Murphy Plays 1,447 For Record
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Larry Murphy rarely calls in sick.
In 19 seasons with Los Angeles, Washington, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Detroit, Murphy has missed a grand total of 26 games -- never more than five in a season. To put that into perspective, Red Wings defenseman Uwe Krupp has sat out 28 games this season alone because of injuries.
So you can bet Murphy -- feeling the effects of a slight concussion suffered in Monday's 2-2 tie vs. New Jersey -- wasn't at all happy with his pressbox seat for Wednesday's game against the New York Islanders at Joe Louis Arena. The game was supposed to be a benchmark for Murphy, the night he passed Tim Horton for most games played by a defenseman (1,446).
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"(The record is) tough to talk about, even though it's so close," Murphy said before his injury. "I try hard not to think about it, but obviously it's a question you have to answer. "
"I think it will be a situation where you have to keep it under control, downplay it, and then when the time comes, maybe jump up and down then."
As a result of Murphy's Law, 37-year-old Murphy had to wait to take that giant leap into the history books -- but not for long.
Murphy was in the lineup Friday night when the Colorado Avalanche come to town and beat Detroit 3-1. The NHL also was at the Joe to recognize Murphy's accomplishment -- much-deserved fanfare for a guy who hasn't gotten enough praise throughout his career.
Overshadowed by the likes of Denis Potvin, Ray Bourque, and Paul Coffey, Murphy has quietly had himself a great run.
As a rookie in Los Angeles, he set a record for first-year defensemen by compiling 60 assists and 76 points in 1981-82 and was runner-up behind Hall of Famer Peter Stastny for the Calder Trophy.
Murphy's 1,137 points are third-most by a defenseman, behind only Coffey (1,482) and Bourqe (1,440).
His 864 assists are in the top 15 all-time.
Eleven times Murphy has had more than 60 points in a season.
Even more important, Murphy almost always shows up for work and plays more than 30 minutes a game.
"To be that durable for the amount of time in this league is very special," Bourque said of Murphy during All-Star weekend in Tampa, Fla. "I know how tough it is to keep your health in this game when you're getting hit left and right, and the wear and tear of the schedule and the grind of things and what it takes to go out and compete every night. "
"Murph has played one less year than I have and has played more games than me, and I haven't missed all that many. To be where he is now and the amount of years he's played is pretty scary."
Where Murphy is now is where he's been for almost his entire career. He is third in the league in scoring by a defenseman this season with 34 points -- even more than his much-heralded blue-line partner, Nicklas Lidstrom, who has 31 points and plenty of good things to say about Murphy.
"He's so strong coming up the ice," Lidstrom said. "He's entering the zone coming over the blue line, and he's not skating, he's just gliding. It's like everyone is parting for him, and he's so good at just hanging on to the puck and waiting, waiting."
It seems like Murphy has been waiting forever ... waiting for somebody to notice just how good he is. For the first half of his career, he played for mediocre teams -- Los Angeles, Washington and Minnesota -- and shouldered much of the blame for their woes.
He's still mocked in Washington, where every time he touches the puck fans shower him with chants of "whoops." When he left Toronto at the trade deadline in 1997, fans couldn't have been happier; they booed -- and mooed -- him mercilessly during his final days at Maple Leafs Gardens.
But since his arrival in Detroit, Murphy has become a fan favorite. He has thrived under coach Scotty Bowman's defensive system -- just like he did in Pittsburgh. Playing with Lidstrom, the tandem often takes over a game, on the power play and at even strength.
"I think in some ways he might be underappreciated by some," Bourque said. "But certainly not his teammates and the people who play against him. I think they all recognize what he's all about."
As well they should. After all, Murphy has something even Bourque doesn't: a Stanley Cup -- four of them to be exact (two with Pittsburgh and two with Detroit).
On Friday, Murphy will pocket another milestone, a record recognizing his grit and work ethic.
"There's no secret to it, I promise," Murphy said. "I've been through some injuries, but it's either been at the All-Star break or something like that. It's always worked out where I haven't missed too much. I've just been extremely fortunate."
All-time games plaed leaders (including Wednesday's games)
* active player- Gordie Howe; right wing, Detroit, Hartford: 1,767
- Alex Delvecchio; center, Detroit: 1,549
- John Bucyk; left wing, Detroit, Boston: 1,540
- *Wayne Gretzky; center, Edmonton, Los Angeles, St. Louis, New York Rangers: 1,466
- *Larry Murphy; defenseman, Los Angeles, Washington, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Detroit: 1,446
- Tim Horton; defenseman, Toronto, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh, Buffalo: 1,446
- Mike Gartner; right wing, Washington, Minnesota, New York Rangers, Toronto, Phoenix: 1,432
- *Ray Bourque; defenseman, Boston: 1,419
- Harry Howell; defenseman, New York Rangers, California, Los Angeles: 1,411
- Norm Ullman; center, Detroit, Toronto: 1,410
- *Mark Messier; center, Edmonton, New York Rangers, Vancouver: 1,402
- Stan Mikita; right wing, Chicago: 1,394
- Doug Mohns; left wing, Boston, Chicago, Minnesota, Atlanta, Washington: 1,390
- Larry Robinson; defenseman, Montreal, Los Angeles: 1,384
- Dean Prentice; left wing, New York Rangers, Boston, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Minnesota: 1,378
Who was Tim Horton?
For 24 seasons, 19-plus with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Miles Gilbert (Tim) Horton was recognized as the strongest player in the game and one of the league's best defensemen. Known for his ability to clear the puck and his "Horton Bear Hug," he was an instrumental part of four Stanley Cup runs by the Maple Leafs, in 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967.
By 1969-70, though, Toronto was on the decline, and Horton was 16 years older than any other Maple Leafs defenseman. His $800,000 salary also made him the most expensive player on their roster.
So in March 1970, the Maple Leafs dealt Horton to the New York Rangers, where he played through the 1970-71 season. The following year, he went to Pittsburgh, where he lasted one season.
Horton completed his career with the Buffalo Sabres. He was in his second season with the Sabres when, at 44, a single-car accident ended his life on Feb. 21, 1974 -- the same night he played in his 1,446th game. Horton was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977.
Donuts were Horton's other claim to fame. He opened 35 donut shops in Canada before he died. The chain grew to 1,300 when it merged with Wendy's in 1995 and migrated to the States.
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