Dennis Maruk: Small Stature, Big Numbers

Alex Ovechkin might be the current golden child of the Washington Capitals and the National Hockey League in general. O.V. might own the team’s single season record for goals but the Capitals record for most assists and most points in a season still belongs to Dennis Maruk.

Maruk was one of those players, like goaltending teammate with the California Golden Seals Gilles Meloche, that stayed slightly under the radar in the 1970’s and 1980’s NHL. In a league that had not yet heard of the word parity and didn’t have mass media coverage, a player that spent his career in places like Oakland, Cleveland, Minneapolis and Washington tended to not get his due respect.

Known as ‘Pee-Wee’ due to his 5’8″ 165 lb frame, Maruk defied the ever-present ‘size critics’ and put up great numbers from junior right on up to the big league. After playing just eight games with the OHA’s Toronto Marlboros in 1971-72, he finished in the league’s top ten point-getters over the next three seasons with the London Knights.

In 1972-73, he was honoured with the Emms Family Award as the OHA’s Rookie of the Year. In his final season with London, he scored 66 and assisted on 79 for 145 points in 65 games to finish third in scoring and earn the Red Tilson Trophy as league MVP.

The California Golden Seals selected Dennis in the second round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft, 21st overall. He was also taken the same year by the Cleveland Crusaders in the fifth round of the WHA draft, 65th overall. In his first and only year with the Golden Seals, Maruk put up outstanding rookie numbers with 30 goals and 62 points.

Dennis moved with the Seals to Cleveland for the 1976-77 season. With the Barons, Maruk continued to shine, scoring 28 and 36 goals in the teams only two years of existence. The rest of his career was spent with the Minnesota North Stars and Washington Capitals, retiring after the 1988-89 season. Here’s a list of Maruk’s achievements:

• 7th in NHL in assists with 59 in 1978-79 with Washington.
• 1980-81 – 8th in NHL in goals with 50 (first Capital to achieve the 50 goal plateau).
• 1981-82 – 3rd in NHL in goals with 60. 4th in NHL in points with 136.
• Stands 4th in London Knights history for career points with 370.
• 9th all-time for points in a Capitals jersey with 431.
• 8th all-time for goals in a Capitals jersey with 182.
• Most assists in a single season for Washington – 76 in 1981-82.
• Most points in a single season for Washington – 136 in 1981-82.

Despite the success, the Dennis Maruk rookie card from the 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee series (number 86) is worth a mere $3.00. The hockey card also appeared in the Topps series from the same year. The front of the hockey card shows Maruk in a Seals uniform but that the team has left to become the Cleveland Barons.