Mike Wong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mike Wong |
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| Born | January 14, 1955 Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States |
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| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 204 lb (93 kg; 14 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Center | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Detroit Red Wings | ||
| NHL Draft | 77th overall, 1975 Detroit Red Wings |
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| WHA Draft | 32nd overall, 1974 Indianapolis Racers |
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| Playing career | 1975–1979 | ||
Michael Anthony Wong, born on January 14, 1955, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a retired American ice hockey player. He played as a forward for the Detroit Red Wings during the 1975–76 season. Before his hockey career, Michael was also a boxing champion, winning the Minnesota Golden Gloves title. He was chosen by the Red Wings in the 1975 NHL Draft. Michael Wong has Chinese heritage.
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Michael Wong's Hockey Journey
Starting in Junior Hockey
Michael Wong began his hockey journey playing junior hockey in Minnesota. He was chosen to join the American national junior team for the 1974 World Junior Championships. This was the very first year of this big tournament, and it took place in Leningrad. Wong played in five games during the championship.
After that, Wong joined the Montreal Juniors team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. During the 1974–75 season, he had a great year. He scored 27 goals and made 41 assists, adding up to 68 points for his team.
Joining the Pros
The Detroit Red Wings picked Michael Wong in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. He was their 7th pick, which was 77th overall in the draft. Before that, he was also drafted by the Indianapolis Racers in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft. The Racers were part of the World Hockey Association, another major league at the time.
Wong started the 1975–76 season playing for the Kalamazoo Wings in the International Hockey League (IHL). He played very well, scoring 42 points in 39 games. Because of his strong play, he was called up to play for the Detroit Red Wings on October 11, 1975. His first game with Detroit was against the California Golden Seals.
Michael Wong played 22 games for the Red Wings. During his time in the NHL, he scored one goal and made one assist. After his time with the Red Wings, he continued to play in other leagues.
Playing in Different Leagues
For the next three seasons, Michael Wong played for several different teams. He often split his time between the Kalamazoo Wings in the IHL and other teams. In the 1976–77 season, he played for the Rhode Island Reds in the American Hockey League (AHL).
He then played for the Muskegon Mohawks in the IHL during the 1977–78 season. His last professional team was the Johnstown Red Wings in the North East Hockey League (NEHL) in 1978–79. Michael Wong decided to retire from professional hockey after the 1978–79 season.
Life After Hockey
After retiring from professional hockey, Michael Wong returned to Minnesota. He spent several years in Bloomington, Minnesota. There, he played for a U.S. senior elite team called Buck's Unpainted Furniture. He also married his high school sweetheart.
Later, Michael Wong became a coach for his son Jason's youth hockey teams in Minnesota. Jason followed in his father's footsteps and went on to play junior and college hockey in Minnesota as well.
