Ryan Walter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ryan Walter |
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Walter in 2011
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| Born | April 23, 1958 New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | |||||||||||||||
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb) | |||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | |||||||||||||||
| Shot | Left | |||||||||||||||
| Played for | Washington Capitals Montreal Canadiens Vancouver Canucks |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| NHL Draft | 2nd overall, 1978 Washington Capitals |
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| Playing career | 1978–1993 | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Ryan William Walter, born on April 23, 1958, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a centre for 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). A big highlight of his career was winning the Stanley Cup in 1986 with the Montreal Canadiens.
After playing, Ryan Walter became an assistant coach for the Vancouver Canucks. He also coached the Canadian National Women's hockey team. Later, he worked as a hockey broadcaster and was president of the Abbotsford Heat, a minor league hockey team.
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Early Life
Ryan Walter was born in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. He grew up in Burnaby, British Columbia. When he was young, he played in the 1971 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He played with a minor ice hockey team from Burnaby.
NHL Career Highlights
The Washington Capitals picked Ryan Walter second overall in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. In his second season, the Capitals made him their team captain. At that time, he was the youngest player in NHL history to be a captain.
In September 1982, Walter was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. This was a big trade involving six players. With the Canadiens, Walter won the Stanley Cup in 1986. Even though he was injured for most of the playoffs, his name is still on the Cup.
In the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals, he scored an important goal in game three. This goal gave the Canadiens a 2–1 lead in the series. However, the Calgary Flames ended up winning that series. In 1991, he joined the Vancouver Canucks. He played his last two seasons there. In 1992, he won the Budweiser NHL Man of the Year Award. Ryan Walter was known as a tough and hard-working player. He was also very good at winning face-offs. He also served as a vice president for the NHLPA.
After Playing Hockey
After his playing career, Ryan Walter worked as a hockey commentator for TSN. He covered NHL games, junior hockey, and international tournaments. He also worked on Vancouver Canucks television broadcasts.
Coaching and Management
On June 17, 2008, Walter became an assistant coach for the Vancouver Canucks. He worked with head coach Alain Vigneault. He left this role after the 2009–10 season. In September 2010, Ryan Walter was named head coach of Canada's women's hockey team. They won the gold medal at the 2010 Four Nations Cup.
From 2011 to 2014, Walter was the president of the Abbotsford Heat. This team was a minor-league affiliate of the Calgary Flames.
Personal Life
Ryan Walter is also a motivational speaker and author. He uses his experiences from hockey to teach about business and success.
He had a small role in the movie Miracle. In the movie, he played the referee in the game between the US and USSR. Disney also hired him as a hockey expert for the movie. He was a hockey expert for the TV show Making the Cut: Last Man Standing. He also appeared as himself on the Canadian animated TV show Being Ian.
Ryan Walter and his wife, Jennifer, have three sons. All of their sons also play hockey. His oldest son, Ben, played 24 games in the NHL.
Awards
- WCHL First All-Star Team – 1978
See also
- List of NHL players with 1000 games played
