Tim Lenardon

The people in the hockey hotbed of Trail, British Columbia probably knew young Tim Lenardon was going to be a pretty good hockey player.

After all, he was the son of Norm Lenardon, a notable member of the famed 1961 Trail Smoke Eaters who famously represented Canada and won the World Championships.

The next year Tim was born and he went on to become a junior sensation. In three seasons with Trail in the little known Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, Lenardon put up 213 goals, 207 assists and 420 points in just 118 games!

Lenardon never did jump up to the Western Hockey League or get scholarship to a US college. Instead he chose to attend Brandon (Manitoba) University to study education. He was named as Canadian Collegiate Player of the Year and eclipsed scoring totals set by future NHLer Mike Ridley.

Ridley was an exception to the rule that Canadian university hockey players rarely go on to play in the NHL. Canadian universities are known for developing the next generation of doctors and lawyers, not NHL stars.

But Lenardon would get his chance when he signed with the New Jersey Devils prior to the 1986-87 season. He would even get to play in seven games with the Devils, scoring a goal and an assist. He mostly spent three years playing in the minor leagues, putting up very good numbers at the AHL level.

In March of 1989 the Devils traded Lenardon back to British Columbia as he joined the Vancouver Canucks organization. He got to play in eight more NHL games with the Canucks, scoring one more goal.

Lenardon finished his career in the minors as a member of the Minnesota North Stars organization. He also played a season in Italy.

Lenardon would go on to become a NHL scout. He also owned Mission Sports sporting goods in Kelowna, BC.