Dave Balon David Alexander " Dave " Balon ( August 2 1938 in Wakaw , Saskatchewan – May 29 2007 , Prince Albert , Saskatchewan ) was a professional player who spent 14 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1959 and 1973 . Playing career . Balon played his junior hockey for the Prince Albert Mintos of the SJHL before turning pro in 1958 and joining the New York Rangers farm system . He would make his NHL debut in the 1959 – 60 season with a three - game callup to the Rangers . Over the next two years , he would be a frequent callup , seeing 43 more games of NHL action and recording 5 goals and 18 points . In 1962 – 63 , he finally established himself as a full - time member of the Rangers , appearing in all 70 games and recording 11 goals and 24 points . For the 1963 – 64 season , Balon was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens in 7 - player trade involving Hall of Fame goalies Jacques Plante and Gump Worsley . He would have an outstanding season in Montreal , finishing with 24 goals , good for 3rd on the team , and 42 points . He would have another solid season in 1964 – 65 , posting 41 points and then helping Montreal to the Stanley Cup Championship . Balon won his second Stanley Cup in 1966 and assisted on Henri Richard ’ s Cup winning goal in overtime . In 1967 , Balon was exposed by Montreal in the Expansion Draft and selected by the Minnesota North Stars . He would return to form with the North Stars , posting career highs in assists ( 32 ) and points ( 47 ) , and was selected to play in the NHL All - Star Game ( he played in two previous All - Star games for Montreal in a format where the league champion played a team of All - Stars , but this was his first ' true ' selection ) . He had an especially strong playoffs , scoring 13 points in 14 games and leading the NHL in playoff assists with 9 . Following the season , Balon would be dealt back to his first NHL team , the New York Rangers , in exchange for three players . Balon ' s first year back in New York was sub - par by his standards , as he finished with 10 goals and 31 points . However , he would establish himself as an elite player in 1969 – 70 , as he finished 7th in the league in goals with 33 and 10th in overall scoring with 70 points . He followed that up with another stellar season in 1970 – 71 , as he bettered his career high with 36 goals ( again top - 10 in the league ) , and was voted the ' Most Popular Ranger ' on a team with 5 future Hall - of - Famers . His offensive accomplishments were even more impressive in that he was also one of the team ' s top defensive forwards often assigned to check opposition stars . After a so - so start to the 1971 – 72 season , Balon was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks . He would finish the season with respectable totals of 23 goals and 47 points , but wasn ' t the player he was in New York . As it turned out , he was in the early stages of multiple sclerosis , an illness that wouldn ' t be diagnosed until after his playing career . In 1972 – 73 , Balon had a shocking loss of form as the illness took its toll on his play . A top - 10 offensive player in the league just two seasons prior , Balon slumped to just 3 goals and 5 points in 57 games . Sadly , Balon would be treated harshly by media and fans in Vancouver , who didn ' t realize the nature of his condition and attributed his suddenly sluggish play to a lack of effort or just his being ' washed - up ' . Balon would have one more go at pro hockey in the 1973 – 74 season , suiting up for the Quebec Nordiques of the WHA , but was forced to retire after 7 games . Post - Hockey Career . Balon finished his NHL career with 192 goals and 222 assists for 414 points in 776 career games , along with 607 penalty minutes . He played in four All - Star games and won two Stanley Cups . After his retirement , Balon received a proper diagnosis of his condition . He turned to coaching , and spent several seasons as head coach of the Humboldt Broncos of the SJHL . Balon fell on hard times during the 1980s and 1990s . As his condition worsened , he was left unable to work and forced to live off his relatively small NHL pension . Ultimately , he received assistance from the NHLPA and various alumni organizations thereafter until his death from multiple sclerosis , from which he had suffered for more than 30 years .