Leslie John Binkley (born June 6, 1934)[1] is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins and in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros between 1967 and 1976. He later served as a scout for both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets.

Les Binkley
Born (1934-06-06) June 6, 1934 (age 90)
Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Right
Played for Pittsburgh Penguins
Ottawa Nationals
Toronto Toros
Playing career 1967–1976

Career

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Les Binkley spent his early career in the minor leagues and did not play in the NHL until his thirties. After spending the 1960–61 season as the trainer and emergency goalie for the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL),[2] he won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's top rookie in 1962 and was awarded the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award four years later for allowing the fewest goals in the league. Binkley was the starting goaltender for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the team's inaugural season in the NHL. During the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs, Binkley won six games--the first postseason victories for the Penguin franchise. After five seasons with the Penguins, he played in the WHA with the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros. Binkley played in 196 NHL regular season games and retired with a career GAA of 3.12.[3]

He won two Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 as a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins.[4]

Personal life

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Binkley currently resides in Walkerton, Ontario. His wife Eleanor passed away in September 2021.[5] He has two children, Randall and Leslie, five grandchildren, Jana, Jonathan, Curtis, Kara and Jordan and one great-grandchild, Clara. Curtis Binkley is also a goaltender and was drafted by the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League in 2002.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1950–51 Owen Sound Mintos OHA 1 0 1 60 8 0 8.00
1951–52 Galt Black Hawks OHA 47 31 13 2 2780 178 4 3.84 3 0 3 190 16 0 5.05
1952–53 Galt Black Hawks OHA 55 3300 213 1 3.87 11 660 51 0 4.64
1953–54 Galt Black Hawks OHA 54 20 33 1 3240 250 0 4.63
1953–54 Kitchener Greenshirts OHA 4 2 2 0 240 17 0 4.25 4 1 3 240 16 0 4.00
1954–55 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen OHA Sr 3 180 12 0 4.00
1955–56 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 3 1 2 0 180 13 0 4.33
1955–56 Baltimore Clippers/Charlotte Checkers EHL 59 21 37 1 3540 302 0 5.11
1956–57 Charlotte Checkers EHL 64 50 13 1 3840 239 0 3.79 13 8 5 780 35 2 2.69
1957–58 Charlotte Checkers EHL 64 38 25 1 3840 237 0 3.70 12 5 7 720 46 1 3.83
1958–59 Toledo Mercurys IHL 52 3100 205 1 3.97
1958–59 Cleveland Barons AHL 1 0 1 0 60 3 0 3.00
1959–60 Toledo-St. Louis Mercurys IHL 67 28 35 4 4020 294 2 4.39
1960–61 Toledo Mercurys IHL 1 1 0 0 60 0 1 0.00 1.000
1960–61 Cleveland Barons AHL 8 4 1 1 450 11 0 1.47 4 0 4 240 18 0 4.50
1961–62 Cleveland Barons AHL 60 31 26 3 3600 181 5 3.02 3 1 2 201 10 0 2.99
1962–63 Cleveland Barons AHL 63 28 27 7 3780 203 4 3.22 7 4 3 420 22 1 3.14
1963–64 Cleveland Barons AHL 65 34 27 3 3885 180 3 2.77
1964–65 Cleveland Barons AHL 40 14 23 2 2330 152 0 3.91
1965–66 Cleveland Barons AHL 66 34 30 2 3932 192 2 2.93 12 8 4 696 27 1 2.33
1966–67 San Diego Gulls WHL 55 15 36 2 3200 190 1 3.56
1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 54 20 24 10 3141 151 6 2.88 .905
1968–69 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 50 10 31 8 2885 158 0 3.29 .902
1969–70 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 27 10 13 1 1477 79 3 3.21 .886 7 5 2 429 15 0 2.10 .924
1970–71 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 34 11 11 10 1870 89 2 2.86 .900
1971–72 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 31 7 15 5 1673 98 0 3.51 .883
1972–73 Ottawa Nationals WHA 30 10 17 1 1709 106 0 3.72 .882 4 1 3 223 17 0 4.57
1973–74 Toronto Toros WHA 27 14 9 1 1412 77 1 3.27 .901 5 2 2 182 17 0 5.60
1974–75 Toronto Toros WHA 17 6 4 0 772 47 0 3.65 .888 1 0 1 59 5 0 5.08
1975–76 Toronto Toros WHA 7 0 6 0 335 32 0 5.73 .849
1975–76 Buffalo Norsemen NAHL 24 11 8 0 1195 85 0 4.27
WHA totals 81 30 36 2 4228 262 1 3.72 .886 10 3 6 464 39 0 5.04
NHL totals 196 58 94 34 11,046 575 11 3.12 .898 7 5 2 429 15 0 2.10 .924

Achievements and awards

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References

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  1. ^ "Binkley excited for Murray, Penguins". NHL.com.
  2. ^ Fischler, Stan (20 February 2019). "Soap, towels and save percentage: How an AHL trainer became an NHL netminder". The Hockey News. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Les Binkley - Stats - NHL.com - Players". NHL. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  4. ^ "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Les Binkley". HHOF.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  5. ^ "Eleanor Binkley Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information". Retrieved 20 July 2022.
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