# Grant Ledyard

Grant Stuart Ledyard (born November 19, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Beginning his career in 1984 as an undrafted free agent, Ledyard spent 18 seasons in the NHL as a journeyman; he played at least one game with nine NHL teams over the course of his career.

## Playing career

As a youth, Ledyard played in the 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Winnipeg.
Ledyard made his NHL debut in the 1984–85 season with the New York Rangers. A journeyman, he played with nine NHL teams during his career. He spent the most time with the Buffalo Sabres and the Dallas Stars, four full seasons each. He also played for the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Tampa Bay Lightning. His last NHL season came with the Lightning in the 2001–02 season. In his NHL career, Ledyard appeared in 1,028 regular season games. He scored 90 goals and added 276 assists. In addition, he played in 83 Stanley Cup playoff games, scoring 6 goals and tallying 12 assists.

## Personal life

Ledyard currently lives in the Buffalo area, and was recently awarded head coach position of the Buffalo Junior Sabres.
In 2016, Ledyard and 12 other ex-NHL players joined a class action lawsuit against the NHL for failing to protect its players against brain injuries.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1979–80 | Fort Garry Blues | MJHL | 49 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 90 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Saskatoon Blades | WHL | 71 | 9 | 28 | 37 | 148 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981–82 | Fort Garry Blues | MJHL | 63 | 25 | 45 | 70 | 150 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Tulsa Oilers | CHL | 80 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 115 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983–84 | Tulsa Oilers | CHL | 58 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 71 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 10 |
| 1984–85 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 36 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–85 | New York Rangers | NHL | 42 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 53 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 1985–86 | New York Rangers | NHL | 27 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 52 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–87 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 67 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 93 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1987–88 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–88 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 23 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–88 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 21 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 30 |
| 1988–89 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 61 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 1989–90 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 67 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 60 | 8 | 23 | 31 | 46 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| 1991–92 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 50 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992–93 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992–93 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 50 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 45 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1993–94 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 84 | 9 | 37 | 46 | 42 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 1994–95 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 38 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1995–96 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 73 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 67 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 61 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1997–98 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 49 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 22 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1998–99 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 47 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999–2000 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 40 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 2000–01 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2001–02 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 53 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Brantford Blast | OHA-Sr. | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Brantford Blast | OHA-Sr. | 16 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 1,028 | 90 | 276 | 366 | 766 | 83 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 96 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1985 | Canada | WC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | Canada | WC | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 |

## Awards and achievements

* MJHL First Team All-Star (1982)
* MJHL Top Defenceman (1982)
* MJHL Most Valuable Player (1982)
* Turnbull Cup MJHL Championship (1982)
* 1983-84 CHL Championship (Adams Cup) as a member of the Tulsa Oilers team coached by Tom Webster
* Played in the World Championships for Team Canada (1985 and 1986)
* Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2005
* "Honoured Member" of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame