As
Dennis
grew up in
Chatham
; he excelled at all sports he played. At age 11 he
won a gold medal in the breaststroke at the Ontario YMCA
Swimming Championships. Over the years he starred on 5
Chatham Minor Baseball teams that won Ontario
Championships, attracting the eye of the Pittsburgh
Pirates. The Pirates invited him to a tryout camp.
He also competed in track, football, and lacrosse.
Dennis
’s greatest achievements, however, came in hockey where
he starred for the Chatham Junior Maroons, before playing
Junior “A” for the London Knights.
Dennis
was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks and at age 21 played
briefly with them. He ultimately played several successful
years in the Western Hockey League, the Central Hockey
League, and the International Hockey League.
Dennis
was the first Chatham Junior “A” player born in the
Maple
City
to sign a professional contract.

Junior Hockey
- 1966
- at age 14 signed with the Chatham Jr. Maroons
- 1967-68
- while still Bantam age, played for the Junior
“B” Maroons
- 1968-69
- played for Chatham Maroons in the Western
Ontario Junior “B” League - was voted to the
first All-Star team and was second in the best
defenceman voting. was drafted by the Toronto
Marlboros of the Major Junior “A” league
- 1969-70
- played for Toronto and then was traded to
Kitchener Rangers but returned to Chatham to help
the Maroons win the WOHL Championship
- 1970-71
- played for Chatham in the new Southern Ontario
Junior “A” League, was voted to first All-Star
team, and was named the League’s Best Defenseman
- was drafted by the London Knights of the Major
Junior “A” League
- 1971-72
- played 59 games for London scoring 40 points (9
goals and 31 assists) and served 123 penalty
minutes - was drafted by the NHL’s Vancouver
Canucks in 8th round, 115th overall
Professional
Hockey
- 1972-73 & 1973-74
- played in over 70 games each year for
Seattle Totems in the Western Hockey League,
scoring 86 points and serving 157 penalty minutes
- called up to Vancouver for 3 games
- 1974-75
- played 26 games for Seattle Totems in the
Central Hockey League
- 1975-76
- played 9 games for Tulsa Oilers of the Central
Hockey League before going to Fort Wayne Comets of
the International Hockey League where he played 59
games, scoring 6 goals and 17 assists while
picking up 57 minutes in penalties
professional
career statistics
|
|
|
REGULAR SEASON |
PLAYOFFS |
| Season |
Club |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
+/- |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
| 1969-70 |
Kitchener
Rangers |
OHA-Jr. |
23 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1969-70 |
Toronto
Marlboros |
OHA-Jr. |
14 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1970-71 |
Chatham
Maroons |
SOJHL |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1971-72 |
London
Knights |
OHA-Jr. |
59 |
9 |
31 |
40 |
123 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1972-73 |
Seattle
Totems |
WHL |
71 |
5 |
23 |
28 |
100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1973-74 |
Vancouver
Canucks |
NHL |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1973-74 |
Seattle
Totems |
WHL |
74 |
4 |
33 |
37 |
57 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1974-75 |
Seattle
Totems |
CHL |
26 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
38 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1975-76 |
Tulsa
Oilers |
CHL |
9 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1975-76 |
Fort
Wayne Komets |
IHL |
59 |
6 |
17 |
23 |
57 |
|
9 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
26 |
| NHL Totals |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|