Blaine Stoughton

Former NHL forward and WHA star who tied for the league lead in goals in 1979–80.

Blaine A. Stoughton (born March 13, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played twelve professional seasons. Stoughton played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Hartford Whalers and New York Rangers, which bookended three seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA) split among the Cincinnati Stingers, Indianapolis Racers and New England Whalers.

Quick Facts

Team: New England Whalers (WHA)

Lore & Background

Stoughton played his major junior career with the Flin Flon Bombers, and was drafted seventh overall by the Penguins in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft. Stoughton had an up-and-down stint in the WHA. Often teamed with Rick Dudley and Rich LeDuc on the 'LSD' line, Stoughton scored 52 goals for the Cincinnati Stingers in 1976–77. The next year he was traded to the Indianapolis Racers by mid-season. When the Racers folded in 1978, he was signed by the New England Whalers, where he played on the third line with Mike Rogers, scoring 19 goals. Stoughton scored at least 50 goals in a season in the NHL twice, at least 40 goals four times, and tied for the league lead with 56 in 1979–80, a franchise record that still stands.

Reader's Guide

The final season for Stoughton was in the 1983–84 season, when he was traded to the New York Rangers, where he played what ended up as his final 14 games in the league (in 68 total games, he had 28 goals). He played the 1984–85 season in the AHL and one more season of 15 games with HC Asiago in Italy. After playing, Stoughton was an assistant coach for the Cincinnati Cyclones (IHL) in the league's first year and during the last two years in the ECHL. In 1996 he and former teammate Paul Lawless started the Austin Ice Bats franchise. Stoughton was owner and General Manager for three seasons.