Dave Semenko was the ultimate enforcer. He served as the bodyguard for the Oilers’ star-studded team of the 1980s in general—and Wayne Gretzky in particular. Semenko was a highly appreciated teammate. He also had a great sense of humor, something he really showed when he was sent to the minors one time…
The 1980s Edmonton Oilers were overflowing with hockey talent: Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson, and—of course—Wayne Gretzky. But there was also Dave Semenko, the enforcer. Without Semenko, there’s no doubt the Oilers would have had a tougher time during their dynasty years.
The perfect teammate
Always fearlessly protecting the Oilers’ superstars with his bare knuckles, Dave Semenko became a beloved teammate. He spent ten seasons with the Oilers before finishing his playing career with the Hartford Whalers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. After Semenko’s passing in 2017, many former Oilers players and staff shared fond memories of their teammate. One of those stories, told by the longtime Oilers equipment manager, says everything you need to know about Dave Semenko.
Barrie Stafford, head equipment manager for the Oilers from 1982 to 2010, recalled a time when Semenko was sent down to the minors in 1981. At the time, Stafford was the equipment manager for the Oilers’ minor league affiliate, the Wichita Wind.
Dave Semenko sent to the minors
“Dave had a quick stint in Wichita. But he told general manager Larry Gordon and the coach that he wouldn’t go down there unless he could wear number 99. And, son of a gun, if he didn’t wear sweater 99 in the minors,” Stafford told Canada’s Global News in 2017.
“So Don Jackson was playing for Oklahoma City, and they got into a fight. Afterwards, Don told me on the phone, ‘I got into a fight with Dave Semenko, and I had a number 9 in my hand that was Velcroed on the sweater,’ because he wouldn’t play unless he had sweater number 99 out of respect for his buddy Wayne Gretzky,” Stafford added.
What a fighter—and what a teammate!
READ MORE: Dave Semenko had four wishes for his hockey career
