Quick Facts
Biography
David John Semenko (July 12, 1957 – June 29, 2017) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, scout, and colour commentator. Semenko played for the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, and Toronto Maple Leafs as an enforcer. He protected Wayne Gretzky as on-ice bodyguard, during the superstar's early career. Semenko won two Stanley Cups with the Oilers in 1984 and 1985. He was also the last player to score a goal in the World Hockey Association before it it folded and merged with the NHL.
Following his retirement as a player, he became a radio commentator of Oilers' games. Semenko died on June 29, 2017, prior to his 60th birthday, from liver and pancreatic cancer.
Career
Semenko played junior hockey for the Brandon Wheat Kings. He was originally selected 25th overall in 1977 by the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League and the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association.
The Aeros traded Semenko to the Oilers just before their 1977–78 season. He spent his first two professional years as a member of the Oilers in the WHA before the NHL–WHA merger. He scored the final goal in WHA history in Game 6 of the 1979 Avco Cup finals, which the Oilers lost to the Winnipeg Jets.
When the Oilers then joined the NHL, Semenko's rights were still held by the North Stars. The Oilers traded their second and third round picks in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft to acquire his rights from the North Stars who then drafted future hall-of-famer Neal Broten. The trade also gave the Oilers a third round pick, which was used to select future Oilers superstar Mark Messier.
An acknowledged enforcer, he was Wayne Gretzky's on-ice bodyguard early in Gretzky's career in Edmonton, beginning in the WHA in 1978, and ending when Semenko was traded to Hartford in 1986. Semenko is considered one of the toughest players ever in the NHL. The protection offered by Semenko allowed Edmonton's stars -- Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, and Paul Coffey -- more freedom on the ice, contributing to the Oilers' Stanley Cup triumphs in 1984 and 1985. After Gretzky won a car for being chosen as the MVP of the 1983 NHL All-Star game, he gifted the car to Semenko to show his appreciation for his on-ice work.
He fought boxing legend Muhammad Ali in an exhibition on June 12, 1983. The match was officially a draw after going three rounds, but the Associated Press reported that Ali was not seriously trying and was just toying with Semenko.
After brief stops with the Hartford Whalers and Toronto Maple Leafs, he retired following the 1987–88 season. He finished his 575-game NHL career with 65 goals, 153 points, and 1175 penalty minutes. Semenko also recorded 70 fights over his career.
Retirement and death
After retiring, Semenko became a colour commentator on Oilers radio broadcasts and was an assistant coach with the Oilers during the 1996-97 season. He also served as a professional scout for the team from 1997 until 2015.
Semenko died on June 29, 2017, 13 days before his 60th birthday shortly after being diagnosed with liver and pancreatic cancer.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1974–75 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCHL | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCHL | 72 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 194 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCHL | 61 | 27 | 33 | 60 | 265 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 61 | ||
| 1977–78 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCHL | 7 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Edmonton Oilers | WHA | 65 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 140 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 1978–79 | Edmonton Oilers | WHA | 77 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 158 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 29 | ||
| 1979–80 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 67 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 135 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1980–81 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 58 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 80 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 1980–81 | Wichita Wind | CHL | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 59 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 194 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1982–83 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 75 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 141 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 69 | ||
| 1983–84 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 52 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 118 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 44 | ||
| 1984–85 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 69 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 172 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | ||
| 1985–86 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 69 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 141 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | ||
| 1986–87 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 51 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 87 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | ||
| 1987–88 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 70 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 107 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| WHA totals | 142 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 298 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 37 | ||||
| NHL totals | 575 | 65 | 88 | 153 | 1175 | 73 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 208 | ||||
Awards and achievements
- 2x Stanley Cup Championships (1984 & 1985)
- “Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
- Earned the nickname "Sammy" or Semenk by his fans; known as "Cement Head" among rival fans
- Wrote a book Looking Out for #1
Career transactions
1977: Selected by the Minnesota North Stars in the 2nd round, 25th overall during the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft.
May, 1977: Selected by the Houston Aeros in the 2nd round, 21st overall during the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft.
November, 1978: Traded to the Edmonton Oilers by Houston in exchange for future considerations.
June 9, 1979: Reclaimed by Minnesota from Edmonton during the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft.
August 9, 1979: Traded to Edmonton by Minnesota in exchange for Edmonton's 2nd round pick (Neal Broten) and 3rd round pick (Kevin Maxwell) in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.
December 12, 1986: Traded to the Hartford Whalers by Edmonton in exchange for Hartford's 3rd round choice (Trevor Sim) in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft.
September 8, 1987: Traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Bill Root.