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Paul Henderson

Born:January 28, 1943Draft:Undrafted
Hometown:Kincardine, ONPosition:Right Wing
Known For:1972 Summit SeriesShoots:Right
National Team:CanadaCurrent Status:Retired

Paul Garnet Henderson, CM OOnt (born January 28, 1943) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A left winger, Henderson played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames and five in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Toronto Toros and Birmingham Bulls. He played over 1,000 games between the two major leagues, scoring 376 goals and 758 points. Henderson played in two NHL All-Star Games and was a member of the Memorial Cup-winning Hamilton Red Wings team as a junior.

Henderson is best known for leading Team Canada to victory at the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. Played during the Cold War, the series was viewed as a battle for both hockey and cultural supremacy. Henderson scored the game-winning goal in the sixth, seventh and eighth games, the last of which has become legendary in Canada and made him a national hero: it was voted the “sports moment of the century” by The Canadian Press and earned him numerous accolades. Henderson has twice been inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame: in 1995 individually and in 2005 along with all players of the Summit Series team. He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2013.

A born-again Christian, Henderson became a minister, motivational speaker and author following his playing career. He has co-written three books related to hockey or his life. Henderson was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2012 and of the Order of Ontario in 2014.

Paul Henderson Team Canada 1972 Summit Series
Paul Henderson, Team Canada 1972 Summit Series (Photo by Melchior DiGiacomo/Getty Images)

Paul Henderson Statistics

Deeper Dive

Achievements

  • IIHF Hall of Fame (2013)
  • 2x NHL All-Star Game (1972, 1973)
  • NHL Most Game Winning Goals (1966)
  • OHA-Jr. Most Goals (1963)
  • CHL Memorial Cup Champion (1962)

Sources