Lorne Molleken

1 NHL Game

November 17, 1984 Minnesota North Stars vs Detroit Red Wings. 3-3 tie.

   November 7, 1984 North Stars goalie Don Beaupre was involved in a violent incident that saw him hit Ric Seiling of the Buffalo Sabres on head with his goalie stick. It took the National Hockey League over a week to review the incident and subsequently suspend Beaupre. North Stars general manager Lou Nanne recalled Lorne Molleken from the Springfield Indians to take Beaupre's place on the roster. Molleken briefly served as backup goalie to Gilles Meloche. Lacking confidence in his netminders, Nanne acquired three-time Stanley Cup winner Rollie Melanson from the New York Islanders, who arrived before Beaupre had finished serving his six-game suspension. With Melanson in town, Molleken was the odd man out and sent back to the minors.

  Molleken was an undrafted goalie who was signed by the LA Kings in the late 1970s. In 1977/78, as a member of the Saginaw Gears, Molleken was co-winner of the James Norris Trophy as the goaltending duo with the lowest goals against average in the IHL. He was very close to getting his first taste of the NHL with the Kings. During the 1978/79 season they were short netminders and Molleken was at the top of their prospect list. "I was about the be called up when I broke my hand and they called up Doug Keans, he never came back," said Molleken many years later.(1) The early 1980s saw Molleken get a second NHL contract, this time with the New York Islanders. Playing for the IHL's Toledo Goaldiggers he won the James Norris Trophy again in 1982 and 1983. In 1982/83 Molleken was named an IHL 1st team All-Star and he helped the Todelo Goaldiggers win their second IHL Turner Cup as league champs in as many years. 1984, Molleken was signed by the Minnesota North Stars, who would later recall him to the NHL. March, 1985 Molleken was traded from Minnesota back to his old club, the New York Islanders, who were looking to acquire some goaltending depth entering the playoffs. Molleken hung up his skates at the end of the season and embarked on a lengthy coaching career.

  In 1998 Lorne Molleken finally secured a full time job in the NHL, as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks. By the end of the season he had been promoted to the 32nd head coach in Blackhawks history. Molleken was fired before coaching a full season in Chicago. He later returned to the NHL as an assistant coach with the 2002/03 San Jose Sharks and later the 2003/04 Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Career stats from hockeydb.com

Born Jun 11 1956 -- Regina, SASK 

Height 6.01 -- Weight 190

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
1972-73	Swift Current Broncos	WCHL	9	0	2	233	25	0	0	6.44
1973-74	Swift Current Broncos	WCHL	50	3	2	2516	181	0	0	4.31	22	14	6	1193	0.868
1974-75	Lethbridge Broncos	WCHL	19	0	12	975	73	0	0	4.49	6	9	1	498	0.872	-	-	-
1974-75	Winnipeg Clubs	WCHL	36	0	38	2078	154	0	0	4.44	18	13	6	1078	0.875	-	-	-
1975-76	Winnipeg Clubs	WCHL	46	1	18	2270	201	0	1	5.31	15	20	4	1177	0.854	6	0	0
1976-77	Philadelphia Firebirds	NAHL	32	1	2	1543	101	8	0	3.93	11	12	2	902	0.899	1	1	0
1977-78	Saginaw Gears	IHL	39	1	0											-	-	-
1978-79	Springfield Indians	AHL	44	0	6	2416	144	4	0	3.58	17	19	5	1023	0.877	-	-	-
1979-80	Binghamton Dusters	AHL	31	1	14	1748	112	4	0	3.85	9	18	2	782	0.886	-	-	-
1981-82	Indianapolis Checkers	CHL	4	0	0	195	12	0	0	3.69	0	3	0	72	0.857	-	-	-
1981-82	Toledo Goaldiggers	IHL	50	3	24	2893	179	3	1	3.71						7	0	0
1982-83	Toledo Goaldiggers	IHL	48	5	12	2891	148	0	0	3.07						10	1	8
1983-84	Indianapolis Checkers	CHL	6	0	0											1	0	0
1983-84	Toledo Goaldiggers	IHL	56	4	22											13	0	4
1984-85	Springfield Indians	AHL	34	0	19	1770	129	3	1	4.37	12	17	0	884	0.873	2	0	0
1984-85	Toledo Goaldiggers	IHL	2	1	12											-	-	-

(1) Article written by Jim Hodges Feb 27, 1999 for Los Angeles Times