Jack Valiquette – The Soo Greyhounds 1st Star (The Smart As Trees Podcast)

John Joseph Valiquette, more commonly recognized as Jack Valiquette, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. Valiquette played forward in the National Hockey League. He was born in 1954 from Aylmer, Ontario and was a first round selection in the NHL 1974 Amateur Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. His seven-year professional career also included time playing for the Colorado Rockies. Valiquette was sent to the minors in 1981 and decided to retire from the sport. Throughout his professional career, he played in 350 NHL games where he scored 84 goals and 134 assists.

Taken No. 1 overall in the 1973 Ontario Hockey League draft, he was a highly touted junior and won the Red Tilson Award in his lone season with the Greyhounds. Jack scored 63 goals and amassed 135 points in his lone season as a Soo Greyhound. He turned pro when the Leafs took him in the first round (13th overall) in the 1974 amateur draft.

Jack was the recipient of the Red Tilson Trophy, Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, and Emms Family Award in his junior career as the outstanding player, the leading scorer, and the leading rookie in the Ontario Hockey League.

Valiquette played 172 games with the Leafs; his best season there was a 45-point campaign in 1976-77. His third and final season with the club was highlighted by its dramatic Game 7 OT Stanley Cup quarterfinal victory over the dynasty-in-waiting New York Islanders. Traded to the Rockies ahead of the 1979-80 campaign, he had 23 and 25 goal seasons for Colorado.

In 2021, Valiquette was named the Carl Brewer Award winner, given to a retired Leaf in recognition of community involvement. Locally, he has helped several causes and been heavily involved with the team’s alumni organization. He also occasionally presents a Leafs sweater to an honoured member of Canada’s military during games at Scotiabank Arena.

Jack still bleeds blue and white and is as anxious and puzzled by the team’s lack of post-season success as anyone.

Visit: chl.ca/ohl-greyhounds

1973/74 SOO GREYHOUNDS (games/goals/assists/points/pim)

8 Jack Valiquette C 69 63 72 135 38 — — — — — ONT: St. Thomas 17
6 Cary Farelli F 70 51 74 125 92 — — — — — ONT: Pembroke 16
17 Charlie Simmer F 70 45 54 99 137 — — — — — ONT: Terrace Bay 19
9 Gary Gill F 67 28 36 64 57 — — — — — PQ: Montreal 17
4 Bill Reed D 63 13 43 56 240 — — — — — ONT: Toronto 19
24 Bruce Grady C 54 13 37 50 52 — — — — —
22 Mike Boland D 67 11 39 50 200 — — — — — ONT: London 18
7 Paul Woods F 48 17 32 49 91 — — — — — ONT: Hespeler 18
3 Scott Mabley 1 D 67 3 27 30 123 — — — — — ONT: Newmarket 19
12 Dave Tabb D 31 11 12 23 30 — — — — — ONT: Bowmanville 18
11 Lorne Jarrett F 64 14 8 22 61 — — — — — ONT: Sault Ste. Marie 19
2 Reid Bailey D 60 6 14 20 48 — — — — — ONT: Toronto 17
15 Gord Lorimer D 27 7 10 17 10 — — — — —
23 Rob Ralph L 39 3 12 15 99 — — — — — ONT: Dixie 17
14 Greg Keating F 57 3 12 15 25 — — — — — ONT: Oshawa 16
Doug MacKinnon D 37 4 4 8 147 — — — — — ONT: Dryden 18
Dale Allen R 33 0 7 7 32 — — — — — ONT: Emo 17
19 Dave Mancuso D 63 1 5 6 45 — — — — — ONT: Sault Ste. Marie 15
18 Dave Maciuk 14 2 3 5 30 — — — — —
Jim Mancuso 3 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
5 Erin Fostey D 17 0 1 1 35 — — — — —
30 Doug Nowels G 38 0 1 1 11 — — — — —
Vince Friyia C 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
Peter Yaciuk D 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — NY: New York 18
Bob Yaciuk D 2 0 0 0 11 — — — — — NY: New York 19
Randy Kelemen R 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — — MI: Detroit 17
Peter Huntley 5 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
1 Dave Legree G 10 0 0 0 2 — — — — — ONT: Toronto 18
Doug Stratton 11 0 0 0 13 — — — — —
Lou Moore 2 G 32 0 0 0 0 — — — — — ONT: Richmond Hill 18
1 Bill Thompson G 54 0 0 0 18 —

Running time: 51 minutes.