Gerry Hart

Gerald William Hart (January 1, 1948 – May 12, 2023) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 730 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Quebec Nordiques, and St. Louis Blues between 1969 and 1982. He reached the NHL playoff semifinals four times in five seasons with the Islanders.

In 1979 he joined the Nordiques, who claimed him in the 1979 NHL expansion draft.

Hart retired from the NHL in 1982 and began living off his investments.

In October 1992, Hart, along with college roommates Thomas Mattioli and Randolph Nash, opened The Rinx recreation complex in Hidden Pond Park in Hauppauge, New York with a 20-year land lease from the Town of Islip. On May 26, 2004, Hart sold the popular ice rink and day camp to Francis J. Palamara, a business consultant, who formerly served as Executive Vice President for Aramark.

Hart died on May 12, 2023, at the age of 75.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1964–65 Flin Flon Bombers SJHL 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 1965–66 Flin Flon Bombers SJHL 57 7 10 17 170 — — — — — 1966–67 Flin Flon Bombers MJHL 46 22 28 50 189 14 5 14 19 90 1966–67 Flin Flon Bombers M-Cup — — — — — 6 1 2 3 48 1966–67 Port Arthur Marrs M-Cup — — — — — 5 0 2 2 23 1967–68 Flin Flon Bombers WCHL 58 13 38 51 290 15 1 7 8 43 1968–69 Fort Worth Wings CHL 26 2 3 5 52 — — — — — 1968–69 Baltimore Clippers AHL 38 2 6 8 88 4 0 1 1 23 1968–69 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1969–70 Fort Worth Wings CHL 64 2 19 21 226 7 0 4 4 26 1969–70 Detroit Red Wings NHL 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1970–71 Detroit Red Wings NHL 64 2 7 9 148 — — — — — 1971–72 Tidewater Wings AHL 28 4 9 13 146 — — — — — 1971–72 Fort Worth Wings CHL 14 1 4 5 84 — — — — — 1971–72 Detroit Red Wings NHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1972–73 New York Islanders NHL 47 1 11 12 158 — — — — — 1973–74 New York Islanders NHL 70 1 10 11 61 — — — — — 1974–75 New York Islanders NHL 71 4 14 18 143 17 2 2 4 42 1975–76 New York Islanders NHL 80 6 18 24 151 13 1 3 4 24 1976–77 New York Islanders NHL 80 4 18 22 98 12 0 2 2 23 1977–78 New York Islanders NHL 78 2 23 25 94 7 0 0 0 16 1978–79 New York Islanders NHL 50 2 14 16 78 9 0 2 2 10 1979–80 Quebec Nordiques NHL 71 3 23 26 59 — — — — — 1980–81 Nova Scotia Voyageurs AHL 2 0 3 3 2 — — — — — 1980–81 Quebec Nordiques NHL 6 0 0 0 10 — — — — — 1980–81 St. Louis Blues NHL 63 4 11 15 132 10 0 0 0 27 1981–82 St. Louis Blues NHL 35 0 1 1 102 10 0 3 3 33 1982–83 St. Louis Blues NHL 8 0 0 0 2 — — — — — NHL totals 730 29 150 179 1240 78 3 12 15 175

Awards and achievements MJHL First All-Star Team (1967) Turnbull Cup MJHL Championship (1967) WCJHL First All-Star Team (1968) Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame on Long Island in the Hockey Category with the Class of 1997.