Quick Facts
Biography
Ronald James "Ron" Chipperfield (born March 28, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who served as the Edmonton Oilers' first NHL captain. He played for the Oilers in both the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League, as well as the Vancouver Blazers and the Calgary Cowboys of the WHA, and the Quebec Nordiques of the NHL. Chipperfield was born in Brandon, Manitoba, but grew up in Minnedosa, Manitoba.
Playing career
Ron started his junior career in 1969–70 with the Dauphin Kings of MJHL, leading the league in scoring. The Kings won the MJHL championship and advance to the western Memorial Cup semi final before bowing out. Next was four years with Brandon Wheat Kings of WCHL, where Ron set numerous team and league records. His most successful year was his last, 1973–74, when he scored 90 goals a league record at the time, won the scoring title, and was named league MVP. Ron still holds the WHL record for career points at 470.
Drafted in 1974 by both the California Golden Seals of the NHL in the 1st round, 17th overall and 49th overall by the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA. Ron joined the Blazers, spending a year with the Blazers before the team moved to Calgary and became the Cowboys. Ron played two seasons for the Cowboys, then a three-year run with the Edmonton Oilers. By his third season with the Oilers, the NHL and the WHA had merged, with the Oilers joining the National Hockey League. Chipperfield made his NHL debut in 1979 and went on to score 22 goals and 45 points that season. In March of that season the Oilers traded Chipperfield to the Quebec Nordiques, for goaltender Ron Low, a former teammate in Dauphin. Chipperfield played just four contests with the Nordiques the following year, and then took his skills to Italy in 1981. That season he scored a league-leading 78 goals and 128 points in just 39 games. His final three seasons were spent there playing for HC Bolzano.
Awards and achievements
- MJHL Co-Goal Scoring Leader (1970)
- Turnbull Cup MJHL Championship (1970)
- WCHL First All-Star Team (1974)
- WCHL Scoring Champion (1974)
- WCHL MVP (1974)
- “Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1969–70 | Dauphin Kings | MJHL | 34 | 39 | 40 | 79 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Dauphin Kings | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1970–71 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCJHL | 64 | 40 | 43 | 83 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCJHL | 63 | 59 | 53 | 112 | 29 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 0 | ||
| 1972–73 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCJHL | 59 | 72 | 41 | 113 | 63 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1973–74 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCJHL | 66 | 90 | 72 | 162 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Vancouver Blazers | WHA | 78 | 19 | 20 | 39 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975-76 | Calgary Cowboys | WHA | 75 | 42 | 41 | 83 | 32 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 1976–77 | Calgary Cowboys | WHA | 81 | 27 | 27 | 54 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Edmonton Oilers | WHA | 80 | 33 | 52 | 85 | 48 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1978–79 | Edmonton Oilers | WHA | 55 | 32 | 37 | 69 | 47 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 8 | ||
| 1979–80 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 67 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 12 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | HC Bozen | Serie A | 30 | 78 | 50 | 128 | 40 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 10 | ||
| 1982–83 | HC Bozen | Serie A | 32 | 78 | 58 | 136 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | HC Bozen | Serie A | 22 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 8 | ||
| WHA Totals | 369 | 153 | 177 | 330 | 189 | 28 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 14 | ||||
| NHL Totals | 83 | 22 | 24 | 46 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Serie A Totals | 84 | 175 | 132 | 307 | 108 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 18 | ||||