Al MacInnis

The Pride of Cape Breton was known as a fierce competitor with a feared slapshot.  Al MacInnis had the hardest shot in the NHL – and wasn’t afraid to use it. MacInnis played his junior hockey for the Kitchener Rangers and was part of the powerful team that won the Memorial Cup in 1982.  Drafted 15th overall by the Calgary Flames, MacInnis earned 45 points in his rookie year.  That same season, while playing the St. Louis Blues, MacInnis wound up from behind the blue line and fired a massive thunderbolt of a shot towards goaltender Mike Liut. The impact split Liut’s mask and sent the goaltender to the ice as the puck dribbled over the goal line. MacInnis spent 13 seasons with Calgary, helping the Flames win their only Stanley Cup in 1989. He picked up the Conn Smythe trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs, as well as the Norris trophy for the league’s best defenceman. In 1994 – he was traded to St. Louis where he continued to drive hard as an offensive defenseman. He won the Norris again in 1999.MacInnis represented his country on numerous occasions – including at the 1991 Canada Cup.  But MacInnis became a true Canadian legend when we helped win gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games.Al retired in 2005 after 24 seasons. He sits 17th for all-time games played and 14th for all-time assists. His number 2 jersey has been retired by the St. Louis Blues.