# Don Ashby

Donald Allan Ashby (March 8, 1955 – May 30, 1981) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played six seasons in the National Hockey League from 1975–76 until 1980–81.

## Early life and career

Ashby was born in Kamloops, British Columbia, and played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Edmonton Oilers in his NHL career.

## Personal life and career

Ashby played 188 career NHL games, scoring 40 goals, 56 assists, and 96 points. He was drafted sixth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft.
He was married to Terry until his death in 1981.

## Death

On May 30, 1981, a few days after finishing the 1980–81 season in which Ashby played with the CHL Wichita Wind, he and his wife, Terry, were involved in an automobile accident in the Okanagan Valley. The vehicle that they were driving was hit head-on by a pickup truck. Ashby was critically injured in the accident that occurred in the Okanagan Valley. Both he and his wife, Terry, were taken to the hospital in Kelowna, British Columbia, where he died afterwards from massive internal injuries. He was 26 years old at the time of his death in the accident. His wife, Terry, survived the accident and was treated in the hospital. His funeral was held four days later, on June 3.
Okanagan Valley police said that Ashby and his wife were present in the car that was struck head-on by a pickup truck.

## Career statistics

| | | | 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 |
| 1972–73 | Kamloops Rockets | BCHL | 28 | 22 | 22 | 44 | | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | Calgary Centennials | WCHL | 36 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973–74 | Calgary Centennials | WCHL | 68 | 30 | 38 | 68 | 52 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 0 |
| 1974–75 | Calgary Centennials | WCHL | 70 | 52 | 68 | 120 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 50 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 26 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 36 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1976–77 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 76 | 19 | 23 | 42 | 24 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1976–77 | Dallas Black Hawks | CHL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Dallas Black Hawks | CHL | 48 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 5 |
| 1978–79 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–79 | New Brunswick Hawks | AHL | 13 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–79 | Colorado Rockies | NHL | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Colorado Rockies | NHL | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Fort Worth Texans | CHL | 45 | 27 | 27 | 54 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 18 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980–81 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Wichita Wind | CHL | 70 | 36 | 60 | 96 | 46 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 6 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 188 | 40 | 56 | 96 | 40 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| CHL totals | CHL totals | CHL totals | 192 | 87 | 129 | 216 | 115 | 35 | 18 | 26 | 44 | 13 |