Paul Henderson
Scored the game-winning goal in each of the final three games of the 1972 Summit Series.
Paul Garnet Henderson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames and five in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Toronto Toros and Birmingham Bulls. He is best known for playing for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union, where he scored the game-winning goal in each of the final three games, the last of which became legendary in Canada and made him a national hero.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Left wing
- Shoots
- Right
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 10
- Weight Lb
- 180
- Played For
- Detroit Red Wings · Toronto Maple Leafs · Toronto Toros · Birmingham Bulls · Atlanta Flames
- Ntl Team
- CAN
- Birth Date
- 28 January 1943
- Birth Place
- Kincardine, Ontario, Canada
- Career Start
- 1962
- Career End
- 1981
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Henderson was born during a snowstorm while his family was crossing Lake Huron via horse-drawn sleigh to reach the hospital. His father, fighting in the Second World War, did not meet him until Paul was nearly three years old. The family moved frequently before settling in Lucknow, where Henderson first played hockey in the basement of a restaurant using a ball instead of a puck. The Chin family, immigrants from China, gave him his first set of hockey equipment; he had been using old catalogues as shin pads.
Henderson signed with the Detroit Red Wings' junior affiliate and played for the Hamilton Red Wings, winning the 1962 Memorial Cup. He made his NHL debut with Detroit in two games late in the 1962–63 season, drawing nine penalties in minutes. After being assigned to the AHL's Pittsburgh Hornets, he joined Detroit permanently in 1963–64 and scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Glenn Hall. He reached the Stanley Cup Finals with Detroit in 1964 and 1966, losing both times. In March 1968, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a six-player deal involving Norm Ullman, Floyd Smith, Frank Mahovlich, Garry Unger and Pete Stemkowski.
Reader's Guide
Henderson's legacy is defined by his performance in the 1972 Summit Series, viewed as a Cold War battle for hockey and cultural supremacy. He scored the game-winning goal in each of the final three games, securing the series for Canada by the narrowest of margins. The last goal was voted the 'sports moment of the century' by The Canadian Press and earned him numerous accolades. He has twice been inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame: in 1995 individually and in 2005 along with all players of the Summit Series team. He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2013. After his playing career, Henderson became a minister, motivational speaker and author, co-writing three books related to hockey or his life. He was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2013 and of the Order of Ontario in 2014.
Did You Know?
- He received his first set of hockey equipment from the Chin family, immigrants from China who ran a restaurant in Lucknow.
- In his first two NHL games, Henderson estimated he was on the ice for only 20 seconds but drew nine penalties.
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