Wilf Paiement

Wilfrid Paiement, Jr. (; born October 16, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right wing who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1974 through 1988, for seven different NHL teams. He is the younger brother of former NHL hockey player Rosaire Paiement.

Playing career

Wilf Paiement was the second overall selection in the first round of the 1974 NHL amateur draft by the Kansas City Scouts. He played two seasons in Kansas City before the team moved to Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies.

Paiement was a member of the Canadian team that returned to the World Championship in Austria in 1977 after seven years of absence. During the tournament, frustrated by the lack of success, many members of Team Canada, including Paiement, resorted to violence. Paiement attacked Swedish player Lars-Erik Ericsson (who received a stick in the eye) on April 22, as well as Russian player Sergei Babinov (who was struck on the head by Paiement's hockey stick) after the score reached 8-0 in an 11-1 Team Canada loss. "Wilf Paiement was the worst coward I ever saw on ice", said Swedish player Lars-Gunnar Lundberg, who played in the Swedish national team of 1977 in an interview in 2016.

On October 25, 1978, Paiement attacked Detroit Red Wings centre Dennis Polonich with his stick. The diminutive five-foot-six-inch Polonich was trash-talking with Paiement, when Paiement struck Polonich's across the face with a two-handed slash, which resulted in severe facial lacerations, a smashed nose that required extensive reconstructive surgery, and a severe concussion. Paiement received a match penalty. Initially suspended indefinitely Paiement had two league hearings before his sentence was reduced to 15 games, of which he had already served six. was given the second longest (at the time) suspension in NHL history - 15 games. Polonich sued, and was rewarded with a settlement of $850,000 on August 17, 1982.

Paiement was traded from the Rockies to the Toronto Maple Leafs along with Pat Hickey for Lanny McDonald and Joel Quenneville on December 29, 1979.

Paiement played in Toronto for the next three seasons before again being traded to the Quebec Nordiques for Miroslav Frycer and a 7th round pick in the 1982 NHL entry draft (Jeff Triano). After five seasons in Quebec, he was traded to the New York Rangers for Steve Patrick where he only played eight regular season games and 16 playoff games.

The Buffalo Sabres claimed Paiement in the 1986 waiver draft on October 6, 1986. He only played one season in Buffalo before rounding out his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins and finally, the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League (IHL) in 1987–88. At the time of his retirement, he was the last active player who had played for the Kansas City Scouts.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1971–72 Niagara Falls Flyers OHA-Jr. 34 6 13 19 74 6 0 1 1 17 1972–73 St. Catharines Black Hawks OHA-Jr. 61 18 27 45 173 — — — — — 1973–74 St. Catharines Black Hawks OHA-Jr. 70 50 73 123 134 — — — — — 1973–74 St. Catharines Black Hawks MC — — — — — 3 1 0 1 17 1974–75 Kansas City Scouts NHL 78 26 13 39 101 — — — — — 1975–76 Kansas City Scouts NHL 57 21 22 43 121 — — — — — 1976–77 Colorado Rockies NHL 78 41 40 81 101 — — — — — 1977–78 Colorado Rockies NHL 80 31 56 87 114 2 0 0 0 7 1978–79 Colorado Rockies NHL 65 24 36 60 80 — — — — — 1979–80 Colorado Rockies NHL 34 10 16 26 41 — — — — — 1979–80 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 41 20 28 48 72 3 0 2 2 17 1980–81 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 77 40 57 97 145 3 0 0 0 2 1981–82 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 69 18 40 58 203 — — — — — 1981–82 Quebec Nordiques NHL 8 7 6 13 18 14 6 6 12 28 1982–83 Quebec Nordiques NHL 80 26 38 64 170 4 0 1 1 4 1983–84 Quebec Nordiques NHL 80 39 37 76 121 9 3 1 4 24 1984–85 Quebec Nordiques NHL 68 23 28 51 165 18 4 2 6 58 1985–86 Quebec Nordiques NHL 44 7 12 19 145 — — — — — 1985–86 New York Rangers NHL 8 1 6 7 13 16 5 5 10 45 1986–87 Buffalo Sabres NHL 56 20 17 37 108 — — — — — 1987–88 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 23 2 6 8 39 — — — — — 1987–88 Muskegon Lumberjacks IHL 28 17 18 35 52 5 0 2 2 15 NHL totals 946 356 458 814 1,757 69 18 17 35 185

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 1977 Canada WC 4th 10 5 5 10 32 1978 Canada WC 10 6 1 7 8 1979 Canada WC 4th 8 3 3 6 6 Senior totals 28 14 9 23 46

Achievements

Wilf Paiement was the first player drafted by the Kansas City Scouts/Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils organization. He played in both the first games of the Scouts and the Rockies. Upon his retirement from the NHL, Paiement was the last active player to have played for the Scouts.

While Paiement was playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs he wore the number 99 for the 187 games he spent in Toronto, and was the last player other than Wayne Gretzky to wear that number, last wearing it on March 6, 1982 against the Montreal Canadiens. Referencing his time using the number 99, Paiement appeared in a commercial for the Canadian furniture store Leon's in 2008, in honour of their 99th anniversary. The commercial teased the appearance of Gretzky before revealing Paiement, who then said "What, you're expecting someone else?"

Awards OMJHL First All-Star Team – 1974 WEC–A Best Forward – 1979 (Tied with Sergei Makarov) NHL All–Star Team – 1976, 1977, 1978

Transactions July 15, 1976 – Transferred to Colorado after Kansas City franchise relocated. December 29, 1979 – Traded to Toronto by Colorado with Pat Hickey for Lanny McDonald and Joel Quenneville. March 9, 1982 – Traded to Quebec by Toronto for Miroslav Frycer and Quebec's 7th round choice (Jeff Triano) in 1982 Entry Draft. February 6, 1986 – Traded to NY Rangers by Quebec for Steve Patrick. October 6, 1986 – Claimed by Buffalo from NY Rangers in Waiver Draft. September 10, 1987 – Signed as a free agent by Pittsburgh.