Harkness was a similar coach to that of Mike Keenan in his approach and demands. Garry Unger is the only member of this list to be part of the Atlanta Flames franchise. And it’s deserved. I realized that the void that I had in my life wasn’t (about) more cars, more championships and more scoring goals, it was that personal relationship with Christ that changed both of our lives and changed our marriage really.”. Unger holds the second longest consecutive games streak in NHL history, with 914 consecutive games played in the regular season between February 24, 1968 and December 21, 1979. He played every game for his teams each season from 1968-69 to 1978-79. In 79 games with the Atlanta Flames, Unger scored 17 goals and 33 points. These club records are current and set the bar high for young players who are signing on with the Blues. End Date: May-24 12:42. It turned out to be a terrible trade for the Wings. https://thehockeywriters.com/st-louis-blues-best-goal-scorers-all-time In his first season with the Oilers, he did not score any points in 13 games played. That trade on February 6, 1971 is one of the greatest trades in Blues history. Unger didn’t think much about it at the time. He had, after all, been traded to St. Louis from Detroit in 1971 (for Red Berenson) in part because he refused Detroit coach Ned Harkness’ repeated demands to cut his hair. Led by Ned Harkness, the Red Wings were a team that held on strong to tradition and had issues with moving forward. Unger scored 292 goals over his eight-plus seasons with the Blues. (UPI photo), Hat Trick Challenge Par 3 Golf Tournament, Copyright © 2021 - St. Louis Blues Alumni Association, https://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/professional/ungers-hunger-st-louis-remains-special-place-for-former-blues-glamour-boy/article_978f17ac-66f7-5eca-90cc-f2891df97ad5.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share. The. Unger refused, and on February 6th, 1971 he, Tim Ecclestone and Wayne Connelly were traded to St. Louis in exchange for expansion scoring star Red Berenson. and longtime Blues fans remember what happened next. Although his number has never made it to the rafters, the Blues have honored him in many ways. Los Angeles Kings acquire: Date: Edmonton Oilers acquire: 1981 7th round pick (#134-Craig Hurley) March 10, 1981: Garry Unger: Los Angeles Kings acquire: Date: Calgary Flames acquire: Garry Unger: June 6, 1980: ... About NHL Trade Tracker ; He played 1,105 games in a 16-year NHL career, yet as a player “And where did he go?”. St. Louis Blues acquire: Date: Detroit Red Wings acquire: Wayne Connelly Garry Unger: February 6, 1971 When I was a kid growing up in Michigan I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about the Detroit Red Wings. Nearing the end of his time in St. Louis, Unger felt there was a void in his life despite all the success, money and adulation he experienced through hockey. Unger's younger sister used a wheelchair; she proved to be an inspiration to Unger during his playing career. “It was definitely a really special time in my life,” Unger said. All at the minor-league level. A rugged defenseman, Gassoff was a good friend, the toughest guy Unger knew. There’s also one in Colorado as well as prospect camps all over where Unger and the academy recruit. About half of the students/hockey players are from the U.S and Canada, the rest are from overseas. Part of the appeal might have been that Garry Unger was a bit of a rebel. And why not? ... IRON MAN #7 Garry UNGER Signed ALL-STAR Game CUSTOM Lab 8X10 w/ IRON MAN 914 WOW. “I was so excited because … Among the above club records, Unger is also tied for third most hat tricks in a Blue Note with 7, tied in third for game winning goals with 40, first in game tying goals with 19, and fifth in power play goals with 86. For the past 10 years, Unger has been involved with the Banff Hockey Academy near his hometown of Calgary, Alberta, first as a coach and now as athletics director. That started Unger on a path towards Christianity, renewed faith, and an association with the Phoenix-based Athletes International Ministry. The Traded Unger was traded to Atlanta, then to Los Angeles, and then to Edmonton. His 884 iron-man streak in the regular season is the third longest in NHL history, behind Doug Jarvis’s record of 964 and Garry Unger’s 914. Colorful, cool and prolific as a scorer, Garry Unger once was larger than life in St. Louis, scoring 30 or more goals in all eight of his full seasons with the Blues. So Unger left Gassoff . “We can't sit status quo,” he explained. Berenson was named team captain in 1970; however, already 31 years old, the Blues felt his skills could only decline, and traded him in what was considered a shocking deal to the Detroit Red Wings, a multi-player trade receiving centre Garry Unger in return. While he was not quite a point-per-game player, Unger was a super star indeed. “And all of a sudden he was gone,” Unger recalled. Just one thing would make his time in St. Louis complete: to have his jersey number (7) retired and hanging in the rafters at Enterprise Center. Unger Garry . “I said, ‘Bobby, I don’t know how much you’ve been drinking, but don’t be fiddling around with the motorcycles at this time. “Your impression of yourself gets distorted when everybody’s making a fuss over you all the time,” Unger said. He played 1,105 games in a 16-year NHL career, yet as a player. Therefore for the first time since starting the Podcast I’ve decided to split an episode into two parts. New leaders would emerge and the team would soon have legends of its own. For all of Garry Unger’s accolades as a pro hockey player – the seven NHL All-Star games for starters – the truth is, he got cut his first time he tried out for a youth hockey team. And why not? Unger was in a hurry to get in for the game this night and politely declined. Unger would play every game in a Blues uniform and hold the NHL’s “iron man” record during the 1970s. Some trades brought legends to St. Louis for short stints, but the truly great trades brought players who would become legends. Although Unger would leave St. Louis to sign with the Atlanta Flames in 1979-80, Unger managed to capture an entire generation of Blues fans. Berenson had a couple of solid seasons in Detroit, but he was near the end. PETE STEMKOWSKI'S reaction to being traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Detroit Red Wings in a blockbuster 1968 trade . Unger remembers entering the building before a game. The other players in the trade would become solid players, but never names that would amount to much else. The Garry Unger rookie card can be found as card number 142 in the 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee set. He just didn’t know it at the time. He had, after all, been traded to St. Louis from Detroit in 1971 (for Red Berenson) in part because he refused Detroit coach Ned Harkness’ repeated demands to cut his hair. Statistics and Records of Garry Unger, a hockey player and coach from Calgary, ALTA born Dec 7 1947 who was active from 1964 to 1988. Powered by Minute Media © 2021 All Rights Reserved. The number 7 is very important to the Blues, but the man who made it infamous was Garry Unger. Still able to compete, the Blues managed to make the cup finals on more than one occasion but always falling short. Doug Jarvis holds the … As always, a pile of youngsters waited at the players’ entrance, hoping for an autograph. “But if I did, it would be a St. Louis Blues emblem.”. The Detroit Red Wings were flying … On a club that had only two winning seasons in the ‘70s, he was a reason — maybe the reason — for fans to head to the rink. It’s not something like I want to sneak in. Red Berenson, Garry Unger, Joe Mullen and Keith Tkachuk were recognized in a ceremony before Monday night's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. During the Blues first few seasons they were led by aging players who best days were behind them. “I never, ever really wanted to leave St. Louis,” Unger said. He oversees the operation, helps the coaches of three youth teams (one of which is a girls’ squad), even has a bus license to drive the teams around. For years Garry Unger thought the missing element in his life was the Stanley Cup. “And I tried really hard not to let it get to me. He then played in every regular season game in the next 11 consecutive seasons with the Blackhawks as well as 109 postseason outings. GARRY UNGER Hockey Position: Center Born: December 7, 1947; Calgary, Alberta, Canada Played For: Toronto Maple Leafs (1967-1968), Detroit Red Wings (1967-1971), St. Louis Blues (1971-1979), Atlanta Flames (1979-1980), Los Angeles Kings (1980-1981), Edmonton Oilers (1980-1983) Garry Unger will always be remembered in St. Louis Blues annals as “I was drawn to leave St. Louis because of this yearning that I had down deep. Garry Unger Podcast Interview Part 1 – the NHL Years. For years Garry Unger thought the missing element in his life was the Stanley Cup. From 1971-1979 Unger scored 292 goals (4th best in club history) and 283 assists (6th best in club history) in 662 games (4th most in club history). $4.95. Out walked Garry Unger — the Blues’ glamour boy — blond hair flowing, a beautiful woman on his arm. “As I was doing that, there was a kid kind of standing over in a corner, and I was just about to go through the door and he said to me: ‘Do you know where you’re gonna spend eternity?’" Unger recalled. He became the face of the franchise and a leader the team was happy to follow. But it’s hard not to.”. At first, he thought that void might be filled with a Stanley Cup; he thought he’d have a better chance to do so when he was traded to the Atlanta Flames in 1979. After that season in Atlanta, Unger played for the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers, then served as a player-coach in Scotland and England. Prospect Profile – Ty Rattie – World Juniors Edition, St. Louis Blues: Special Teams Throwing Away Valuable Points, St. Louis Blues Can't Take Advantage of Edmonton Oilers in 6-4 Loss, St. Louis Blues Still Waiting For All the Pieces to Come Together. Like, five times. A group of fans, mostly teenagers and many in their 20s, waited outside the players’ entrance at The Arena hoping for a glimpse of one of their beloved Blues. A while later, Unger got a phone call from a Missouri State trooper asking if he knew a Bob Gassoff. “I think that would be something that would be really special. Ted Lindsay and Glenn Hall to Chicago for Four Players and Cash. The were traded … Autographs for Trade: 2 Photos for this Player: 20: May 1973 Hockey Digest Magazine - Garry Unger St. Louis Blues Vintage Rare NHL. Late that afternoon, teammate Bob Gassoff was trying to start one of the several motorcycles Unger had on the property. They hopped into a convertible and drove off into the night. Each player was given a 5-minute penalty. Garry “Iron Man” Unger was inserted in the Leafs lineup as a 20-year-old rookie. Unger refused, and on February 6th, 1971 he, Tim Ecclestone and Wayne Connelly were traded to St. Louis in exchange for expansion scoring star Red Berenson. March 10, 1981: Ron Zanussi and Minnesota’s 3rd-round pick in the 1981 Entry Draft traded from Minnesota to Toronto for Toronto’s 2nd-round pick in the 1981 Entry Draft. It managed to shape the image of the franchise and gave St. Louis a true star. . That is 575 points (4th best in club history) in just 662 games. But not that long after that chance encounter — and unusual question — Unger held his season-ending party for friends and teammates at his horse and cattle ranch near Gray Summit, about 15 minutes west of the Six Flags amusement park. Garry Unger was one player who refused to cut his hair, which he was just as well known for as his playing abilities, and as such was shipped to the St. Louis Blues in a four player swap. He married Beverly in St. Louis; two of their three daughters were born here. Unger retired after 1,105 NHL games, having scored 413 goals, 391 assists and 804 points together with 1,075 penalties. Garry was the oldest of four children of Jakob and Olive (Wheeler) Unger. Along with the rest of the teenagers attending the academy, he stays in a boarding house during the school year. Garry Unger was one player who refused to cut his hair, which he was just as well known for as his playing abilities, and as such was shipped to the St. Louis Blues in a four player swap. After being traded to Atlanta in 1979, Unger encountered a group of Christian players, including Paul Henderson, whom Unger credits with helping him discover spirituality and giving meaning to his life. End Date: May-11 12:02. More than 40 years after he last wore the Blue Note, only three players in franchise history have scored more: Brett Hull, Bernie Federko and Brian Sutter. Today, Unger still has a convertible (and a motorcycle) at age 72. Garry Unger had an amazing career, with so much recorded content it was impossible to fit everything into one hour. On this night, they weren’t disappointed. The Leafs moved Frank Mahovlich, Pete Stemkowski, Garry Unger and the rights to Carl Brewer for Paul Henderson, Floyd Smith and Norm Ullman. In one of the all time blockbuster deals, twenty year old Garry Unger was traded by Toronto in March of 1968 with teammates Frank Mahovolich and Pete Stemkowski to Detroit for Norm Ullman, Paul Henderson and Floyd Smith. Blues alumni Garry Unger, left, and Red Berenson chat before the Blues/NHL Alumni Game in January at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights. “I don’t have any tattoos,” he once said. But in his only season in Atlanta, Unger credits Flames teammates, including Paul Henderson, with setting him on the right path spiritually. Unger's younger sister used a wheelchair; she proved to be an inspiration to Unger during his playing career. newspapers.com - Clipping found in St. Louis Post-Dispatch in St. Louis, Missouri on Feb 7, 1971. Garry Unger was traded away in the early 1970s by the Red Wings because he refused to cut his hair. Buy It … That started a run of 914 consecutive regular season games played for Unger, which set a new NHL record. Blues trade for Garry Unger: Feb. 7, 1971: Blues fans are irate as … But he never lost a tooth — fitting for someone who was the face of the Blues for nearly a decade. In the summer, he’s involved with a similar school in Germany. On Feb. 6, 1971, he was traded to Detroit in a deal that brought Garry Unger to the Blues. “Somebody grabbed me by the arm and said, ‘Listen, we need some more pop and stuff for the party.’". Then again, one of those trips past adoring fans at The Arena helped change his life near the end of the 1976-77 season. Unger on the other hand would go on to become Mr. St. Louis Blue. That all for now Blues fans, and as always, LET’S GO BLUES! It was hard to stay humble. Part of the appeal might have been that Garry Unger was a bit of a rebel. 1970’s would see the Blues go through changes to become to a very different team. Unger is in Arizona early this year, in shelter-in-place mode because the hockey academy in Banff has closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Berenson had a couple of solid seasons in Detroit, but he was near the end. First, I didn’t own a pair of ice skates and mine was a baseball family, so we were centered on the Tigers, not the hockey rink. Garry was the oldest of four children of Jakob and Olive (Wheeler) Unger. The greatest trades in St. Louis Blues history are the ones that shaped the franchise for years to come. His name is still mentioned by fans when thinking of the all-time great Blues and his name will never fade. The woman who accompanied him out of the Arena back in the day is now his wife, Beverly. Though he was at-times maligned by the Leafs fans and especially coach Imlach, the trade of The Big M was, at the time, nearly as shocking as the Gretzky trade 20 years later. Unger’s second career was in coaching — all over — with stops in Phoenix, Tulsa, Albuquerque, Florida, Vancouver, Detroit. Garry Douglas "Iron Man" Unger (born December 7, 1947 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) is a former professional centre who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1967 until 1983. Red Berenson scores the 2nd of 6 goals, November 7, 1968. So some things haven’t changed. It’s not something that I lose any sleep over, but it would be really nice for my family and stuff like that. Why, the first time he met Harkness, who was new to Detroit that season, Unger said Harkness spent part of the lunch meeting “drawing on a napkin how he wants my hair cut.”. When he’s not doing all that, he calls Phoenix home, not that he’s there often during a normal year. Red Berenson was the big name for St. Louis that was sent to Detroit, and it couldn’t have happened at any better time in his career. “I would like that to happen,” Unger said. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on St. Louis Blues and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. He had eight consecutive 30-goal seasons totaling 292 goals with St. Louis. He says he’s played hockey in 25 countries. He scored at least 30 goals each season in the note and never missed a game. It was in 1971 that Harkness demanded that all of his players adhere to what he believed to be appropriate and get crew cuts, banning long hair. When the trooper informed Unger that Gassoff has been in an accident, what turned out to be a fatal collision, Unger saw the face of that teenager in his mind’s eye — the teenager from The Arena earlier that spring: “Do you know where you’re gonna spend eternity?”. This deal was too good to pass up—we turned down four previous offers for Unger.” Harkness denied that Unger's life‐style was a factor in the trade. London Knights set to honour NHL ironman Garry Unger, others in club hall of fame When Garry Unger was 16, he won the Alberta Junior Hockey League scoring title … March 10, 1981: Garry Unger traded from Los Angeles to Edmonton for Edmonton’s 7th-round pick in the 1981 Entry Draft. The Iron Man Garry Unger Gets Cut. Gassoff got on a dirt bike and headed off on the rural roads. All Larmer needed was another full season to pass Jarvis. We will be focusing on more of the St. Louis Blues best trades in history from time to time so if there is one that you would like us to discuss please let us know. Berenson was named team captain in 1970; however, as he was already 31 years old, the Blues felt his skills could only decline, and traded him in what was considered a shocking deal to the Detroit Red Wings, a multi-player trade receiving centre Garry Unger in return. It turned out to be a terrible trade for the Wings. He accomplished his ironman streak in a career that included 11 broken noses, two broken cheekbones, a broken wrist and a separated shoulder among other things. Name is still mentioned by fans when thinking of the appeal might have been that Garry Unger thought the element. Detroit Red Wings because he refused to cut his hair a rebel on to become to a different. Seasons they were led by aging players who are signing on with the Atlanta Flames, Unger got phone. 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