Throwback Thursday: Al Secord

Al Secord-Chicago Blackhawks #20 (picture courtesy of bleacherreport.com)

Sometimes a new change of scenery is the perfect way to get someone’s career back in the right direction and it seems that the trade to the Chicago Black Hawks did just that. Al Secord ended up scoring 13 goals and 9 assists in 41 games after being traded that season. His best seasons were to still come though and his production shot up significantly on both sides of the puck. During the 1981-82 season Al Secord made himself known as an All-Star scoring 44 goals and 31 assists playing in 80 games that season. When he wasn’t scoring he was enforcing, racking up 303 PIM during the same season. The following season in 1982-83, he became only the second Black Hawk player in franchise history to score 50 or more goals in a season when he notched 54 goals and 32 assists in 80 games. In recognition for his great play he was awarded a trip to the NHL All-Star game during both of those seasons.

Due to his physical play and grittiness during the 1983-84 season injuries began to affect Al Secord. They held him to only playing 14 games that year and the following year in 1984-85 he could only play in 51 games due to injury. He was back to healthy during the 1985-86 season and the scoring touch returned to the production of 40 goals and a career high 36 assists. In 1986-87 his production dipped down to 29 goals and 29 assists which was still a solid season but he was part of a trade put together the following season. On September 3, 1987 Al Secord was traded to Toronto by Chicago with Ed Olczyk for Rick Vaive, Steve Thomas, and Bob McGill.  Several seasons later during the 1989-90 season Al Secord resigned as a free agent to the Chicago Blackhawks where he played his final season at the NHL level scoring 14 goals in 43 games played.

Career Statistics:

• 766 NHL games
• 273 goals
• 222 assists
• 495 points
• 2093 penalty minutes

Any Al Secord fans out there on Throwback Thursday? Let me know what your thoughts are or any specific memories you may have in the comments below!

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