Wayne King (ice hockey) facts for kids

For the American musician, songwriter, and bandleader, see Wayne King.

Wayne Gordon King (born September 4, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a winger in the National Hockey League (NHL). Wayne is of Ojibwe descent. He played for the California Golden Seals.

Wayne was known for his strong play. He was a tough forward who checked opponents hard. He was also a brave player in the corners of the rink.

Wayne King's Early Life

Wayne King was born in Midland, Ontario. This town is about an hour north of Toronto. He grew up in Port McNicoll, Ontario. His father was an engineer, and his mother stayed at home.

The King family was the only Native family in Port McNicoll. His parents had lived on reserves before moving to the bigger community. They moved to find work.

Wayne King's Hockey Career

Wayne started playing hockey at a young age. When he was 17, he played for the Midland Flyers. This team reached the finals in 1968–69.

That same year, a scout noticed Wayne. The scout was Hap Emms, who owned the Niagara Falls Flyers. Wayne then played for the Niagara Falls Flyers for two seasons. This was a Junior A team in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA).

Wayne was later signed by the California Golden Seals. This team was new to the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHL is the top professional ice hockey league.

He started his professional career in 1971–72. He played for the Columbus Seals in the IHL. This team was a "farm team" for the California Golden Seals. Farm teams help younger players get ready for the main league.

Wayne later played for the top farm team, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles. This team was in the Western Hockey League (WHL). In the 1973–74 season, Wayne had his best year. He scored 34 goals and made 34 assists in 76 games.

Wayne played 25 games for the California Golden Seals in the NHL during the 1974–75 season. He scored four goals and had seven assists. But then he got a serious knee injury. He tore ligaments during a collision with another player.

This injury made it harder for him to continue his NHL career. However, Wayne did not give up. He returned to play for California in 1975–76. The Golden Seals team stopped playing after the 1976 season. Wayne played 46 games in his final season (1976–77). He retired at the end of that year.

After hockey, Wayne worked at an auto body shop for two years. Then, he started a new career. He worked as a mental health worker and security guard. He worked at the Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre. This center is now called the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.

During this time, Wayne also became a registered practical nurse. He completed a two-year program to earn this title. As of 2004, Wayne worked for the government of Ontario. He also enjoyed playing golf in his free time.

Wayne King's Personal Life

After retiring from hockey in 1978, Wayne went back to his hometown. He returned to Midland, Ontario. He started a family with his wife, Shirley.

In 1979, they had their first child, a son named G.W. Four years later, in 1983, they had a daughter named MaKala. Wayne enjoyed playing hockey and fastball for fun after he retired. However, because of his knee injury from his playing days, he no longer plays these sports. He still plays golf often.