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Tim Ecclestone

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Tim Ecclestone
Born (1947-09-24)September 24, 1947
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died March 2, 2024(2024-03-02) (aged 76)
Roswell, Georgia, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shot Right
Played for St. Louis Blues
Detroit Red Wings
Toronto Maple Leafs
Atlanta Flames
NHL draft 9th overall, 1964
New York Rangers
Playing career 1967–1978

Timothy James Ecclestone (September 24, 1947 – March 2, 2024) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and coach who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Atlanta Flames from 1967 to 1978. He played 692 career NHL games, scoring 126 goals and 233 assists for 359 points, and twice scored 50 points or more in his career. After retiring, he served as assistant coach of the Flames for three seasons.

Early life

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Ecclestone was born in Toronto on September 24, 1947.[1][2] His father managed a dry cleaning business, while his uncle, Cam, was a celebrated softball pitcher.[3][4] Ecclestone began his junior career by playing for the Etobicoke Indians of the Metro Junior B Hockey League (MJBHL) during the 1964–65 season.[5] He was selected in the second round (ninth overall) by the New York Rangers in the 1964 NHL Amateur Draft.[1] He was also awarded a full hockey scholarship from the University of Denver.[6]

Professional career

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After opting to pursue professional hockey with the Rangers, Ecclestone played for the franchise's Kitchener Rangers affiliate in 1966–67.[5][6] He was traded to the St. Louis Blues on June 6, 1967,[1] immediately following the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft.[7][8] He started the 1967–68 season playing for the Kansas City Blues of the Central Professional Hockey League, before being promoted to St. Louis.[5] He made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut for the Blues on November 26, 1967,[9] against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.[6][10]

Ecclestone in uniform for the Detroit Red Wings in the 1971–72 NHL season.

Ecclestone went on to play three more seasons with the Blues and was named to the only All-Star Game of his career in 1971.[1] That same year, he was chosen to be his team's representative to the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA). The Blues management became unhappy with his and Red Berenson's robust relationship with the union,[6] and ultimately traded both players to the Detroit Red Wings on February 6, 1971.[1] Although Ecclestone recorded career-highs in goals (18), assists (35), and points (53) during the 1971–72 season,[1][6] the Red Wings were perennial losers at the time and he requested to be traded after four seasons. The Wings accommodated his request and he was dealt to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs on November 29, 1973.[1] Following a shoulder injury in his second season in Toronto, the Leafs traded Ecclestone to the Washington Capitals who in turn traded him to the Atlanta Flames, on the same day.[1] Following a knee injury during the 1977–78 season he served as an assistant coach for the Flames. Ecclestone retired at the end of the season but remained with the Flames as an assistant coach until they relocated to Calgary in 1980.[6]

Later life

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Ecclestone remained in the Atlanta area following the departure of the Flames organization, as part owner of sports bar named Timothy-John's Restaurant and Lounge in Sandy Springs, Georgia, a restaurant he helped open during his years as a Flames assistant coach. In 1990, he opened his own sports bar, called T.J.'s Sports Bar and Grill, in Alpharetta, Georgia.[6]

Personal life

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Ecclestone was married to Susan (Sue) Gail Dayus until her death from ovarian cancer in July 2012.[6][11] They met in high school and had two children together: Sandi and Mark.[8][11] He resided in Roswell, Georgia, during his later years.[11]

Ecclestone died on March 2, 2024. He was 76, and suffered from lung complications due to rib and clavicle fractures sustained in a fall prior to his death.[7][8]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1965–66 Etobicoke Indians MetJHL — — — — — — — — — —
1966–67 Kitchener Rangers OHA 48 27 37 64 35 13 3 12 15 14
1967–68 St. Louis Blues NHL 50 6 8 14 16 12 1 2 3 2
1967–68 Kansas City Blues CHL 13 4 4 8 9 — — — — —
1968–69 St. Louis Blues NHL 68 11 23 34 31 12 2 2 4 20
1969–70 St. Louis Blues NHL 65 16 21 37 59 16 3 4 7 48
1970–71 St. Louis Blues NHL 47 15 24 39 34 — — — — —
1970–71 Detroit Red Wings NHL 27 4 10 14 13 — — — — —
1971–72 Detroit Red Wings NHL 72 18 35 53 33 — — — — —
1972–73 Detroit Red Wings NHL 78 18 30 48 28 — — — — —
1973–74 Detroit Red Wings NHL 14 0 5 5 6 — — — — —
1973–74 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 46 9 14 23 32 4 0 1 1 0
1974–75 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 5 1 1 2 0 — — — — —
1974–75 Atlanta Flames NHL 62 13 21 34 34 — — — — —
1975–76 Atlanta Flames NHL 69 6 21 27 30 — — — — —
1976–77 Atlanta Flames NHL 78 9 18 27 26 3 0 2 2 6
1977–78 Atlanta Flames NHL 11 0 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 0
1977–78 Tulsa Oilers CHL 6 1 3 4 0 — — — — —
NHL totals 692 126 233 359 344 48 6 11 17 76
Sources:[1][5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Tim Ecclestone Stats". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  2. ^ "Tim Ecclestone Stats and News". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  3. ^ Patton, Paul (April 12, 1988). "Where are they now? Tim Ecclestone". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A22. ProQuest 385911481. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via ProQuest.
  4. ^ "Softball Canada Announces 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees". Ottawa: Sport Information Resource Centre. June 26, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Tim Ecclestone Hockey Stats and Profile". HockeyDB. The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Rosenberg, I.J. (June 26, 2016). "Whatever happened to: Tim Ecclestone". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. C4. ProQuest 1799416402. Retrieved March 7, 2024 – via ProQuest.
  7. ^ a b "Ecclestone, original Blues forward, dies at 76, played in 3 Stanley Cup Finals". National Hockey League. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Vivlamore, Chris (March 6, 2024). "Flames left town, but former player, assistant coach didn't – Ecclestone owned Atlanta sports bars after retirement". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. B4. ProQuest 2937592873. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via ProQuest.
  9. ^ "Tim Ecclestone 1967–68 Game Log". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  10. ^ "November 26, 1967 St. Louis Blues vs. New York Rangers Box Score". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. November 26, 1967. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Shaw, Michelle E. (July 19, 2012). "Sue Ecclestone, 62: Co-owner of TJ's Sports Bar & Grill". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. B7. ProQuest 1026843159. Retrieved March 7, 2024 – via ProQuest.
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