Gary Sargent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gary Sargent |
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| Born | February 18, 1954 Red Lake, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Los Angeles Kings Minnesota North Stars |
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| National team |  United States |
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| NHL Draft | 48th overall, 1974 Los Angeles Kings |
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| WHA Draft | 179th overall, 1974 Indianapolis Racers |
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| Playing career | 1974–1983 | ||
Gary Alan Sargent was born on February 18, 1954. He is a former professional ice hockey player from America. Gary played as a defenseman. He played 402 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). His teams were the Los Angeles Kings and the Minnesota North Stars. Gary played in the NHL between 1975 and 1983. He also played for the American national team. This was at the 1976 Canada Cup. Gary was a top player in college. His professional career ended early due to injuries.
Early Life and Sports
Gary Sargent is a member of the Ojibwa nation. He was born on a Native American reservation. Besides hockey, Gary was also good at other sports. He played high school baseball and gridiron football. He even received an offer to play professional baseball. This offer came from the Major League Baseball team, the Minnesota Twins. He also had offers for college football scholarships.
However, Gary chose to focus on hockey. Hockey ran in his family. His distant cousin, Henry Boucha, played in the NHL. Later, his first cousin, T. J. Oshie, also played in the NHL. Gary's younger brother, Earl Sargent, was also drafted by an NHL team. Earl played in minor league hockey.
Gary's Pro Hockey Career
The Los Angeles Kings picked Gary Sargent in the 1974 NHL Draft. He was the 48th player chosen overall. Gary joined the Kings in 1975. Before that, he played very well for the United States national hockey team. He played in the 1973 Ice Hockey World Championship. He also played in the 1974 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. In the junior tournament, he was named the most valuable defenseman.
After his first year with the Kings, he was named their best new player. Gary was also part of the US team at the first 1976 Canada Cup tournament. In the 1976-77 season, he was voted the Kings' best defenseman. During the 1977–78 season, Gary scored 54 points. He was a very important player for the team.
In the summer of 1978, Gary signed with the Minnesota North Stars. This was his home state team. Minnesota had to give three players to the Los Angeles Kings as a trade. Gary quickly became a key defenseman for the North Stars. He was on the ice for a large percentage of his team's goals. Gary was chosen for the 1980 NHL All-Star game. However, he could not play because of ongoing back and knee problems. These injuries eventually forced him to retire early in 1983. He missed most of the three seasons before his retirement.
After Playing Hockey
After retiring as a player, Gary Sargent returned to the Los Angeles Kings. He worked as a talent scout for them. He held this job from 1986 to 1988.
