Eric Paul Nesterenko(October 31, 1933 – June 4, 2022)[1]was a Canadian professionalice hockeycentrewho played in theNational Hockey League(NHL) for theToronto Maple Leafsfrom 1951 until 1956 and for theChicago Black Hawksfrom 1956 until 1972.
| Eric Nesterenko | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Nesterenko with theChicago Black Hawks | |||
| Born |
October 31, 1933 Flin Flon, Manitoba,Canada | ||
| Died |
June 4, 2022(aged 88) Grand Junction, Colorado,U.S. | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 186 lb (84 kg; 13 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Cougars | ||
| Playing career | 1951–1974 | ||
Early life
editNesterenko was born inFlin Flon,Manitoba,to immigrants fromUkraine.He moved at 16 and attended high school atNorth Toronto Collegiate Institute.[2]Nesterenko would play as a member of theToronto Marlboros.[3]
Playing career
editNesterenko played five years with the Toronto Maple Leafs before being traded to the Blackhawks for cash.[4][5]He played 16 years with the Blackhawks from 1956 to 1972 for a total of 1,013 games which ranks seventh in team history.[4]Nesterenko was known as a superb penalty killer and was given the nickname of “Elbows".[4]In both 1965 and 1967, he led the league in shorthanded goals.[5]
Nesterenko was an NHL All-Star in 1961 and 1965,[4]and was a key part of 1961 Stanley Cup championship.[4][5]He also made 12 other playoff appearances with the Blackhawks.[4]
Nesterenko was better known for speed on the ice than for goal-scoring.Chicago Tribunecolumnist Bob Markus commented, "I've always thought that Nesterenko would have been the greatest player of all time if they played the game without a puck."[6]Nesterenko had 495 points (207 goals along with 288 assists) and 1,014 penalty minutes while playing for the Blackhawks.[4][5]He had a total of 250 goals and 324 assists during his NHL career.[citation needed]
Following his NHL career, Nesterenko played for theChicago Cougarsof theWorld Hockey Associationin 1973-74 after a year of coaching inSwitzerland.[7]
Controversy
editDuring one game in 1961, Nesterenko infamously attackedWillie O'Ree,the first Black player in the NHL, with racial slurs and butt-ended O'Ree with his hockey stick, breaking O'Ree's nose and knocking out his front teeth. O'Ree retaliated with his stick and Nesterenko required 15 stitches in his head.[8][9]During the next game that Nesterenko and O'Ree played, Nesterenko slashed O'Ree's ankles. Nesterenko never apologized to O'Ree, despite having an opportunity 30 years later when they met at an all-star game. O'Ree later named Nesterenko and described the incidents in his autobiography.[9]
Personal life
editIn 1986, Nesterenko played the father of character Dean Youngblood (Rob Lowe) in the movieYoungblood,and was also the film's hockey consultant.[10]He has worked as adisk jockey,astockbroker,a travel broker, afreelance writer,a universityprofessor,and askiinstructor.[11][10]
Near the end of Nesterenko's NHL career, he was interviewed forStuds Terkel's bestselling book,Working: What People do all Day and How They Feel About What They Do.[citation needed]
Eric Nesterenko spent his later life in Colorado[3]and died on June 4, 2022, at the age of 88.[12][13]
Awards and achievements
edit- WHLchampionship (1956)
- Edinburgh Trophychampionship (1956)
- Stanley Cupchampionship (1961)
- Played inNHL All-Star Game(1961and1965)
- Honoured Member of theManitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
Career statistics
editRegular season and playoffs
edit| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1949–50 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1950–51 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA | 46 | 28 | 22 | 50 | 90 | 13 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 27 | ||
| 1951–52 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA | 52 | 53 | 42 | 95 | 133 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 12 | ||
| 1951–52 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA | 34 | 27 | 21 | 48 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 35 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1953–54 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 68 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 70 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | ||
| 1954–55 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 62 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 99 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1955–56 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 40 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 65 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1955–56 | Winnipeg Warriors | WHL | 20 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 27 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 22 | ||
| 1956–57 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 24 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957–58 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 20 | 18 | 38 | 104 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1958–59 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 81 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1959–60 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 61 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 71 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1960–61 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 68 | 19 | 19 | 38 | 125 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 1961–62 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 68 | 15 | 14 | 29 | 97 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 22 | ||
| 1962–63 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 67 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 103 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 1963–64 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 93 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 1964–65 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 56 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 63 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 16 | ||
| 1965–66 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 67 | 15 | 25 | 40 | 58 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1966–67 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 68 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 38 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1967–68 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 71 | 11 | 25 | 36 | 37 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1968–69 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 72 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 67 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1970–71 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 76 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 28 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | ||
| 1971–72 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 38 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 27 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | ||
| 1973–74 | Chicago Cougars | WHA | 29 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Trail Smoke Eaters | WIHL | 40 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| WHA totals | 29 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 1,219 | 250 | 324 | 574 | 1,273 | 124 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 127 | ||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Eric Nesterenko Obituary 2022".Brown's Cremation & Funeral Service.Retrieved11 June2023.
- ^"Last call for the 90th!"(PDF).ntci.on.ca.Spring 2002.Retrieved11 June2023.
- ^ab"The career after the hype".The Hockey News.
- ^abcdefgHawley, Larry (June 6, 2022)."Former Blackhawks forward Eric Nesterenko dies at 88".WGN-TV.RetrievedNovember 1,2023.
- ^abcdRoumeliotis, Charlie (June 6, 2022)."Former Hawks Cup champion Eric Nesterenko dies at 88".NBC Sports.RetrievedNovember 1,2023.
- ^Chicago Tribune,Feb. 11, 1972, sec.3, p.3
- ^Frayne, Trent (10 March 1980)."Out of hockey and listening still for that distant drum".Maclean's - The Complete Archive.Maclean's.Retrieved15 September2019.
- ^"Willie O'Ree's little-known journey to break the NHL's color barrier".theconversation.com.January 17, 2018.RetrievedJuly 12,2018.
- ^abGiddens, David (February 21, 2021)."Willie O'Ree looked past and fought through racism to become NHL's 1st Black player".CBC Sports.RetrievedNovember 1,2023.
- ^abBarry, Sal (August 7, 2016)."The Making of 'Youngblood: An Oral History".The Hockey News.RetrievedOctober 24,2016.
- ^"Eric Nesterenko".Retrieved11 June2023.
- ^Verdi, Bob (6 June 2022)."Former Blackhawk Eric Nesterenko Dies at 88".Chicago Blackhawks.Retrieved6 June2022.
- ^Thompson, Phil (7 June 2022)."Eric Nesterenko, member of the 1961 Chicago Blackhawks, dies at 88 — and leaves behind a complicated hockey legacy".Chicago Tribune.Retrieved11 June2022.
External links
edit- Biographical information and career statistics fromNHL.com,orEliteprospects.com,orHockey-Reference.com,orThe Internet Hockey Database