Mike Palmateer

Lore & Background

Palmateer began his NHL career with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1976-77 season and served as the club's starting goaltender for three seasons. In the 1979-80 campaign, he was slowed by injuries and made only 38 appearances while sharing duties with four other goalies. Off-ice drama arose when team management questioned an ankle injury that sidelined him for six weeks, and a contract impasse with general manager Punch Imlach led Palmateer to sign a four-year, $800,000 deal with the Washington Capitals. The clubs agreed to a trade sending his rights to Washington for defenseman Robert Picard and forward Tim Coulis, plus swapped draft picks. Capitals general manager Max McNab declared the team was 'set in goal for the next ten years.'

Things did not work out that way. Palmateer won 18 games in his first year with the lowly Capitals, but the following season he won just two games and spent most of it sidelined by a knee injury. His knee problems, which seriously hampered his mobility, ultimately cost general manager McNab and head coach Gary Green their jobs. Owner Abe Pollin, who had committed a large sum to secure Palmateer, demanded Green continue using him despite diminishing returns. When Green protested that his knees were 'gone,' Pollin instructed Green to 'fix him' so the Capitals could trade him. When Palmateer continued to falter, both McNab and Green were fired. New general manager David Poile, days into the job on September 9, 1982, made his first trade by sending Palmateer back to the Maple Leafs for cash considerations.

Back in Toronto, Palmateer resumed starting duties for 53 games. The next year, his knee problems flared up again, limiting him to 34 games and requiring his 12th knee surgery. With Palmateer sidelined, the Maple Leafs turned to prospect Allan Bester. The following year, Toronto opted for youth, naming 20-year-olds Bester and Ken Wregget as their tandem, leaving Palmateer the odd man out. He was instructed by general manager Gerry McNamara to stay home and collect his salary. A potential trade to the Edmonton Oilers in February, after an injury to star goaltender Grant Fuhr, fell through when Fuhr's injury proved less serious than thought. Palmateer never suited up that season. His final NHL action was a preseason game with the Edmonton Oilers, but with 14 knee operations, a year off the ice, and the tandem of Fuhr and Andy Moog already in place, his tryout was brief and he retired.

Reader's Guide

Mike Palmateer's significance lies in his brief but notable peak as a starting goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs and his ill-fated tenure with the Washington Capitals. His career illustrates how a promising player can be derailed by persistent injury and organizational conflict. Palmateer set an NHL record for assists by a goaltender in one season (8) during the 1980-81 campaign, a mark that highlights his puck-handling skill. However, his legacy is equally defined by the knee problems that required twenty surgeries and a knee replacement, ultimately ending his playing days. The Capitals' investment in him—a four-year, $800,000 contract—and the subsequent fallout that cost a general manager and head coach their jobs underscore the high stakes and unpredictability of player acquisitions. After retiring, Palmateer returned to the Maple Leafs as a scout in 2001 and worked with the club for 14 years. In 2017, he was inducted into the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame as an athlete in hockey, recognizing his contributions to the sport despite a career shortened by injury.

Did You Know?

• He underwent 20 knee surgeries and a knee replacement during and after his playing career.
• He was traded back to the Toronto Maple Leafs for cash considerations on September 9, 1982.
• Palmateer played in the 1966 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Toronto Shopsy's minor ice hockey team.