Hockey World Mourns the Passing of Former NHL and Pittsburgh Defenseman

Beloved ex-NHL and WHA defenceman John Miszuk passed away peacefully on Sunday at the age of 84, the NHL Alumni Association announced.

John Miszuk was born in 1940 in Naliboki, Poland (now Belarus), and came to Canada with his family during World War II.

He settled in Hamilton, Ontario, where he spent most of his life, and began a chain of Tim Hortons restaurants after retiring from play.

Miszuk played 237 NHL games from 1963 to 1970 for the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, Minnesota North Stars, and Philadelphia Flyers.

He also experienced temporary periods within the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, specifically in the AHL.

Miszuk's career peak season in the NHL came in 1967-68 when he played all 74 games for the Flyers' inaugural-year campaign, accumulating 22 points and sitting among team leaders in penalty minutes.

Though his NHL career was short-lived, Miszuk was a two-way presence to contend with at the minor league level, earning All-Star honors in the AHL, WHL, and CHL.

He extended his professional career with the WHA later, playing in 214 games between 1974 and 1977 with the Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades and Calgary Cowboys, tallying 72 points and providing veteran experience to the upstart league.

Together, Miszuk accumulated 46 points in the NHL and 72 in the WHA, and was known for his rugged play, defensive solidity, and leadership.

More recently, Miszuk returned to his hometown of Pleszew for the first time since the war drove his family out, a full-circle experience in an otherwise remarkable life on and off the ice. Rest in peace, John, you will be missed by us all.