Glenn Anderson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glenn Anderson
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2008
Anderson in 2008
Born	(1960-10-02) October 2, 1960 (age 64) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Edmonton Oilers Toronto Maple Leafs New York Rangers St. Louis Blues Lukko Augsburger Panther HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	69th overall, 1979 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	1980–1997
Medal record Representing  Canada Men's ice hockey Canada Cup Gold 1984 Canada Gold 1987 Canada World Championships Silver 1989 Sweden

Glenn Chris Anderson (born October 2, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played for 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is famous for playing his best in important games. People called him a "money" player because of this.

Glenn Anderson scored five playoff overtime goals. This ranks him third in NHL history. He also scored 17 playoff game-winning goals, which is fifth all-time. In the playoffs, he had 93 goals, 121 assists, and 214 points. These numbers are among the highest in NHL history. He also holds the record for most regular season game-winning goals for the Edmonton Oilers with 72.

Anderson loved playing in international tournaments. He chose to play for Team Canada in the 1980 Winter Olympics. This was even before joining the Oilers, who drafted him in 1979. He won gold medals at the 1984 and 1987 Canada Cup. He also won a silver medal at the 1989 Ice Hockey World Championships.

During his NHL career, Anderson won six Stanley Cups. He won five with the Oilers and one with the New York Rangers. He also played in four All-Star Games. He is one of only seven Oilers players to win all five Cups in the team's history. In 1996, he played for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup in Europe. He was named the MVP of that tournament. Anderson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 10, 2008. The Oilers retired his jersey number, 9, on January 18, 2009.

Early Life and Inspiration

Glenn Anderson was born in Vancouver, Canada. He grew up in Burnaby, British Columbia. His father was from Norway, and his mother was from Ukraine. As a young child, Glenn did not like hockey at first. His very first goal was actually in his own net! But by age 12, he realized he had a special talent. He started loving the game more as he improved his powerful skating skills.

When he was young, Glenn played hockey with friends. One of them was Michael J. Fox, who later became a famous actor. Glenn's hockey hero was Alexander Yakushev from the Soviet team. He watched Yakushev play in the 1972 Summit Series. Glenn later produced a documentary called "To Russia With Love." It was about how Russian hockey changed the Canadian game.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting His Hockey Journey

Anderson began his junior hockey career in 1977. He played for the Bellingham Blazers. In his only season there, he scored 62 goals and 69 assists. This was a great start! He was even named to the league's Second All-Star Team.

In 1978, Anderson went to play for the University of Denver hockey team. He led the team in points with 55 in 41 games.

The Edmonton Oilers drafted Anderson in 1979. He was the 69th player chosen overall. Instead of joining the Oilers right away, he decided to play for Team Canada. This was for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Playing for the national team helped him improve his skills a lot. He scored four points in six games during the Olympics.

Becoming an Edmonton Oiler

The Canadian National Team program ended in 1980. Anderson then chose to join the Oilers. He made his professional debut in the 1980–81 season. He scored 30 goals and 23 assists in 58 games. The Oilers made the playoffs that year. They surprised everyone by beating the Montreal Canadiens. This was a huge upset! Anderson scored 12 points in 9 playoff games. He quickly showed he was a "fierce" playoff performer.

In his second season, 1981–82, Anderson had career highs. He got 67 assists and 105 points. His team went from fourth place to first in their division.

The next season, Anderson scored 48 goals and 56 assists for 104 points. The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. They played against the New York Islanders. The Islanders were trying to win their fourth Stanley Cup in a row. The Oilers lost in four games. But this loss taught them a valuable lesson for future championships.

The Oilers won their division again in 1983–84. Anderson scored a career-high 54 goals. He also played in his first All-Star Game. In the playoffs, the Oilers reached the Finals again. They faced the Islanders once more. This time, the Oilers won in five games! This ended the Islanders' winning streak. It also started the Oilers' own amazing dynasty. Anderson scored 17 points in these playoffs.

At the start of the 1984–85 season, Anderson signed a long contract with the Oilers. He scored 42 goals and 81 points. His team won the division title again. Anderson also played in the All-Star Game. For the third year in a row, the Oilers reached the Finals. They beat the Philadelphia Flyers in five games. Anderson had a career-high 16 assists during this playoff run.

The 1985–86 season was another big one for Anderson. He scored 54 goals and 48 assists, totaling 102 points. This was his second time scoring 50 goals and third time reaching 100 points. He also played in his third straight All-Star Game. The Oilers won their division for the fifth year in a row. However, they were eliminated in the division finals by the Calgary Flames.

The Oilers bounced back the next season. They won their third Stanley Cup by beating the Flyers in seven games. Anderson set career highs in goals (14), points (27), and penalty minutes (59) during these playoffs.

In 1987–88, the Oilers finished second in their division. Anderson scored 88 points and played in the All-Star Game. During the 1988 playoffs, Anderson's friend passed away. This sad event inspired him to play even better. He scored 9 goals and 16 assists for 25 points. This helped the Oilers win their fourth Stanley Cup. His 16 assists tied his career high.

The Oilers made a surprise appearance in the Finals in 1989–90. They beat the Boston Bruins in five games. This was their fifth Stanley Cup win. Anderson scored 22 points. He became one of only seven players to be part of all five Oilers dynasty Cup wins.

After the 1990–91 season, the Oilers wanted to rebuild their team with younger players. Anderson was part of a big trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had scored 417 goals, 489 assists, and 906 points with the Oilers. These numbers rank him among the top players in franchise history. His 126 powerplay goals are the most in Oilers history.

Later Career Teams

Anderson played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for two full seasons and part of another. He scored 20 goals in back-to-back seasons. He also reached a big milestone of 1000 career points with the Maple Leafs. In the 1992–93 playoffs, Anderson had 18 points in 21 games. He scored an overtime goal that gave the Leafs a 3–2 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.

In 1993–94, Anderson was traded to the New York Rangers. There, he reunited with many former Oilers teammates, including his friend Mark Messier. The Rangers made it to the Finals. They defeated the Vancouver Canucks in seven games. This was the Rangers' first Stanley Cup victory since 1940! Anderson scored three goals in the Finals, two of which were game-winners. This was his sixth Stanley Cup win.

Because of the 1994–95 NHL lock-out, Anderson played hockey in Europe. He played in Germany and Finland. After the lockout, Anderson signed with the St. Louis Blues. He played 42 games for them. He later returned to Europe and played in Switzerland and Italy before retiring.

Playing for His Country

Glenn Anderson loved playing in international hockey competitions. His first big international event was the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Canada finished sixth, and Anderson scored four points. He later said that the practice he got for the Olympics helped him a lot in his NHL career.

Anderson played in the 1984 Canada Cup. Eight of his Oilers teammates were also on the team. Canada won the Cup by beating Sweden 2–0 in the final series. Anderson scored five points in the tournament. He also played in the 1987 Canada Cup. Canada reached the finals again, this time against the Soviet Union. Canada won the series in three very close games. All three games ended 6–5, and the first two went into overtime! Anderson had three points in this tournament.

In 1989, Anderson played in the Ice Hockey World Championships for the first time. He helped Canada win the silver medal. The Soviets won the gold. Three years later, in 1992, Anderson played in the World Championships again. Canada was eliminated by Finland. Anderson scored three points in the tournament.

Anderson really wanted to play in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway. He even had a special agreement with his team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, to let him go. But the NHL changed its rules. They said only players with less than one year of NHL experience could play in the Olympics. So, Anderson was told he couldn't play in the NHL if he went to the Olympics. He didn't get on the plane. This decision made many people in Canada very upset. Canada won a silver medal at those Olympics. The NHL later allowed its players to go to the next Olympics in Nagano.

Playing Style and Legacy

Anderson was known for his aggressive "to the net" playing style. He was a great example of a "power forward" in the early 1980s. He loved to drive towards the net and also pass to his teammates from behind the net. He was called a "money" player because he played his best in important, high-pressure games.

He scored five playoff overtime goals and 17 playoff game-winning goals. These are amazing numbers in NHL history. In the playoffs, he had 93 goals, 121 assists, and 214 points. His 72 regular season game-winning goals with the Oilers are the most in the team's history.

Glenn Anderson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 10, 2008. His jersey number 9 was retired by the Oilers on January 18, 2009. This special day was chosen because his former Oilers teammates, Wayne Gretzky and Grant Fuhr, were coaching for the opposing team that night.

Today, Anderson lives in Manhattan, New York with his family. He is retired from playing, but he still teaches hockey. He also runs "fantasy camps" where fans can play hockey with him. He sometimes works as a commentator and analyst for hockey programs.

Anderson also took part in Battle of the Blades. This TV show pairs hockey players with figure skaters. He and his partner, Isabelle Brasseur, were the second pair to be eliminated. They earned $12,500 for their charities, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Cross Cancer Institute.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

1996 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland

Awards and Honors