Paul Henderson

Paul Henderson (born January 28, 1943 in Kincardine, Ontario) (hometown - Lucknow, Ontario) is a retired Canadian hockey left winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames. He is best known for scoring the winning goals in the last three games of the 1972 Summit Series against the USSR, the final one winning the series for Canada.
Henderson presently works in various ministries affiliated with Campus Crusade for Christ.
==Playing career==
Henderson played left wing in various professional leagues in North America, as well as for Team Canada in international competitions. Henderson is best known for scoring hockey's most famous goal (a.k.a. the Goal of the Century), helping Team Canada clinch the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union with only 34 seconds left in the final game.
Henderson started his junior career with the Goderich Sailors of the Western Jr. 'B' Hockey League. He took them into the playoffs, before being eliminated by the Sarnia Legionnaires. After that, he played with the Hamilton Red Wings of the OHA from 1960 to 1963. He would help lead Hamilton to the Memorial Cup title in 1962.
Henderson played 13 seasons in the NHL. He began his career in 1962 with the Detroit Red Wings, staying there until 1968 (with the exception of the 1963 season, when he played for the Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL). He was traded by Detroit with Norm Ullman and Floyd Smith to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Frank Mahovlich, Garry Unger, Pete Stemkowski and the contract rights to Carl Brewer on March 3, 1968.
He was among the NHL players selected to compete against the USSR in the 1972 Summit Series. He became famous in Canada after scoring the winning goals in the final three games of the eight-game series, securing the Canadian victory. He also played for Canada in the 1974 Summit Series in which Canadian WHA players were pitted against the Soviet team.
In 1974, Henderson left the Maple Leafs and the NHL altogether, jumping to the rival WHA where he played for the Toronto Toros. He remained with the Toros franchise after its relocation to Birmingham, Alabama and re-named the Birmingham Bulls. He stayed with the team when it transferred to the CHL in 1979.
He returned to the NHL in 1980 for one final season, playing for the Atlanta Flames. The following season he returned to the CHL's Birmingham Bulls and retired in 1981.
==Hockey Hall of Fame==
Henderson has not been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and there is much debate over his omission. He scored one of the most famous goals in hockey and Canadian sports history when he scored the winning goal in the deciding game eight of the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union. If Henderson was inducted, it would be due almost entirely to the historical significance of that goal (plus his game-winners in games six and seven as well). Although his NHL numbers were respectable (236 goals and 477 points in 707 career NHL games), they are not close to the levels of those generally selected for induction. His candidacy has led to many debates among hockey fans, because although his performance in the Summit Series made him one of the most well known names in hockey, many fans feel that it is not right to honour a player's entire career because of one highlight. However the Hall of Fame is not controlled by the NHL nor is it officially connected with it, so his play in the WHA would be relevant.
During a press conference on the 30th anniversary celebrations of the series in 2002, Henderson criticized former linemate Bobby Clarke for his slash on Valeri Kharlamov's ankle, which neutralized the Soviet star for the rest of the series, dubbing the move "the lowpoint of the series". Clarke responded that Henderson had made his career entirely on the historical significance of the series-winning goal, and that Henderson would have remained an unknown if he had not scored this goal. Clarke went on to say "I think it's improper to criticize a teammate 30 years later. If it was so offensive, why didn't he bother to say something after the game?" Henderson has since retracted his criticism.
==Awards==
*Led the Ontario Hockey Association Junior "A" League in goals in 1963 (49)
*Played in the 1972 NHL All-Star Game
*Played in the 1973 NHL All-Star Game
*MasterWorks honouree (2004) by the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada (video clip).
*Received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Tyndale University College and Seminary, May 2007.Graduation Service Heralds Milestone, Tyndale Connection (Fall 2007): 11.
==Records==
*Most game-winning goals in 1972 Summit Series (3; record was co-held by Vladimir Vikulov (2), prior to Game 8)
*Most consecutive game-winning goals in 1972 Summit Series (3; record was co-held by Vladimir Vikulov (2), prior to Game 8)
*Most goals in 1972 Summit Series (7, tied with Phil Esposito and Alexander Yakushev)
*One of three players (the others being Frank Mahovlich and Pat Stapleton) to have played for Canada in the 1972 Summit Series and 1974 Summit Series
==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
1960–61 	Hamilton Red Wings 	OHA 	 	30 	1 	3 	4 	9 	 	12 	1 	1 	2 	4
1961–62 	Hamilton Red Wings 	OHA 	 	50 	24 	19 	43 	68 	 	10 	4 	6 	10 	13
1962–63 	Hamilton Red Wings 	OHA 	 	48 	49 	27 	76 	53 	 	3 	2 	0 	2 	0
1962–63 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	9 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1963–64 	Pittsburgh Hornets 	AHL 	 	38 	10 	14 	24 	18 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1963–64 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	32 	3 	3 	6 	14 	 	14 	2 	3 	5 	6
1964–65 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	70 	8 	13 	21 	30 	 	7 	0 	2 	2 	0
1965–66 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	69 	22 	24 	46 	34 	 	12 	3 	3 	6 	10
1966–67 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	46 	21 	19 	40 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1967–68 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	50 	13 	20 	33 	35 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1967–68 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	13 	5 	6 	11 	8 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1968–69 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	74 	27 	32 	59 	16 	 	4 	0 	1 	1 	0
1969–70 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	67 	20 	22 	42 	18 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1970–71 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	72 	30 	30 	60 	34 	 	6 	5 	1 	6 	4
1971–72 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	73 	38 	19 	57 	32 	 	5 	1 	2 	3 	6
1972–73 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	40 	18 	16 	34 	18 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1973–74 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	69 	24 	31 	55 	40 	 	4 	0 	2 	2 	2
1974–75 	Toronto Toros 	WHA 	 	58 	30 	33 	63 	18 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1975–76 	Toronto Toros 	WHA 	 	65 	26 	29 	55 	22 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1976–77 	Birmingham Bulls 	WHA 	 	81 	23 	25 	48 	30 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1977–78 	Birmingham Bulls 	WHA 	 	80 	37 	29 	66 	22 	 	5 	1 	1 	2 	0
1978–79 	Birmingham Bulls 	WHA 	 	76 	24 	27 	51 	20 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1979–80 	Birmingham Bulls 	CHL 	 	47 	17 	18 	35 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1979–80 	Atlanta Flames 	NHL 	 	30 	7 	6 	13 	6 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	0
1980–81 	Birmingham Bulls 	CHL 	 	35 	6 	11 	17 	38 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	707 	236 	241 	477 	304 	 	56 	11 	14 	25 	28
WHA totals	WHA totals 	WHA totals	 	360 	140 	143 	283 	112 	 	5 	1 	1 	2 	0
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==International play==
*Played for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series.
*Played for Team Canada in the 1974 Summit Series.
*One of three players to have played for Team Canada in both Summit Series. The other two were Pat Stapleton and Frank Mahovlich.
International statistics
Year	Team 	Event 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1972	Canada	Summit	8 	7	3	10 	4
1974	Canada	Summit	7 	2	1	3 	0
==References==
 
Category:Atlanta Flames players