CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence

I had mentioned in a previous post that Kyle Wellwood tops the NHL in shooting percentage (The record is 32.75 – set by Charlie Simmer during the 1980-81 season.).

Since Vancouver joined the Big Tent – nearly four decades ago – they have had one player – in each decade – who has led the league in shooting percentage while wearing a ‘Nucks’ jersey.

Also, Vancouver had: one player on their roster who holds the 11th best career record for shooting percentage, and another who was traded and later led the league for one season.

There are also two media personalities who led the NHL for at least one season.

Who are these players?

During the 1977-78 season, Mike Walton scored 29 goals and lead the NHL with a 25.22 shooting percentage.

Five years later, during the 1982-83 campaign, Darcy Rota scored 42 goals and had a 24.28 percentage.

Fifteen years after that, during the 1997-98 season, Mike Sillinger scored 10 goals and had a 21.88 percentage (This was accomplished in only 48 games, and he finished the season in Philadelphia.).

Mike Ridley had a 14 year NHL career – the last two seasons in Vancouver – and is 11th all time with a 19.30 shooting per centage.

Former Canuck Cam Neely scored 50 goals during the 1993-94 campaign, and had percentage of 27.03.

The two media guys are Ray Ferraro – who topped the NHL in 1986-87 with a 28.12 percentage – and Craig Simpson

Simpson led the league twice during the regular season, and holds the career percentage records for regular season – 23.66 – and post-season 33.64 (The latter is quite remarkable as the closest to his average is Ken Linseman who had a 23.21 percentage. Martin St. Louis is the highest active player with a 20% average.).