Al MacInnis

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

MacInnis left home in 1979 to join the Regina Pat Blues of the SJHL, then moved to the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL. Following a season in which he scored 39 points in 47 games and won the League Championship with Kitchener in 1980–81, he was rated the second best defensive prospect at the 1981 NHL entry draft and selected by the Flames 15th overall. He made his NHL debut on December 30, 1981, against the Boston Bruins. MacInnis scored his first NHL point against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 23, 1982. A point-per-game pace in 1984–85 (66 points in 67 games) earned him his first All-Star Game appearance, playing in front of his hometown fans at the 1985 game in Calgary. He was voted a second-team All-Star for 1986–87 and started his first All-Star Game in 1988. MacInnis was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy in three consecutive seasons, 1989, 1990 and 1991, but failed to win the award each time. Led by MacInnis' 31 points, the Flames won the first Stanley Cup championship in their history in 1989. He had four goals and five assists in six games in the Stanley Cup Final series against the Montreal Canadiens en route to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. MacInnis became the first defenceman to lead the league in postseason scoring, and he finished with a 17-game scoring streak, the longest by a defenceman in NHL history. He finished second amongst NHL defencemen in scoring in 1989–90 with 90 points and was named a First Team All-Star for the first time. He improved to a career high 103 points the following year, becoming the first Flames' defenceman and only the fourth in NHL history to record a 100-point season. He scored his 563rd career point in a January 8, 1991, game against Toronto, to surpass Kent Nilsson as the franchise's all-time scoring leader. MacInnis missed three months of the 1992–93 season when he suffered a dislocated hip during a game on November 11, 1992, against the Hartford Whalers. Three weeks after his return, on February 23, 1993, MacInnis set a Flames franchise record when he appeared in his 706th career game. Following five consecutive seasons where the Flames failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs, MacInnis signed an offer sheet with the St. Louis Blues in the summer of 1994. He left Calgary after 11 full NHL seasons as the franchise's all-time leader in scoring with 822 points, and led in assists (603), games played (803), playoff assists (77) and playoff points (103). He appeared in six All-Star Games with Calgary and was named a league all-star five times: twice on the first team and three times on the second. The team honoured MacInnis as the first player inducted into their 'Forever a Flame' program in 2012. His jersey number 2 was raised to the Saddledome rafters on February 27, 2012, but was not formally retired.

In Their Own Story

In the 1989 Stanley Cup Final, MacInnis delivered a masterclass performance. He had four goals and five assists in six games against the Montreal Canadiens, leading the Flames to the first Stanley Cup championship in their history. His 31 points led all playoff scorers, making him the first defenceman to lead the league in postseason scoring. He finished with a 17-game scoring streak, the longest by a defenceman in NHL history. For his efforts, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.

Reader's Guide

Al MacInnis spent 13 seasons with the Calgary Flames from 1981 to 1994. He was a first-round selection, 15th overall, in the 1981 NHL entry draft. He made his NHL debut on December 30, 1981, against the Boston Bruins. MacInnis scored his first NHL point on October 23, 1982, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He earned his first All-Star Game appearance in 1985, playing in front of his hometown fans in Calgary. He was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1989, 1990, and 1991. In 1989, he led the Flames to the Stanley Cup championship, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He became the first defenceman to lead the league in postseason scoring and set a record with a 17-game scoring streak. In 1990–91, he became the first Flames defenceman and only the fourth in NHL history to record a 100-point season. He left Calgary as the franchise's all-time leader in scoring (822 points), assists (603), games played (803), playoff assists (77), and playoff points (103). He appeared in six All-Star Games with Calgary and was named a league all-star five times. His jersey number 2 was raised to the Saddledome rafters on February 27, 2012, as part of the 'Forever a Flame' program.

Did You Know?

• MacInnis tied Bobby Orr's OHL record for goals by a defenceman in one season with 38.
• He famously split goaltender Mike Liut's mask with a shot.
• MacInnis became only the fourth defenceman in NHL history to score 100 points in a season.
• He was a member of the 2002 Canadian Olympic team that won Canada's first gold medal in 50 years.
• MacInnis finished his career third all-time among defencemen in goals, assists and points.