Les Binkley

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Les Binkley
Born (1934-06-06) June 6, 1934 (age 87)
Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Right
Played for Pittsburgh Penguins
Ottawa Nationals
Toronto Toros
Playing career 1967–1976

Leslie John Binkley (born June 6, 1934 in Owen Sound, Ontario)[1] is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Binkley played goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins and in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros. He later served as a scout for both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets.

Career[]

Les Binkley spent his early career in the minor leagues and did not play in the NHL until his thirties. He won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the American Hockey League's top rookie in 1962, and was awarded the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award four years later for allowing the fewest goals in the league. Binkley was the starting goaltender for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the team's inaugural season in the NHL. During the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs, Binkley won six games--the first postseason victories for the Penguin franchise. After five seasons with the Penguins, he played in the WHA with the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros. Binkley played in 196 NHL regular season games and retired with a career GAA of 3.12.[2]

He won two Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 as a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins.[3]

Achievements and awards[]

  • EHL Second All-Star Team (1957)
  • Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (Rookie of the Year - AHL) (1962)
  • AHL Second All-Star Team (1964, 1966)
  • Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award (fewest goals against - AHL) (1966)
  • WHL Second All-Star Team (1967)
  • Two Stanley Cup championships as a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991 and 1992)
  • First NHL goaltender to wear contact lenses (1967)
  • First player signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins club in its first NHL season

Personal life[]

Binkley currently resides in Walkerton, Ontario, with his wife Eleanor. He has two children, Randall and Leslie, and five grandchildren, Jana, Jonathan, Curtis, Kara and Jordan. Curtis Binkley is also a goaltender, and was drafted by the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League in 2002.

Career statistics[]

   
Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA
1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 54 20 24 10 3141 151 6 2.88
1968–69 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 50 10 31 8 2885 158 0 3.29
1969–70 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 27 10 13 1 1477 79 3 3.21
1970–71 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 34 11 11 10 1870 89 2 2.86
1971–72 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 31 7 15 5 1673 98 0 3.51
1972–73 Ottawa Nationals WHA 30 10 17 1 1709 106 0 3.72
1973–74 Toronto Toros WHA 27 14 9 1 1412 77 1 3.27
1974–75 Toronto Toros WHA 17 6 4 0 772 47 0 3.65
1975–76 Toronto Toros WHA 7 0 6 0 335 32 0 5.73
1975–76 Buffalo Norsemen NAHL 24 11 8 0 1195 85 0 4.27
NHL Totals 196 58 94 34 11046 575 11 3.12

References[]

  1. ^ "Binkley excited for Murray, Penguins". NHL.com.
  2. ^ "Les Binkley - Stats - NHL.com - Players". NHL. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  3. ^ Les Binkley biography at Legends of Hockey (archived). Retrieved October 13, 2006.

External links[]

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