Whether it was a Reverse Draft, WHA Draft, or Expansion Draft, teams wanted this week's AGM. While he didn't get the best help or circumstances in the NHL, he did what he could in the lower leagues and other pro league to try to get him noticed. While it didn't necessarily work out, he did get a lot of mileage out of his career. This week, the profile of Peter McDuffe.
McDuffe started in the Junior ranks with the St. Catherine Blackhawks of the OHA, playing a span of 103 games between 1964 through 1968. McDuffe would make a stop onto the AHL's Buffalo Bison's at the end of the 1966-67 season, going 0-2-0 in two games there. McDuffe would play the 1968-69 season in the Eastern League with the Greensboro Generals for 65 games in the regular season and eight in the playoffs.
The Chicago Blackhawks had McDuffe's rights, but lost them to the Phoenix Roadrunners of the WHL in the Reverse Draft, but Phoenix will trade McDuffe to the New York Rangers almost a month after acquiring him in the summer of 1969. The Rangers put McDuffe in the Central League with the Omaha Knights for the 1969-70 season, finishing 26-24-9 in 59 games, while going 8-4 during the playoffs, helping the Knights to the CHL championship. McDuffe found himself back in Omaha in the 1970-71 season playing in 57 games and going 8-3 in the playoffs helping the Knights to another championship. McDuffe would have the fewest goals-against, First Team All-Star honors, and was co-MVP of the league.
The Rangers would trade McDuffe to the St. Louis Blues before the 1971-72 season. McDuffe would play in 10 games with the Blues, going 0-6-0 in those appearance before being sent to the Denver Spurs of the Western League to play in 21 games and finishing with a 10-7-2 record, letting him get the Leading Goaltender Award for the league.
The New York Rangers would reacquire McDuffe from the Blues in the summer of 1972 and during the 1972-73 season, McDuffe only played one game with the Rangers, which was a win. McDuffe played six games for the Rangers in the 1973-74 season (3-2-1), but would spend the rest of the time in the AHL with the Providence Reds, going 17-12-6 in 36 games.
McDuffe would be on the move again, as the Kansas City Scouts picked him up in the Expansion Draft, which allowed McDuffe to stay in the NHL for the 1974-75 season. McDuffe played in 36 games, finishing with a 7-25-4 record.
The Scouts traded McDuffe to the Detroit Red Wings for the 1975-76 season, where McDuffe would play four games going 0-3-1. The rest of the 1975-76 season had McDuffe play with the AHL's New Haven Nighthawks, going 8-9-3 in 21 games. McDuffe would stay in the AHL for the 1976-77, splitting between the Rhode Island Reds and the New Haven Nighthawks, playing 17 games in total between the two.
The WHA would call for McDuffe, as he signed with the Indianapolis Racers in the 1977-78 season, playing in only 12 games and going 1-6-1 before having a brief retirement. McDuffe would return to hockey playing amateur hockey with the Georgetown Gyros in the OHA before hanging them up. McDuffe would be part of the first induction class of the City of Milton, Ontario Walk of Fame in 2007.
Though he wasn't able to show himself off like he had wanted, McDuffe made a big showing in the minor leagues at the start, but because he got stuck into a rut, he was never able to actually get going, despite his early success. Whether it be bouncing around from team to team or minors to the show-- nothing seemed to stick for him when he needed it.
1 comment:
I saw him play a few times while living in North Providence. He was a nice player.
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