Larry Dyck

5 NHL Games

March 3, 1992 Minnesota North Stars vs Washington Capitals. 3-1 win.

March 5, 1992 Minnesota North Stars vs Detroit Red Wings. 4-2 win.

March 8, 1992 Minnesota North Stars vs Winnipeg Jets. 4-2 win.

February 3, 1996 San Jose Sharks vs Chicago Blackhawks. 1-4 loss.

February 5, 1996 San Jose Sharks vs Toronto Maple Leafs. 6-4 win.

   An NHL goalie with just one good eye? Sounds impossible but Larry Dyck persevered against all odds to carve out a decade long pro hockey career. As a child he was pronounced legally blind in his left eye. He could only see shadows and bright lights from the eye. Dyck, however, still excelled in hockey and baseball as a youth, never making any excuses for himself and saying it didn't effect his perception. "I didn't even know until I was older, going to school, and had a routine eye check." Dyck said. "I was always playing sports and I just never changed. I don't really think about it. For me, it's all I've ever known, so it seems normal. It's not as if I lost it during my career." At his first NHL training camp the North Stars gave him a powerful corrective lens as NHL rules required Dyck have two good eyes. His condition lead to his lasting hockey nickname, Deadeye Dyck. (1) (2) 

   Dyck was a first team All-Star in his last season as a junior player in the WHL. The undrafted goalie then spent two season playing for the University of Manitoba, being named to the league's All-Star team both years. In November, 1988 he signed his first NHL contract with the Minnesota North Stars. 

  Early March, 1992 the Minnesota North Stars demoted goalie Jon Casey to the IHL. Larry Dyck was recalled to take his place on the North Stars' roster. Dyck dressed as Darcy Wakaluk's backup for three games before Casey was recalled. 

   In September, 1995 the San Jose Sharks signed free agent Larry Dyck to provide some goaltending depth. February, 1996 San Jose lost goalie Wade Flaherty to a groin injury. Larry Dyck was recalled to backup Chris Terreri during the 2 games it took for Flaherty to recover. Sharks coach Jim Wiley was asked about Dyck's medical condition. "There has never been a fear in the organization's part to put him in net," Wiley said. "There's many a goalie with two good eyes who have come in and not played well. It is a human interest story not only because he's a good goaltender but obviously what he's had to go through. I've never seen one instance where you could attribute a bad performance or a bad goal to his handicap." (2)

Career stats from hockeydb.com

Born Dec 15 1965 -- Winkler, MAN 

Height 5.11 -- Weight 180

			RS Scoring			RS Goalie Stats										PO Scoring
Season	Team	Lge	GP	A	PIM	Min	GA	EN	SO	GAA	W	L	T	Svs	Pct	GP	A	PIM
1983-84	Regina Pats	WHL	26	0	17	1436	95	0	0	3.97	19	7	0	716	0.883	-	-	-
1984-85	Seattle Breakers	WHL	47	1	25	2332	218	0	0	5.61	17	20	3	1346	0.861	-	-	-
1985-86	Seattle Thunderbirds	WHL	56	3	4	3096	264	4	2	5.12						-	-	-
1987-88	U. of Manitoba	CWUAA	25	1	18	1567	113	1	0	4.33	13	12	0	801	0.876
1988-89	Kalamazoo Wings	IHL	42	4	18	2308	168	4	0	4.37	17	20	2	1188	0.876	-	-	-
1989-90	Kalamazoo Wings	IHL	36	2	4	1959	116	2	0	3.55	20	12	2	1076	0.903	7	0	2
1989-90	Knoxville Cherokees	ECHL	3	0	0	184	12	0	0	3.91	1	1	1	108	0.900	-	-	-
1990-91	Kalamazoo Wings	IHL	38	1	0	2182	133	0	0	3.66	21	15	0			1	0	2
1991-92	Kalamazoo Wings	IHL	57	2	12	3305	195	0	0	3.54	25	23	6			12	1	2
1992-93	Milwaukee Admirals	IHL	40	2	14	2328	131	4	0	3.38	23	9	5	1056	0.890	3	1	0
1993-94	Milwaukee Admirals	IHL	41	3	2	2145	121	2	0	3.38	15	13	7	1016	0.894	3	0	2
1994-95	Kansas City Blades	IHL	21	1	0	1257	52	0	1	2.48	13	6	2	601	0.920	19	0	0
1995-96	Mobile Mysticks	ECHL	3	0	0	180	14	0	0	4.67	1	1	1	103	0.880	-	-	-
1995-96	Kansas City Blades	IHL	39	1	12	2174	139	3	2	3.84	18	17	2	929	0.870	4	0	0
1996-97	Kansas City Blades	IHL	58	2	14	3146	159	2	2	3.03	26	14	11	1353	0.895	3	0	0
1997-98	Central Texas Stampede	WPHL	35	0	16	1857	105	1	1	3.39	21	12	1	935	0.899	4	0	10
1997-98	Houston Aeros	IHL	5	0	0	279	16	0	0	3.43	2	1	1	114	0.877	-	-	-
1997-98	Michigan K-Wings	IHL	2	0	0	119	10	0	0	5.04	0	2	0	56	0.848	3	0	0

(1) Associated Press. "Handicapped? Blades' Goalie Follows Puck with One Eye." The Seattle Times. Dec. 4, 1994. 

(2) Ross McKeon. "Sharks reserve goaltender has an eye for the game." San Fransisco Chronicle. Feb. 6, 1996.