Ken Linseman
Agitating centre who won the Stanley Cup in 1984.
Last updated
Kenneth S. Linseman, known as "The Rat," is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as one season in the World Hockey Association for the Birmingham Bulls. He is notable for his agitator style, his role in four Stanley Cup Finals, and winning the 1984 Stanley Cup with the Oilers.
Lore & Background
Linseman earned the nickname "The Rat" both by his appearance and his playing style, which involved agitating opponents into taking penalties. During his junior career, he was once charged for kicking a player in the head with his skates.
He played his entire junior career with the Kingston Canadians of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League from 1974–77, recording 286 points in 187 games. Prior to the 1977 WHA draft, Linseman and his agent Art Kaminsky sued the WHA over a rule preventing teenage players from playing, which the court ruled violated anti-trust laws. He was drafted by the Birmingham Bulls and spent the 1977–78 season there before being selected by the Flyers as their first-round, seventh overall pick in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.
Reader's Guide
Linseman's career is marked by his ability to produce offensively while serving as a persistent irritant. He averaged 1.062 points per game in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the 26th best in league history. In the 1984 playoffs, he scored an NHL record three series-clinching goals, a feat later tied by Martin Gélinas. He was traded multiple times, moving from the Flyers to the Oilers in 1982, then to the Bruins in 1984, and later returning to the Flyers in 1990.
After his NHL career, he played briefly in the Italian Hockey League with HC Asiago. Post-retirement, he served as a minor hockey coach and instructor, owned a commercial real estate development firm, and remained active with the Bruins alumni organization. He was also a part owner of a thoroughbred racehorse named Strike Gold.
Career statistics and honours
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1974–75 | Kingston Canadians | OMJHL | 59 | 19 | 28 | 47 | 70 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
| 1975–76 | Kingston Canadians | OMJHL | 65 | 61 | 51 | 112 | 92 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 18 |
| 1976–77 | Kingston Canadians | OMJHL | 63 | 53 | 74 | 127 | 210 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 54 |
| 1977–78 | Birmingham Bulls | WHA | 71 | 38 | 38 | 76 | 126 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 15 |
| 1978–79 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 38 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 106 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–79 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 30 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 22 |
| 1979–80 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 80 | 22 | 57 | 79 | 107 | 17 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 40 |
| 1980–81 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 51 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 150 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 67 |
| 1981–82 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 79 | 24 | 68 | 92 | 275 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 1982–83 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 72 | 33 | 42 | 75 | 181 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| 1983–84 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 72 | 18 | 49 | 67 | 119 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 65 |
| 1984–85 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 74 | 25 | 49 | 74 | 126 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| 1985–86 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 64 | 23 | 58 | 81 | 97 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 |
| 1986–87 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 64 | 15 | 34 | 49 | 126 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
| 1987–88 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 77 | 29 | 45 | 74 | 167 | 23 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 56 |
| 1988–89 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 27 | 45 | 72 | 164 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 32 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 66 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 29 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 56 | 7 | 29 | 36 | 94 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991–92 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | HC Asiago | ITA | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 47 |
| WHA totals | 71 | 38 | 38 | 76 | 126 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 15 | ||
| NHL totals | 860 | 256 | 551 | 807 | 1,727 | 113 | 43 | 77 | 120 | 325 | ||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Canada | CC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Ken Linseman (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Ken Linseman (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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