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Pat Riggin

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Pat Riggin
Born (1959-05-26) May 26, 1959 (age 65)
Kincardine, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Right
Played for Birmingham Bulls
Atlanta Flames
Calgary Flames
Washington Capitals
Boston Bruins
Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL draft 33rd overall, 1979
Atlanta Flames
Playing career 1978–1988

Patrick Michael Riggin (born May 26, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender.

Playing career

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Birmingham Bulls

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Riggin began his professional career while still a teenager with the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association. Riggin beat out veteran Ernie Wakely for the Bulls starting job, posting a 16-20-5 record.[1]

Atlanta/Calgary Flames

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Riggin was drafted 33rd overall by the Atlanta Flames in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.

Riggin spent his rookie season backing up Dan Bouchard, and became the Flames' starter after Bouchard was dealt to the Quebec Nordiques in January 1981.

Riggin made his playoff debut in the 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs, stopping 42 shots in the Flames' Game 2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.[2]

Riggin and Ken Houston were traded to the Washington Capitals on June 9, 1982 in exchange for Howard Walker, George White, a 1982 sixth-round pick, a 1983 third-round pick and a 1984 second-round pick.

Washington Capitals

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With Washington, Riggin would platoon in the Capitals goal splitting duties with Al Jensen and both netminders excelled. They had a history before being teammates with both of them duelling during their Junior days to be the top goaltender in the OHA. Riggin was a First-Team All-Star with the London Knights in 1976-77 and Jensen a Second Team All-Star for Hamilton. The following year, the roles were reversed with Jensen taking top honours and Riggin on the Second Team.[3]

Riggin suited up for 38 games in 1982-83 and posted 21 wins and a 2.66 goals against average in 41 games during the 1983–84 season. Riggin and Jensen shared the William M. Jennings Trophy as the Capitals' goaltending duo allowed the fewest goals in the NHL that season. Riggin earned NHL Second All-Star Team honors that season for his efforts.[4]

Riggin played a career-high 57 games in the 1984-85 season, primarily in part to Jensen's knee injury. He placed among the league leaders for wins and goals against but fell short in the Stanley Cup playoffs. After being eliminated by the New York Islanders, Riggin joined Team Canada at the 1985 Ice Hockey World Championships, earning a silver medal.

Riggin sparked a minor controversy, as he cited his motivation for defeating the United States was primarily due to the influx of American talent establishing themselves on NHL rosters, which he felt was taking spots away from Canadian players.[5] Riggin's remarks were controversial, primarily due to the fact he played for an American based NHL franchise. Riggin addressed the controversy, citing he used poor choices of words in his interview.[3]

Riggin got off to a slow start to the 1986-87 season, recording two wins in his first seven games with a .827 save percentage. He would later be traded to the Boston Bruins.

Boston Bruins

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Riggin was traded to the Bruins in exchange for Pete Peeters. He was part of another platoon situation with Doug Keans. Riggin played 39 games and led the team in wins and goals against, but only played in Game 1 of the Bruins playoff series with the Montreal Canadiens. Riggin was benched in favor of Bill Ranford for the rest of the series, in which the Bruins would be eventually eliminated.

Ranford and Keans were established as the Bruins goaltending tandem the following season, leaving Riggin as the odd-man-out. Riggin got into ten games with the Bruins before being assigned to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Moncton Hawks.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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Riggin was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 6, 1987, in exchange for Roberto Romano. Riggin was acquired by the Penguins to alleviate the workload of Gilles Meloche. Riggin made an immediate impact for his new club, posting a 8-6-3 record in 17 games following the trade.

Riggin struggled the following season, managing seven wins in 22 appearances. He was deemed expendable by the Penguins, following the emergence of young goaltender Frank Pietrangelo, and was assigned to the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League.

Riggin announced his retirement from hockey at the end of the season.

Personal life

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Riggin is the son of former Detroit Red Wings goaltender Dennis Riggin.

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 T MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1975–76 London Knights OMJHL 29 1385 86 0 3.68 1 0 1 0 60 6 0 6.00
1976–77 London Knights OMJHL 48 2809 138 2 2.95 20 10 8 2 1197 66 2 3.20
1976–77 Ottawa 67's M-Cup 4 3 1 244 12 0 2.98
1977–78 London Knights OMJHL 38 2266 140 0 3.65 9 6 2 1 536 27 0 3.03
1978–79 Birmingham Bulls WHA 46 16 22 5 2511 158 1 3.78 .880
1979–80 Atlanta Flames NHL 25 11 9 2 1368 73 2 3.20 .894
1979–80 Birmingham Bulls CHL 12 8 2 2 746 32 0 2.57 .920
1980–81 Calgary Flames NHL 42 21 16 4 2411 154 0 3.83 .883 11 6 4 629 37 0 3.53 .904
1981–82 Calgary Flames NHL 52 19 19 11 2934 207 2 4.23 .871 3 0 3 194 10 0 3.09 .899
1982–83 Washington Capitals NHL 38 16 9 9 2161 121 0 3.36 .881 3 0 1 101 8 0 4.75 .862
1983–84 Hershey Bears AHL 3 2 0 1 185 7 0 2.27 .933
1983–84 Washington Capitals NHL 41 21 14 2 2299 102 4 2.66 .890 5 1 3 230 9 0 2.35 .889
1984–85 Washington Capitals NHL 57 28 20 7 3388 168 2 2.98 .886 2 1 1 122 5 0 2.46 .872
1985–86 Washington Capitals NHL 7 2 3 1 369 23 0 3.74 .827
1985–86 Boston Bruins NHL 39 17 11 8 2272 127 1 3.35 .869 1 0 1 60 3 0 3.00 .870
1986–87 Boston Bruins NHL 10 3 5 1 513 29 0 3.39 .877
1986–87 Moncton Golden Flames AHL 14 6 5 0 798 34 1 2.56 .892
1986–87 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 17 8 6 3 988 55 0 3.34 .882
1987–88 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 22 7 8 4 1169 76 0 3.90 .869
1987–88 Muskegon Lumberjacks IHL 18 13 2 0 956 43 0 2.70 2 1 1 110 12 0 6.55
NHL totals 350 153 120 52 19,872 1,135 11 3.43 .879 25 8 13 1,336 72 0 3.23 .895

"Riggin's stats". The Goaltender Home Page. Retrieved 22 September 2017.

References

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  1. ^ "Bullish Over Baby Bulls". Sports Illustrated Vault.
  2. ^ "1981 NHL Quarter-Finals: CGY vs. PHI". Hockey Reference.
  3. ^ a b "Capitals Net Gain In Rivalry". Washington Post.
  4. ^ "Pat Riggin biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  5. ^ "The Strangest One of All: Absurd Goalie Monday: Pat Riggin". The Strangest One Of All. 26 July 2010.
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Preceded by Winner of the Jennings Trophy
1984
(with Al Jensen)
Succeeded by