Russ Courtnall

Russ Courtnall
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Born	(1965-06-02) June 2, 1965 Duncan, BC, CAN
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Toronto Maple Leafs (1983–1988) Montreal Canadiens (1988–1992) Minnesota North Stars (1992–1993) Dallas Stars (1993–1995) Vancouver Canucks (1995–1997) New York Rangers (1997) Los Angeles Kings (1997–1999)
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	7th overall, 1983 Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	1983–1999

Russell William Courtnall (born June 2, 1965, Duncan, British Columbia) is a former Canadian NHL player. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings. Courtnall was born in Duncan, British Columbia, but grew up in Oak Bay, British Columbia.

Professional career

Coming out of junior hockey, he was considered one of the top prospects in 1983 and the Toronto Maple Leafs selected him seventh overall in the Entry Draft. In 1982–83, Courtnall scored 36 goals and 61 assists for 97 points in 60 games. After being drafted by the Leafs, Courtnall appeared in just 32 games with the Cougars, scoring 29 goals and 66 points before being called up to the Maple Leafs, who were in dire need of scoring help at the time. As a rookie with Toronto, he scored 12 goals and 22 points in 69 games. Although his goal production was not as high as the Leafs had hoped for, his speed opened up opportunities, especially for his linemates.

In 1984, Courtnall also suited up for the Canadian Olympic team, which finished out of the medals at the Sarajevo Games. Upon returning, he rejoined the Maple Leafs. In 1985–86 (playing alongside fellow Notre Dame Hounds alumni Gary Leeman and rookie Wendel Clark on what was dubbed The Hound Line), Courtnall broke the 20-goal barrier, notching 22 to go along with 38 assists for 60 points. His offensive numbers improved the following year with 29 goals and 73 points.

In trying to force Courtnall to play a tougher brand of hockey, the club saw his offensive production decrease in 1987–88. After just nine games into the 1988–89 season, the Maple Leafs dealt Courtnall to the Montreal Canadiens for enforcer John Kordic. Although Courtnall's stock had clearly gone down in the eyes of Maple Leafs' management, most observers felt Montreal got a steal in that trade.

In 64 games, Courtnall put up 39 points with the Habs, but his fast skating and stickhandling abilities made him a fan favourite. Courtnall saved his best performance for the playoffs, where the Canadiens advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup finals before losing to the Calgary Flames. In 21 post-season games, Courtnall contributed eight goals and 13 points.

Courtnall enjoyed another two-and-a-half years in Montreal before joining the Minnesota North Stars for the 1992–93 season. In 84 games, he managed a career-high 36 goals and 43 assists for 79 points. He followed that up with an 80-point season in the team's first year of play in Dallas. Late in the 1994–95 season, Courtnall was traded to the Vancouver Canucks where he teamed with his brother, Geoff Courtnall, for 13 games that year.

In 1997–98, Courtnall signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings, where he played until his retirement following the 1998–99 season. He finished with 297 goals, 447 assists and 744 points in a 15-year NHL career.

Courtnall was a participant in both the second and third seasons of Battle of the Blades, the latter as a last-minute replacement for the late Wade Belak, but was eliminated early in the competition on both occasions.

Transactions

• November 7, 1988– Traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for John Kordic and Montreal's 1989 6th round draft choice (Mike Doers).
• August 31, 1992– Traded by the Montreal Canadiens to the Minnesota North Stars in exchange for Brian Bellows.
• June 9, 1993– Rights transferred to the Dallas Stars after the Minnesota Stars (formerly North Stars) relocated.
• April 7, 1995– Traded by the Dallas Stars to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Greg Adams, Dan Kesa and Vancouver's 1995 5th round draft choice.
• March 8, 1997– Traded by the Vancouver Canucks, along with Esa Tikkanen, to the New York Rangers in exchange for Sergei Nemchinov and Brian Noonan.
• November 7, 1997– Signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings.

Career statistics

Season	Team	League	Regular season					Playoffs
			GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1982–83	Victoria Cougars	WHL	60	36	61	97	33	12	11	7	18	6
1983–84	Victoria Cougars	WHL	32	29	27	66	63	—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	14	3	9	12	6	—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	69	12	10	22	44	—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	73	22	38	60	52	10	3	6	9	8
1986–87	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	79	29	44	73	90	13	3	4	7	11
1987–88	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	65	23	26	49	47	6	2	1	3	0
1988–89	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	9	1	1	2	4	—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	64	22	17	39	15	21	8	5	13	18
1989–90	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	80	27	32	59	27	11	5	1	6	10
1990–91	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	79	26	50	76	29	13	8	3	11	7
1991–92	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	27	7	14	21	6	10	1	1	2	4
1992–93	Minnesota North Stars	NHL	84	36	43	79	49	—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Dallas Stars	NHL	84	23	57	80	59	9	1	8	9	0
1994–95	Dallas Stars	NHL	32	7	10	17	13	—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Vancouver Canucks	NHL	13	4	14	18	4	11	4	8	12	21
1995–96	Vancouver Canucks	NHL	81	26	39	65	40	6	1	3	4	2
1996–97	Vancouver Canucks	NHL	47	9	19	28	24	—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	New York Rangers	NHL	14	2	5	7	2	15	3	4	7	0
1997–98	Los Angeles Kings	NHL	58	12	6	18	27	4	0	0	0	2
1998–99	Los Angeles Kings	NHL	57	6	13	19	19	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals			1029	297	447	744	557	129	39	44	83	83

See also

• List of NHL players with 1000 games played

External links

• Russ Courtnall's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Russ Courtnall's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Gary Nylund

Toronto Maple Leafs first round draft pick 1983

Succeeded by Al Iafrate