Kent Paynter

Lore & Background

Paynter played junior hockey for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 1982 to 1985. He was drafted by the Rangers in the third round, 44th overall, in the 1982 OHL Priority Selection. In his first season he scored four goals and 15 points in 65 games. His offensive production improved in 1983–84, when he scored nine goals and 36 points, finishing third among Rangers defencemen in points. The Rangers reached the J. Ross Robertson Cup final that season, losing to the Ottawa 67's, and also hosted the 1984 Memorial Cup, where Paynter had three assists in four games. In 1984–85 he was named an alternate captain; he received an eight-game suspension after a match penalty for an illegal hit on Hamilton Steelhawks forward Mike Ware. He scored seven goals and 35 points in 58 games that season.

Selected by the Chicago Black Hawks in the eighth round, 159th overall, of the 1983 NHL entry draft, Paynter began his professional career in 1985–86, splitting time between the Nova Scotia Oilers of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Saginaw Generals of the International Hockey League (IHL). He spent the 1986–87 season entirely with Nova Scotia. In 1987–88 he played mostly for the Saginaw Hawks of the IHL, scoring eight goals and 28 points in 74 games. He made his NHL debut on December 5, 1987, replacing Dave Manson, in a 7–3 loss to the Boston Bruins, taking a tripping penalty. He played one more game before being returned to Saginaw. In 1988–89 he again spent most of the season in the IHL, with 12 goals and 28 points in 69 games, and was recalled in December; he dressed for one game without playing and made his season debut on December 31 after Doug Wilson suffered a shoulder injury.

After the 1988–89 season Paynter became a free agent and signed with the Washington Capitals on August 21, 1989. He spent most of the 1989–90 season with the Baltimore Skipjacks of the AHL, scoring seven goals and 27 points in 60 games. He was recalled in January 1990 and earned his first NHL point, an assist on Dino Ciccarelli's goal, on January 16. On January 31 he scored his only NHL goal, against goaltender Daniel Berthiaume of the Minnesota North Stars. He appeared in three playoff games with the Capitals in 1990. In 1990–91 he again played mostly for Baltimore, scoring 10 goals and 27 points in 43 games, but missed time after taking a shot off his ankle in December and reinjuring it in January. He was recalled by the Capitals in February to replace an injured Rod Langway and played one playoff game. On May 21, 1991, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets with Tyler Larter and Bob Joyce for Craig Duncanson, Brent Hughes, and Simon Wheeldon.

Paynter began the 1991–92 season with the Jets but was assigned to the Moncton Hawks of the AHL after defenceman Moe Mantha returned. He was recalled in November after a season-ending injury to Dean Kennedy, playing his first game with Winnipeg on November 25, but was returned to Moncton after Mantha returned. He was recalled again in December and appeared in four more games, recording no points. Left unprotected in the 1992 NHL expansion draft, he was claimed by the Ottawa Senators on June 18, 1992. He spent most of the 1992–93 season with the New Haven Senators of the AHL, scoring seven goals and 24 points in 48 games, and appeared in six NHL games with Ottawa, recording no points and 20 penalty minutes. In 1993–94 he played mostly for the Prince Edward Island Senators of the AHL, scoring six goals and 26 points in 63 games. He was recalled twice by Ottawa, recording his first point with the team—an assist on Dave McLlwain's power-play goal—on March 5, 1994. He became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Paynter signed a multi-year contract with the Milwaukee Admirals of the IHL in June 1994. He played 73 games in the 1994–95 season, scoring three goals and 18 points. He continued with Milwaukee through the 1997–98 season, after which he finished his professional career.

Reader's Guide

Kent Paynter's NHL career spanned nine seasons and four teams, but he spent the majority of his professional years in the minor leagues. His most notable achievement at the NHL level was scoring his only goal on January 31, 1990, against the Minnesota North Stars while with the Washington Capitals. He also earned his first NHL point earlier that month, an assist on a goal by Dino Ciccarelli. Paynter appeared in four NHL playoff games—three with the Capitals in 1990 and one with the Capitals in 1991—but did not record a point. His career illustrates the path of a depth defenceman who was frequently recalled from the minors to fill in for injured players, such as when he replaced Dave Manson for his NHL debut with Chicago, or when he replaced Rod Langway in Washington. He was also part of the 1992 NHL expansion draft, where he was claimed by the Ottawa Senators from the Winnipeg Jets. Paynter's professional career ended after the 1997–98 season, following four seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals of the IHL.

Did You Know?

• He scored his only NHL goal on January 31, 1990, against goaltender Daniel Berthiaume of the Minnesota North Stars.
• Paynter was claimed by the Ottawa Senators in the 1992 NHL expansion draft after being left unprotected by the Winnipeg Jets.
• He received an eight-game suspension in the OHL in 1984 after a match penalty for an illegal hit on Mike Ware.