Garry Unger 1986 - 1988
Playing Participant in the Legends of Peterborough event March 16th 2008

Even today, when one of the country's top Elite League sides splashes out on a player who has played in the world's top hockey league, the NHL, fans travel from all around just to see a guy who has played at the very top. Often these star individuals are players who barely saw ice-time in very short careers at that level but, preceeding the current era, UK hockey was graced by the presence of not just a former NHL player but one who had played more consecutive games in the top flight than any other ...... a true legend of the game.

That player, Garry Unger, had played no less than nineteen seasons in the NHL with clubs such as Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, St Louis Blues, Atlanta Flames, Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers - in seven of those seasons, he was selected for the prestigious All Star Game. During that time he secured the title of NHL Iron Man for playing a staggering 914 consecutive games in the NHL, a run that only ended when his coach at Los Angeles decided he was going to bench him for a game during the 1979/80 season, despite him being fit to play ! His record was broken just once in 1987 - whilst he was in Peterborough - but Unger is still recognized in his North American homeland as one othe greatest to have played the game.

In 1985, top Scottish side the Dundee Rockets stunned the hockey world by having the audacity to sign Unger for a season in UK hockey where he racked up an impressive 134 points from just 35 games. Not wishing to be outdone, the new force in English hockey, our very own Peterborough Pirates made moves during the summer of 1986 to entice Unger down to Peterborough and, in a blaze of publicity and with local hockey fans travelling down to Heathrow to greet him, the legend of Garry Unger was now to wear the Peterborough shirt.

In his first season, Unger scored 95+143 for 238 points from 30 games ..... only just short of eight points per game. Not surprisingly, Pirates ran away with the Division One league title and were promoted to the top flight Premier League. Despite struggling at the higher level against longer established sides, Pirates avoided the anticipated relegation back to Division One. Despite propping up the division, Unger still managed an impressive 37+44 from 32 games and without a doubt the most important of those goals was the last one he scored in a Peterborough shirt.

In a crucial Promotion/Relegation play-off on 10th April 1988, Pirates found themselves 1-6 down at the start of the final period knowing that defeat would not only result in relegation but probably the end of ice hockey in Peterborough as the rink owner had publicly stated that he would not support ice hockey at the lower level. In a dramatic and desperate final twenty minutes, Pirates battled back and with just over one minute left of the game, Garry Unger scored to win the tie and keep the club alive.

Garry then commenced his coaching career with the Pirates in the following season before heading home to Canada to continue his contribution to the sport he loves with various senior off-ice positions. Undoubtedly the biggest name who has or will ever play ice hockey in this country and his return to the Bretton rink on 16th March will be one not to be missed.