Absurd Goalie Monday: Gary Kurt

While the average goalie in the NHL seems to be getting bigger and bigger-- this week's AGM is probably one of the first "big men" between the pipes. Standing a 6'3 and 205lbs. right-handed catch goalie, he fooled many a shooter due to his reach, "backwards" gloves, and filling the net; but thanks to happenstance beyond his control-- he never could make a mark in the NHL, but luckily-- there was an alternative. This week, the profile of Gary Kurt.

Kurt started his journey to with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL. Spending four years there, Kurt played in 57 games from 1963-64 until 1966-67 and ended with a 4.45 GAA, as no other record was available. After his junior time, Kurt played for the Central Pro League's Omaha Knights posting a 5-21-3 record in 34 games in 1967-68, while Kurt played in 25 games in the 1968-69 season (no record provided).

Moving onto the AHL in the 1969-70 season, Kurt landed with the Cleveland Barons; appearing in 40 games the first season (no record) and then 42 in the 1970-71, where Kurt would finish with a 24-12-3 record, then going 4-3 in seven playoff appearances. That performance garnered Kurt a Second Team All-Star nod and allowed him to win the Hap Holmes Trophy for fewest goals-against in the AHL.

Kurt finally got a jump in the 1971-72 season as the California Golden Seals took a chance and played Kurt in 16 games that season, where he finished with a 1-7-5 record for the lowly club. Conversely, Kurt also played in the AHL for the Baltimore Clippers, finishing with a 12-4-1 record in 17 appearances.

After that season, Kurt moved to the new WHA in order to get a better chance. To start in the 1972-73 season, Kurt played for the New York Raiders; appearing in 36 games and posting a 10-21-0 record. The 1973-74 season saw Kurt play with the New York/New Jersey Knights and played in 20 games compiling an 8-10-0 record. Also that season, Kurt played in the North American League for 24 games on an assignment.

The WHA Expansion brought the Phoenix Roadrunners into the fold, where they would select Kurt in the draft. During the 1974-75 season, Kurt played in 47 games for Phoenix and posted a 25-16-4 record and then a 1-2 record in four playoff games. In the 1975-76 season, Kurt played in 40 games with the Roadrunners and posted a 18-20-2 record, while during the 1976-77 season-- Kurt posted an 11-19-1 record in 33 appearances.

During the 1977-78 season, Kurt played only three games for the Central League's Oklahoma City Blazers (no record) before retiring from pro hockey. After a year hiatus, Kurt returned to play in the Ontario Senior League with the Cambridge Hornets for 19 games before giving up the game for good.

A big goalie ahead of his time, Kurt had to deal with being put on an expansion team in the NHL; which knee-capped his career there in the big league. Luckily for him, the WHA was able to pan out to give him a memorable identity for those who followed that rival league. Yet, many would have to wonder that if there wasn't a logjam elsewhere if he could have been a solid goalie-- especially for his size.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Chris Worthy

In honor of that Royal Wedding across the pond in jolly ol' England, we profile our second British-born goalie, but did have quite the career that Byron Dafoe had. It's another story of a player who had an amazing career in the junior ranks, but due to a bad team in front of him and deep competition, never reached those heights in the pros as he did in juniors. This week, the profile of Chris Worthy.

While he was born in Bristol, England-- Worthy and his family moved to Canada at a young age. Worthy would learn the game and start playing with the Flin Flon Bombers of Saskatchewan Junior League, starting first by playing 53 games in the 1965-66 season. The Bombers and Worthy would move onto the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for the 1966-67 season, where Worthy would put up an astonishing 40-4-0 record in 44 games, then going 8-6 in 14 playoff games, helping to win the Turnbull Cup Championship.. The Bombers would go to the Memorial Cup representing Manitoba, but would lose in seven games to the host Port Arthur Marrs. Worthy would also get Top Goaltender honors in the MJHL and First-Team All-Star honors that season. Staying with the Bombers in 1967-68, but going to the Western Canadian Junior Hockey League; Worthy continued to play amazing, going 47-8-5 in 60 games with the Bombers, as well as going 8-6 again in the playoffs.

Worthy's rights were first taken by the Detroit Red Wings, but those would be traded in May of 1968, where he, Gary Jarrett, Doug Roberts, and Howie Young were traded to the Oakland Seals for Bob Baun and Ron Harris. Worthy's pro career started with the Seal in the 1968-69 season, but would be the third goalie, getting only 14 games in with a 4-6-3 record in those games. The 1969-70 season would be a nice travel experience for Worthy, as he would only play one game in Oakland (a loss), three games with the Providence Reds of the AHL, but would spend most of the season with the Seattle Totems of the Western League with a 14-14-3 record in 31 games. As the Oakland Seals became the California Golden Seals, Worthy would be with them for the 1970-71 season, but with the work horse Gary Smith in net, Worthy only got 11 games in-- mostly in relief, as he finished the year with a 1-3-1 record.

The 1971-72 season had Worthy relegated to the Kansas City Blues of the Central League, playing in 19 games, but with a 3-10-5 record to show for it. Worthy was picked up by the Denver Spurs of the Western League in the 1972 Reserve Draft, where he would get more games in, playing 37 and compiling a 12-14-7 record.

Worthy was also selected by the Dayton Aeros of the WHA in their 1972 Draft, but would never play for them as he was picked by the Alberta Oilers in the professional players Draft in 1973. Worthy showed up to the Oilers for the 1973-74 season, playing behind Jack Norris and going 11-12-1 in his 29 appearances. It was another 29 appearances for Worthy in Alberta, this time with an 11-13-3 record in the 1974-75 season, while the 1975-76 season had Worthy in only 24 games with a 5-14-0 record to show; which would be his last season playing.

Post-playing career, Worthy attended the University of Alberta and Seattle University where he would be give a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce and would become a very successful Chartered Accountant. As well, he became Chief Financial Officer for the fourth-biggest construction company in the US before starting a private investment company. He helped many get their businesses off the ground and made sure to lead people in the right direction.

Sadly, Worthy contracted pancreatic cancer and passed in 2007 at only 57. He's survived by his wife of 41 years and two sons.

While he started off his career with a powerhouse of a junior team, that came at a price when he got chosen by a team who didn't have much of anything, which stymied his performance in the big leagues and made him bounce around. Yet-- he stuck with it for as long as he could, then used his smarts to his post-playing career and made quite the name for himself before his untimely passing.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Gary Simmons

If nothing else, you can say this guy had one of the most bad-ass masks for the times. While it was the start of the era of painted masks and while he didn't need to utilize it much, it still stands out as one of the most memorable masks of the time. He was in every odd expansion place before landing in LA-- which is where the NHL Draft was this past week. Not really a connecting theme, but we'll say it is and assume I planned it out that way. This week, we look at "The Cobra" Gary Simmons.

Simmons started off his career with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Central Alberta Hockey League. While it seems those stats from the 1960's have long been lost; the ones the stuck around are of a series that he probably wish may have not had happened. Simmons was able to carry the Oil Kings through the CAHL playoffs, taking the Abbott Cup for the Western Canadian Junior title and moved to the Memorial Cup finals against the Niagara Falls Flyers. While he had a solid 8-0 record to capture the Abbott Cup, the Flyers were too much for the Oil Kings, with the Flyers outscoring the Oil Kings 27-11 in the five games, with Simmons taking all of those goals-against. After his career in juniors, Simmons went to the IHL for the 1965-66 season, toiling between the Port Huron Flags, who moved to Des Moines and the Oak Leafs, then heading over to the Toledo Blades before the season was up.

It was a strange turn of events, seeing Simmons going to Newfoundland and playing senior hockey with the Conception Bay Cee Bees. In there, Simmons would be a solid keeper, going 23-14-0 in his first season in 1966-67, while going 9-4 in the 13 playoff games with the Cee Bees. Simmons stuck around again for the 1967-68 season with a little less luck than the previous year, going 20-17-3 in his 40 games and only playing six games and going 4-2 for the playoffs. It was a dismal season in 1968-69, with Simmons going 8-27-5 for the Cee Bees and throw into question his abilities. Simmons moved from Newfoundland back to Alberta, playing for the Calgary Stampeders of the Alberta Senior Hockey League, though he wasn't sure what he was able to do-- but put all the doubters to rest. Simmons bounced back in a big way for the 1969-70 season, going 30-8-0 in his 38 games with a 2.97 GAA. For the 1970-71 season, Simmons was picked up by the Western Hockey League's (non-junior) San Diego Gulls, where he would go 5-6-0 in 14 games for the Gulls; but wouldn't be enough to keep him for the 1971-72 season, where he would go back to the Stampeders for 21 games.

Someone from the WHL saw something in Simmons, as the Phoenix Roadrunners picked up Simmons for the 1972-73 season, where he would 18-15-2 with three shutouts on the season, playing a platoon system with Don Caley. Simmons would be back with the Roadrunners for the 1973-74 season, stepping into the starting role for Caley. He would not disappoint much, going 28-17-2 for the Roadrunners and 8-1 in the playoffs. Phoenix is where Simmons got his nickname, with his coach Bob Barlow saying that Simmons was "like a cobra" after a reporter described Simmons as a snake in the net. That would be the artwork for Simmons' mask after that point. However, that's where the reality started to become interesting and a bit more intense for Simmons.

The Roadrunners were granted WHA expansion after the 1973-74 season and the rights of the players from the WHL days were transferred over. However, in some sort of crazy situation, the NHL and WHA could trade between the leagues-- which is what happened with Simmons being traded to the California Golden Seals of the NHL for cash. Simmons would team up with Gilles Meloche as the tandem, with Simmons seeing 37 games with the Seals and going 10-21-3 for the 1974-75 season. Simmons had a small bounce-back after his subpar season, going 15-19-5 for te 1975-76 season in 40 games, closing the gap with the goalies. The Seals were moved from California to Cleveland and became the Barons, where Simmons would follow, but only get 15 games in the 1976-77 season fort he Barons (2-8-4) before he was on the move again.

The Barons sent Simmons and Jim Moxey to the Los Angeles Kings for Gary Edwards and Juha Widing. Simmons would have very little work behind Rogie Vachon in LA, playing only four games in the 1976-77 season, going 1-2-1 in them. More limited work for Simmons and more struggles with only 14 games in and a 2-7-2 record to show for it. Simmons would not make the Kings roster and would be send to the AHL's Springfield Indians, but would only play five games (2-2-1) before deciding to hang up the pads.

FOHS buddy and trade rumor royalty Lyle Richardson of Spector's Hockey did an interview with Simmons three year's ago and is definitely worth the read. Click the links for Part One and then after that Part Two.

Simmons now lives in Lake Havasu City, Arizona where he and his wife own and run a combination lingerie and adult toy store (not as good as a combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell) and it is a fitting retirement plan-- an unusual retirement for a guy with an unusual route to the NHL. One thing you can't say is that Simmons didn't pay his dues. He went all around for a place to play and did all he could to make it. It was a short-lived career, but will always be a memorable one if only for one mask.