlotte
Charlotte Grahame
Charlotte Grahame is the Executive Director of Hockey Administration for the Colorado Avalanche.As a member of the Colorado executive management during the 2001, when Colorado won the Stanley Cup, her name was engraved on it. Her son, John Grahame had his name engraved on the Cup as a member of...
have two sons, John
John Grahame
John Gillies Mark Grahame is currently the goaltender coach for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL and is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played most recently for the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League.-Playing career:Grahame played in the USHL for the Sioux City...
, an AHL goaltender who won the 2004 Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Jason, who graduated from the University of Denver in 2003 and now lives in Vancouver. Ron and Charlotte reside in Denver. Charlotte and John are the only mother/son combination to have their names engraved 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...
(Charlotte was a member of the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
executive management during their 2001 Stanley Cup season).