Tiger Williams
Encyclopedia
David James "Tiger" Williams (born February 3, 1954) is a former professional
ice hockey
player who played in the National Hockey League
(NHL) from 1974–75 to 1987–88. He is the NHL's career leader in penalty minutes.
of the NHL
in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft
. He was also drafted by the Cincinnati Stingers
of the World Hockey Association
(WHA) in the third round (33rd overall) in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft
. Despite being drafted by a WHA team, he never played in the WHA. He chose instead to play in the NHL.
Tiger was best known for his role as an enforcer
, but he was also able to score goals. He played on five different NHL teams during his career. He was drafted by the Maple Leafs and played there from his NHL debut on 7 January against the New York Islanders
in 1975 until he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks
on 18 February, 1980 for Rick Vaive
and Bill Derlago
. While in Toronto, he broke many Maple Leaf and NHL penalty minute records and led the league in penalty minutes twice with 338 in 1976–77 and 298 in 1978–79. While it seemed that he lived in the "sin bin
", he was able to score his fair share of goals. During his best season in Toronto, he scored 22 goals in 55 games before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks part way through that season. He scored 8 more goals in 23 games that season with Vancouver for, at that time, a career best 30 goals.
The next season, 1980–81, in Vancouver, Tiger scored a career high of 35 goals and 62 points while amassing a league leading 343 penalty minutes in 77 games. The 343 penalty minutes would be the third highest of his career. Those 35 goals were the most by any Canuck that year. That season, Williams earned a place in the mid-season All-Star game
, having scored 27 goals by the All-Star break, and played on a line with Wayne Gretzky
and Mike Bossy
. He would play an integral role in the team's surprise run
to the Stanley Cup finals in 1982
. Williams played in Vancouver until the end of the 1983–84 season.
After Vancouver, Tiger Williams played for the Detroit Red Wings
for part of the 1984–85 NHL season before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings
that same year. During his tenure in L.A.
, he would set his career high of 358 penalty minutes for one season. He would play in Los Angeles until he was traded to the Hartford Whalers
during the 1987–88 NHL season. That would also be his last NHL season as Hartford placed him on waivers and he was released on February 12, 1988. He officially retired in 1988.
Williams was nicknamed "Tiger" as a 5-year-old by his minor hockey coach in Weyburn, Saskatchewan
. He also appeared as himself in the first episode of the Canadian sitcom Rent-a-Goalie
.
Bars, and Luc Robitaille
's Lasagna Omelette.
Williams re-emerged briefly as a roller hockey player, appearing in one game, scoring 2 points, for the RHI
's Vancouver Voodoo
in 1993.
In 1996, Canadian punk rock band The Hanson Brothers
spearheaded a campaign to agitate for Tiger's induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame
. They included a mail-in postcard with their album Sudden Death so that purchasers could make their feelings known to the NHL.
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
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...
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...
(NHL) from 1974–75 to 1987–88. He is the NHL's career leader in penalty minutes.
NHL career
Williams was drafted in the second round (31st overall) by the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto 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...
of the 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...
in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft
1974 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1974 NHL Amateur Draft was held via conference call at the NHL office in Montreal, Quebec. In an effort to prevent the WHA from poaching players, the draft was conducted early and in secret. This failed to prevent tampering as information leaked out via agents and other sources over the three...
. He was also drafted by 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...
of 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) in the third round (33rd overall) in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft
1974 WHA Amateur Draft
The 1974 WHA Amateur Draft was the second draft held by the World Hockey Association.-Selections by round:Listed below are the selections made in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft.-Round 1:1. Pat Price - Vancouver Blazers2. Mike Will - Indianapolis Racers...
. Despite being drafted by a WHA team, he never played in the WHA. He chose instead to play in the NHL.
Tiger was best known for his role as an enforcer
Enforcer (hockey)
Enforcer is an unofficial role in ice hockey. The term is sometimes used synonymously with "fighter", "tough guy", or "goon". NHL players regarded as enforcers include Tiger Williams, Tony Twist, Bob Probert, Dave Semenko, Dave Schultz, Tie Domi, Dave Brown, Joey Kocur, Clark Gillies, Stu Grimson,...
, but he was also able to score goals. He played on five different NHL teams during his career. He was drafted by the Maple Leafs and played there from his NHL debut on 7 January against 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...
in 1975 until he was traded to 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,...
on 18 February, 1980 for Rick Vaive
Rick Vaive
Richard Claude Vaive is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1992, and is best remembered as the first 50 goal scorer in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.-Bio:...
and Bill Derlago
Bill Derlago
William Anthony Derlago, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League from 1978 to 1987 with the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets and Quebec Nordiques....
. While in Toronto, he broke many Maple Leaf and NHL penalty minute records and led the league in penalty minutes twice with 338 in 1976–77 and 298 in 1978–79. While it seemed that he lived in the "sin bin
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...
", he was able to score his fair share of goals. During his best season in Toronto, he scored 22 goals in 55 games before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks part way through that season. He scored 8 more goals in 23 games that season with Vancouver for, at that time, a career best 30 goals.
The next season, 1980–81, in Vancouver, Tiger scored a career high of 35 goals and 62 points while amassing a league leading 343 penalty minutes in 77 games. The 343 penalty minutes would be the third highest of his career. Those 35 goals were the most by any Canuck that year. That season, Williams earned a place in the mid-season All-Star game
National Hockey League All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
, having scored 27 goals by the All-Star break, and played on a line with Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
and Mike Bossy
Mike Bossy
Michael Dean Bossy is a former Canadian ice hockey player who played for the New York Islanders for his entire career and was part of their four-year reign as Stanley Cup champions in the early 1980s...
. He would play an integral role in the team's surprise run
Cinderella (sports)
In American and Canadian sports, a Cinderella or "Cinderella Story" refers to a team or player who advances much further in a tournament or career than originally anticipated. Cinderellas tend to gain much media and fan attention as they move closer to the championship game at the end of the...
to the Stanley Cup finals in 1982
1982 Stanley Cup Finals
-References:...
. Williams played in Vancouver until the end of the 1983–84 season.
After Vancouver, Tiger Williams played for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
for part of the 1984–85 NHL season before being 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...
that same year. During his tenure in L.A.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, he would set his career high of 358 penalty minutes for one season. He would play in Los Angeles until he was traded to the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
during the 1987–88 NHL season. That would also be his last NHL season as Hartford placed him on waivers and he was released on February 12, 1988. He officially retired in 1988.
Williams was nicknamed "Tiger" as a 5-year-old by his minor hockey coach in Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Weyburn is a city in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located on the Souris River southeast of the provincial capital of Regina and is north of the border with the United States. The name is reputedly a corruption of the Scottish "wee burn," referring to a small creek. The city is...
. He also appeared as himself in the first episode of the Canadian sitcom Rent-a-Goalie
Rent-a-Goalie
Rent-a-Goalie is a half-hour comedy television series from Canada that aired on Showcase from 2006 - 2008. Its third season premiered 20 October 2008. The first season was nominated for three Gemini Awards, including Best Comedy Series...
.
Other
Co-written by Mike Lawton, Tiger published his autobiography, Tiger: A Hockey Story in 1984. In 1987, Williams released a 101-page cookbook called Done Like Dinner: Tiger In the Kitchen. It was co-written with Kasey Wilson. It included many hockey-inspired recipes, including Habs Tourtière, Stanley CupStanley 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...
Bars, and Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
's Lasagna Omelette.
Williams re-emerged briefly as a roller hockey player, appearing in one game, scoring 2 points, for the RHI
Roller Hockey International
Roller Hockey International was a professional inline hockey league that operated in North America from 1993 to 1999. It was the first major professional league for inline hockey....
's Vancouver Voodoo
Vancouver Voodoo
The Vancouver Voodoo were a roller hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada which played in the RHI league. The Voodoo were one of the original twelve teams to join the league in 1993. They played in the PNE Agrodome in 1993 and 1994, the Pacific Coliseum in 1994 and 1995, and in...
in 1993.
In 1996, Canadian punk rock band The Hanson Brothers
The Hanson Brothers
The Hanson Brothers are a Canadian punk rock band based in Vancouver, British Columbia and led by John and Rob Wright and Tom Holliston, all members of the punk rock band Nomeansno....
spearheaded a campaign to agitate for Tiger's induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
. They included a mail-in postcard with their album Sudden Death so that purchasers could make their feelings known to the NHL.
Records
- National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe 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...
records:- Most NHL career regular season penalty minutes: 3,966
- Most NHL penalty minutes, career, including playoffs: 4,421
- Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe 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...
records:- Most playoff penalty minutes: 240
- Most penalty minutes in one season by a left wing: 351 in 1978
- Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe 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,...
records:- Most playoff penalty minutes: 181
- Most penalty minutes in one playoff year: 116 in 1982
- Most penalty minutes in one playoff series: 51 vs. ChicagoChicago BlackhawksThe 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 1982
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 | ||
| 1971–72 | Swift Current Broncos Swift Current Broncos The Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos... |
WCHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
68 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 278 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Swift Current Broncos | WCHL | 68 | 44 | 58 | 102 | 266 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Swift Current Broncos | WCHL | 66 | 52 | 56 | 108 | 310 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Oklahoma City Blazers Oklahoma City Blazers The Oklahoma City Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the Northwest Division of the Central Hockey League. The Blazers played at the Ford Center, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Their colors were burgundy, gold and white... |
CHL | 39 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 202 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | 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 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... |
42 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 187 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 25 | ||
| 1975–76 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 78 | 21 | 19 | 40 | 299 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | ||
| 1976–77 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 77 | 18 | 25 | 43 | 338 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 29 | ||
| 1977–78 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 78 | 19 | 31 | 50 | 351 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 63 | ||
| 1978–79 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 77 | 19 | 20 | 39 | 298 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | ||
| 1979–80 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 55 | 22 | 18 | 40 | 197 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | 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 | 23 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 81 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | ||
| 1980–81 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 77 | 35 | 27 | 62 | 343 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | ||
| 1981–82 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 77 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 341 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 116 | ||
| 1982–83 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 68 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 265 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 1983–84 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 67 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 294 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 | ||
| 1984–85 1984–85 AHL season The 1984–85 AHL season was the 49th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Binghamton Whalers finished first overall in the regular season... |
Adirondack Red Wings Adirondack Red Wings The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League... |
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... |
8 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL | 55 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 158 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | 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... |
NHL | 12 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 43 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1985–86 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 72 | 20 | 29 | 49 | 320 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 76 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 358 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 30 | ||
| 1987–88 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Hartford Whalers Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97... |
NHL | 26 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993 1993 RHI season The 1993 RHI season was the 1st season of operation of Roller Hockey International . The season started on July 1, 1993. The Anaheim Bullfrogs defeated the Oakland Skates in the 1993 Murphy Cup Final 2–0 to win the first Murphy Cup.-Teams and divisions:... |
Vancouver Voodoo Vancouver Voodoo The Vancouver Voodoo were a roller hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada which played in the RHI league. The Voodoo were one of the original twelve teams to join the league in 1993. They played in the PNE Agrodome in 1993 and 1994, the Pacific Coliseum in 1994 and 1995, and in... |
RHI RHI RHI may refer to:* Renewable Heat Incentive* RHI Entertainment* Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport, IATA code RHI* Rhiwbina railway station, Cardiff, Wales; National Rail station code RHI* Robert Half International* Roller Hockey International... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 962 | 241 | 272 | 513 | 3966 | 83 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 455 | ||||
See also
- List of NHL players with 2000 career penalty minutes
- Fighting in ice hockeyFighting in ice hockeyFighting in ice hockey is an established tradition of the sport in North America, with a long history involving many levels of amateur and professional play and including some notable individual fights. Although a definite source of criticism, it is a considerable draw for the sport, and some fans...
- EnforcerEnforcer (hockey)Enforcer is an unofficial role in ice hockey. The term is sometimes used synonymously with "fighter", "tough guy", or "goon". NHL players regarded as enforcers include Tiger Williams, Tony Twist, Bob Probert, Dave Semenko, Dave Schultz, Tie Domi, Dave Brown, Joey Kocur, Clark Gillies, Stu Grimson,...