Wayne Maki facts for kids

Wayne Maki
Born	(1944-11-20)November 20, 1944 Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Died	May 12, 1974(1974-05-12) (aged 29)
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Played for	Chicago Black Hawks St. Louis Blues Vancouver Canucks
NHL Draft	24th overall, 1970 NHL Expansion Draft
Playing career	1965–1973

Wayne Maki (November 20, 1944 – May 12, 1974) was a Canadian ice hockey left winger. Maki played 246 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played with the Chicago Black Hawks, St. Louis Blues, and Vancouver Canucks.

Career

Before playing in the NHL, Maki played 56 games with the St. Catharines Black Hawks of the OHA and 2 seasons with the St. Louis Braves of the CPHL. He started his NHL career in 1967 with the Chicago Black Hawks where he played with his brother Chico Maki. He played 50 games with the Black Hawks and 62 games with their minor-league affiliate Dallas Black Hawks. Maki was picked up by the St. Louis Blues in 1969.

On September 21, 1969, during a preseason game between the Blues and the Boston Bruins, Maki got into a bloody, violent stick-swinging fight with Bruins defenceman "Terrible" Ted Green. As a result of the fight, Maki suffered a fractured skull and a brain injury. Maki was suspended for 30 days and fined. He was later sent down to the AHL to play 39 games with the Buffalo Bisons.

During the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft, Maki was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks 24th overall. He became a star with team and was one of the Canucks leading scorers in his 2 full seasons with them. Maki's career was cut short when he found out that he was diagnosed with brain cancer in December 1972. He died from the cancer on May 12, 1974, he was only 29. His jersey number #11 was retired by the Canucks until Mark Messier who wore the number during his time with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers played for them.