Paul Shmyr

Paul Shmyr (January 18, 1946 – September 2, 2004) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and National Hockey League (NHL). He featured in the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals with the Chicago Black Hawks and the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals with the Minnesota North Stars.

Paul Shmyr
Shmyr in 1972–73
Born	(1946-01-18)January 18, 1946 Cudworth, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died	September 2, 2004(2004-09-02) (aged 58) Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Chicago Blackhawks California Golden Seals Cleveland Crusaders San Diego Mariners Edmonton Oilers Minnesota North Stars Hartford Whalers
National team	Canada
Playing career	1966–1982

Playing career

Shmyr was one of the top defensive stars in the short history of the WHA, noted for his hard-nosed play, having jumped from the NHL's California Golden Seals to the upstart Cleveland Crusaders. He played four seasons for Cleveland, garnering the league's top defenceman trophy in 1976. He subsequently played for the WHA's San Diego Mariners, where he enjoyed his best offensive campaign, and played two years for the Edmonton Oilers, captaining the club to a regular season league championship in the WHA's final season. As captain, he elected to wear a Cyrillic "К" instead of the customary captain's "C" due to his Ukrainian heritage.^[1][2]

After the WHA folded, the Minnesota North Stars, which owned his rights, reclaimed him, and as a noted leader, was named to captain the North Stars in 1979. While the Stars' captain, he led them to a semifinal appearance in 1980 and to the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the New York Islanders. He then signed with the Hartford Whalers as a free agent in 1981 and retired after one season.

Shmyr was named to the WHA First Team All-Star Team in 1973, 1974, and 1976, and to its Second Team All-Star Team in 1979. He finished third in the WHA's career leaders for games played, twentieth in assists, and fourth in penalty minutes. He represented Canada at the 1974 Summit Series and was one of only two WHAers (the other being Bobby Hull) to be invited to try out for Team Canada at the 1976 Canada Cup, though he failed to make the team.

He was from a hockey-playing family; his younger brother John Shmyr also played in the WHA. Shmyr died of throat cancer in 2004, at the age of 58.^[3]

Honours

In 2010, he was elected as an inaugural inductee into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame.^[4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1965–66	New Westminster Royals	BCHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	New Westminster Royals	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		4	2	0	2	9
1966–67	New Westminster Royals	BCHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Vancouver Canucks	WHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Fort Wayne Komets	IHL		70	3	18	21	89		11	3	3	6	19
1967–68	Dallas Black Hawks	CPHL		70	5	15	20	73		5	0	0	0	0
1968–69	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		3	1	0	1	8		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Dallas Black Hawks	CHL		69	7	39	46	118		11	4	12	16	17
1968–69	Portland Buckaroos	WHL		—	—	—	—	—		1	0	1	1	0
1969–70	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		24	0	4	4	26		8	1	2	3	0
1969–70	Dallas Black Hawks	CHL		48	3	21	24	88		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		57	1	12	13	41		9	0	0	0	17
1971–72	California Golden Seals	NHL		69	6	21	27	156		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		73	5	43	48	169		8	1	3	4	19
1973–74	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		78	13	31	44	165		5	0	4	4	31
1974–75	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		49	7	14	21	103		5	2	1	3	15
1975–76	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		70	6	44	50	101		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	San Diego Mariners	WHA		81	13	37	50	103		7	0	2	2	8
1977–78	Edmonton Oilers	WHA		80	9	40	49	100		5	1	3	4	11
1978–79	Edmonton Oilers	WHA		80	8	39	47	119		13	1	5	6	23
1979–80	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		63	3	15	18	84		14	2	1	3	23
1980–81	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		61	1	9	10	79		3	0	0	0	4
1981–82	Hartford Whalers	NHL		66	1	11	12	134		—	—	—	—	—
WHA totals				511	61	248	309	860		43	5	18	23	107
NHL totals				343	13	72	85	528		34	3	3	6	44

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1974	Canada	SS		7	0	2	2	6