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Philip Anthony Esposito, Order of Canada|OC (born
February 20, 1942 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) is
a retired professional ice hockey player. He
played Centre (ice hockey)|Center. He is a member
of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and considered one of
the best to have ever played the game.

==Playing Career==

Esposito joined the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1964
season, and centering for the great Bobby Hull,
proved himself a quality playmaker, twice
finishing amongst the league leading scorers.

In 1967, he was dealt to the Boston Bruins in a
blockbuster trade along with Ken Hodge and Fred
Stanfield.  While the hitherto unremarkable Hodge
and Stanfield became stars in the Black-and-Gold,
Esposito blossomed into the greatest scorer of his
day, where he became the first National Hockey
League|NHL player to score 100 points in a season
with 126 in the 1968-1969 season, a mark he would
reach six times in all and five consecutive
seasons between 1971 and 1975. 

Esposito was named to the NHL's First All-Star
team six consecutive times (from 1969 to 1974),
and was named league Most Valuable Player|MVP in
1969 and 1974.  His Boston fans printed and
displayed bumper stickers during his best years to
celebrate his scoring: they read, "Jesus saves,
Espo scores on the rebound."  During these great
years, Esposito and fellow superstar Bobby Orr led
the Bruins to Stanley Cup victories in 1970 and
1972.

During the 1970-71 season, Esposito shattered the
record for most goals scored in a season when he
finished up with 76. This record stood until
February 1982 when Wayne Gretzky scored his 77th,
78th and 79th goal against the Buffalo Sabres.
Esposito was on hand to present the game puck to
Gretzky.  Esposito also set the single season
point scoring record in 1971, a mark likewise now
held by Gretzky.

After his performance in the Summit Series, where
he was the inspirational captain for Team Canada
and its leading scorer in the series, he won the
1972 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's outstanding male
athlete of the year and was made an Officer of the
Order of Canada.  He also played for Team Canada
in the Challenge Cup in 1976 and in the 1977 World
Championships.

In the 1975-1976 season, he and teammate Carol
Vadnais were traded to the New York Rangers for
Brad Park and Jean Ratelle.  While not as
glittering an offensive force as in his glory
days, as captain of the Rangers, Esposito led the
team in points each of his full seasons with the
club and remained an effective scorer until his
final season.  He retired in 1981, subsequently
becoming a broadcaster.

He served as general manager and coach for the
Rangers for three years in the mid 1980s, moving
on to found the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning in
1992, serving as the team’s president and
general manager until 1998; he remains the
team’s radio broadcaster.  He was elected to the
Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.  His #7 jersey was
retired by the Boston Bruins in an emotional
ceremony where the current wearer, superstar
defensemen Ray Bourque, surrendered the number in
Esposito's honor.

==Awards==
* NHL Second Team All-Star (1968, 1975)
* NHL First Team All-Star (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972,
1973, 1974)
* Art Ross Memorial Trophy (1969, 1971, 1972,
1973, 1974)
* Hart Memorial Trophy (1969, 1974)
* Lester B. Pearson Award (1971, 1974)
* Lester Patrick Trophy (1978)
* Played in National Hockey League All-Star
Game|NHL All-Star Game (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972,
1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980)

==Records==
*Most shots on goal in a season (550,
1970–1971)

==Career Statistics==

{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0"
ID="Table3"
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! ALIGN="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
 
! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
 
! ALIGN="center" colspan="5" | Regular Season
! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
 
! ALIGN="center" colspan="5" | Playoffs
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! ALIGN="center" | Season
! ALIGN="center" | Team
! ALIGN="center" | League
! ALIGN="center" | GP
! ALIGN="center" | G
! ALIGN="center" | A
! ALIGN="center" | Pts
! ALIGN="center" | PIM
! ALIGN="center" | GP
! ALIGN="center" | G
! ALIGN="center" | A
! ALIGN="center" | Pts
! ALIGN="center" | PIM
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1961-62
| ALIGN="center" | St. Catharines
| ALIGN="center" | OHA
| ALIGN="center" | 49
| ALIGN="center" | 32
| ALIGN="center" | 39
| ALIGN="center" | 71
| ALIGN="center" | 54
| ALIGN="center" | 6
| ALIGN="center" | 1
| ALIGN="center" | 4
| ALIGN="center" | 5
| ALIGN="center" | 9
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1961-62
| ALIGN="center" | Sault Ste. Marie
| ALIGN="center" | EPHL
| ALIGN="center" | 6
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 2
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1962-63
| ALIGN="center" | St. Louis
| ALIGN="center" | EPHL
| ALIGN="center" | 71
| ALIGN="center" | 36
| ALIGN="center" | 54
| ALIGN="center" | 90
| ALIGN="center" | 51
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1963-64
| ALIGN="center" | St. Louis
| ALIGN="center" | EPHL
| ALIGN="center" | 43
| ALIGN="center" | 26
| ALIGN="center" | 54
| ALIGN="center" | 80
| ALIGN="center" | 65
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1963-64
| ALIGN="center" | Chicago
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 27
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 2
| ALIGN="center" | 5
| ALIGN="center" | 2
| ALIGN="center" | 4
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 0
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1964-65
| ALIGN="center" | Chicago
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 70
| ALIGN="center" | 23
| ALIGN="center" | 32
| ALIGN="center" | 55
| ALIGN="center" | 44
| ALIGN="center" | 13
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 6
| ALIGN="center" | 15
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1965-66
| ALIGN="center" | Chicago
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 69
| ALIGN="center" | 27
| ALIGN="center" | 26
| ALIGN="center" | 53
| ALIGN="center" | 49
| ALIGN="center" | 6
| ALIGN="center" | 1
| ALIGN="center" | 1
| ALIGN="center" | 2
| ALIGN="center" | 2
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1966-67
| ALIGN="center" | Chicago
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 69
| ALIGN="center" | 21
| ALIGN="center" | 40
| ALIGN="center" | 61
| ALIGN="center" | 40
| ALIGN="center" | 6
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 7
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1967-68
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 74
| ALIGN="center" | 35
| ALIGN="center" | 49
| ALIGN="center" | 84
| ALIGN="center" | 21
| ALIGN="center" | 4
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 0
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1968-69
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 74
| ALIGN="center" | 49
| ALIGN="center" | 77
| ALIGN="center" | 126
| ALIGN="center" | 79
| ALIGN="center" | 10
| ALIGN="center" | 8
| ALIGN="center" | 10
| ALIGN="center" | 18
| ALIGN="center" | 8
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1969-70
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 76
| ALIGN="center" | 43
| ALIGN="center" | 56
| ALIGN="center" | 99
| ALIGN="center" | 50
| ALIGN="center" | 14
| ALIGN="center" | 13
| ALIGN="center" | 14
| ALIGN="center" | 27
| ALIGN="center" | 16
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1970-71
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 78
| ALIGN="center" | 76
| ALIGN="center" | 76
| ALIGN="center" | 152
| ALIGN="center" | 71
| ALIGN="center" | 7
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 7
| ALIGN="center" | 10
| ALIGN="center" | 6
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1971-72
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 76
| ALIGN="center" | 66
| ALIGN="center" | 67
| ALIGN="center" | 133
| ALIGN="center" | 76
| ALIGN="center" | 15
| ALIGN="center" | 9
| ALIGN="center" | 15
| ALIGN="center" | 24
| ALIGN="center" | 24
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1972-73
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 78
| ALIGN="center" | 55
| ALIGN="center" | 75
| ALIGN="center" | 130
| ALIGN="center" | 87
| ALIGN="center" | 2
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 1
| ALIGN="center" | 1
| ALIGN="center" | 2
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1973-74
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 78
| ALIGN="center" | 68
| ALIGN="center" | 77
| ALIGN="center" | 145
| ALIGN="center" | 58
| ALIGN="center" | 16
| ALIGN="center" | 9
| ALIGN="center" | 5
| ALIGN="center" | 14
| ALIGN="center" | 25
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1974-75
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 79
| ALIGN="center" | 61
| ALIGN="center" | 66
| ALIGN="center" | 127
| ALIGN="center" | 62
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 4
| ALIGN="center" | 1
| ALIGN="center" | 5
| ALIGN="center" | 0
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1975-76
| ALIGN="center" | Boston
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 12
| ALIGN="center" | 6
| ALIGN="center" | 10
| ALIGN="center" | 16
| ALIGN="center" | 8
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1975-76
| ALIGN="center" | New York Rangers
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 62
| ALIGN="center" | 29
| ALIGN="center" | 38
| ALIGN="center" | 67
| ALIGN="center" | 28
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1976-77
| ALIGN="center" | New York Rangers
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 80
| ALIGN="center" | 34
| ALIGN="center" | 46
| ALIGN="center" | 80
| ALIGN="center" | 52
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1977-78
| ALIGN="center" | New York Rangers
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 79
| ALIGN="center" | 38
| ALIGN="center" | 43
| ALIGN="center" | 81
| ALIGN="center" | 53
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 0
| ALIGN="center" | 1
| ALIGN="center" | 1
| ALIGN="center" | 5
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1978-79
| ALIGN="center" | New York Rangers
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 80
| ALIGN="center" | 42
| ALIGN="center" | 36
| ALIGN="center" | 78
| ALIGN="center" | 37
| ALIGN="center" | 18
| ALIGN="center" | 8
| ALIGN="center" | 12
| ALIGN="center" | 20
| ALIGN="center" | 20
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1979-80
| ALIGN="center" | New York Rangers
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 80
| ALIGN="center" | 34
| ALIGN="center" | 44
| ALIGN="center" | 78
| ALIGN="center" | 73
| ALIGN="center" | 9
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 6
| ALIGN="center" | 8
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1980-81
| ALIGN="center" | New York Rangers
| ALIGN="center" | NHL
| ALIGN="center" | 41
| ALIGN="center" | 7
| ALIGN="center" | 13
| ALIGN="center" | 20
| ALIGN="center" | 20
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
| ALIGN="center" | --
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | NHL Totals
! ALIGN="center" | 1282
! ALIGN="center" | 717
! ALIGN="center" | 873
! ALIGN="center" | 1590
! ALIGN="center" | 910
! ALIGN="center" | 130
! ALIGN="center" | 61
! ALIGN="center" | 76
! ALIGN="center" | 137
! ALIGN="center" | 138
|}

==International Play==
*Played for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series 
*Played for Team Canada in the 1976 Canada Cup
*Played for Team Canada in the 1977 IIHF World
Championships|Ice Hockey World Championships

International Statistics
{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0"
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! ALIGN="center" | Year
! ALIGN="center" | Team
! ALIGN="center" | Event
! ALIGN="center" | GP
! ALIGN="center" | G
! ALIGN="center" | A
! ALIGN="center" | Pts
! ALIGN="center" | PIM
|- ALIGN="center"
| ALIGN="center" | 1972
| ALIGN="center" | Canada
| ALIGN="center" | Summit
| ALIGN="center" | 8
| ALIGN="center" | 7
| ALIGN="center" | 6
| ALIGN="center" | 13
| ALIGN="center" | 15
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| ALIGN="center" | 1976
| ALIGN="center" | Canada
| ALIGN="center" | Canada Cup
| ALIGN="center" | 7
| ALIGN="center" | 4
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 7
| ALIGN="center" | 0
|- ALIGN="center
| ALIGN="center" | 1977
| ALIGN="center" | Canada
| ALIGN="center" | WC
| ALIGN="center" | 10
| ALIGN="center" | 7
| ALIGN="center" | 3
| ALIGN="center" | 10
| ALIGN="center" | 14
|}

==See also==
* Hockey Hall of Fame
* List of NHL statistical leaders
* List of retired NHL players
* List of NHL seasons

start box
succession box | before = Brad Park | title = New
York Rangers#Team captains|New York Rangers
captains | years = 1975-78 | after = Dan Maloney 
succession box | before = Tom Webster | title =
Head Coaches of the New York Rangers | years =
1986-1987 | after = Michel Bergeron 
succession box | before = Michel Bergeron | title
= Head Coaches of the New York Rangers | years =
1989 | after = Roger Neilson 
end box