Wayne Maki

Wayne Maki (November 10, 1944 – May 12, 1974) was a professional ice hockey player and an early star of the Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Early life Maki was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and he was of Finnish descent. He broke into professional hockey in 1964 with the St. Louis Braves of the Central Hockey League (CPHL), and joined the Chicago Black Hawks at left wing for the 1967–68 season, playing the year with his older brother Chico.

Pro career Maki was claimed by the St. Louis Blues in 1969. In a preseason game on September 21, 1969 in Ottawa Ontario, Maki and Boston Bruins defenceman "Terrible" Ted Green engaged in a bloody, violent stick-swinging fight; Green was hit in the head and suffered a fractured skull and a brain injury. Maki and Green were both charged with assault as a result of the incident, the first time NHL players faced charges as a result of on-ice violence; both were acquitted. Maki was suspended by the NHL for 30 days.

Legacy Chris Oddleifson wore the number 11 for Vancouver for the latter end of the 1973-74 season before changing his number. The Canucks unofficially retired Maki's number 11 jersey until Mark Messier, who had worn number 11 with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers, joined the team in 1997. The Canucks allowed Messier to wear the number over the protest of Maki's family. After Messier left the team in 2000, no player has worn the number 11 since for Vancouver.

Maki's NHL career statistics were: 246 games played, 57 goals, 79 assists, 136 points, and 184 penalty minutes in regular season play, and two games played, one goal, no assists, one point, and two penalty minutes in the playoffs.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1963–64 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds NOJHA 36 43 31 74 44 — — — — — 1964–65 St. Catharines Black Hawks OHA-Jr. 56 29 48 77 43 4 3 4 7 10 1964–65 St. Louis Braves CPHL 3 0 0 0 4 — — — — — 1965–66 St. Louis Braves CPHL 69 25 26 51 46 2 0 1 1 13 1966–67 St. Louis Braves CPHL 67 31 28 59 69 — — — — — 1967–68 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 49 5 5 10 32 2 1 0 1 2 1967–68 Dallas Black Hawks CPHL 12 5 7 12 14 5 2 1 3 17 1968–69 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1968–69 Dallas Black Hawks CHL 50 25 24 49 74 11 7 7 14 37 1969–70 St. Louis Blues NHL 16 2 1 3 4 — — — — — 1969–70 Buffalo Bisons AHL 40 13 20 33 72 14 4 4 8 61 1970–71 Vancouver Canucks NHL 78 25 38 63 99 — — — — — 1971–72 Vancouver Canucks NHL 76 22 25 47 43 — — — — — 1972–73 Vancouver Canucks NHL 26 3 10 13 6 — — — — — CPHL/CHL totals 251 86 85 171 207 18 9 9 18 67 NHL totals 246 57 79 136 184 2 1 0 1 2