1
He played for three different NHL franchises during his professional career.
15 Interesting Facts About Dale Hunter
Dale Hunter was a hard-nosed center who played 19 NHL seasons, known for his unique combination of over 1,000 points and 3,000 penalty minutes, and later became a successful coach.
Position
Centre
Jersey
#32
Status
Retired
Teams
3
Facts
15
2
His jersey number 32 was retired by the Washington Capitals in 2000.
3
He amassed over 1,000 career points and over 3,000 penalty minutes, a unique NHL achievement.
4
He served as the team captain for the Washington Capitals for five seasons.
5
He led his team to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1998.
6
He was selected 41st overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.
7
He holds the NHL record for most penalty minutes accumulated in the playoffs.
8
He was nicknamed "La Petite Peste" (The Nuisance) by his former coach in Quebec.
9
He became the NHL record holder for requiring the most games to reach 1,000 points as a forward, a record later surpassed.
10
He is the first player in NHL history to score two overtime series-clinching goals in the playoffs.
11
He scored a famous overtime goal against Ron Hextall in Game 7 of the 1988 Patrick Division Semifinals.
12
He briefly left his OHL coaching position to become the head coach of the Washington Capitals for part of a season.
13
The first-round draft pick acquired by the Nordiques in the trade that sent him to Washington was used to select future Hall of Famer Joe Sakic.
14
After his retirement, his former team presented him with one of the penalty boxes from their old arena during his jersey retirement ceremony.
15
He coached Canada's National Junior Team to a gold medal at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
About Dale Hunter
A tenacious center known for his physical play and offensive contributions, he played 19 seasons in the NHL for the Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals, and Colorado Avalanche. He holds the unique distinction of being the only NHL player to record over 1,000 points and 3,000 penalty minutes. After retiring, he transitioned to coaching, notably leading the London Knights to multiple Memorial Cups and briefly coaching the Washington Capitals.
Career Achievements & Milestones
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NHL All-Star
1997
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Led Capitals to First Stanley Cup Finals
1998
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Washington Capitals Jersey Retired (#32)
2000
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Only NHL Player with 1,000+ Points and 3,000+ Penalty Minutes
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First NHL Player with Two Overtime Series-Clinching Goals
Player Information & Stats
Detailed career statistics and background information about Dale Hunter.
Player Info
Country: Canada
Position: Centre
Jersey #: 32
Status: Retired
Age: 65 years old
Physical Stats
Height: 5' 10" (178 cm)
Weight: 200 lbs (91 kg)
Born: Petrolia, Ontario, Canada
Career Stats
Seasons: 19
Goals: 323
Assists: 697
Points: 1020
Teams: 3
Drafted: 1979
Round: 3rd
Teams & Career
Quebec Nordiques Washington Capitals Colorado Avalanche
Dale Hunter played for 3 different teams during his 19 seasons career. He was originally drafted 3rd overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1979.