Hubert Jacques "Pit" Martin (December 9, 1943 – November 30, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who served as captain for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1975 to 1977. He was an NHL All-Star and Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winner.

Pit Martin
Martin with the Detroit Red Wings in the 1960s
Born (1943-12-09)December 9, 1943
Noranda, Quebec, Canada
Died November 30, 2008(2008-11-30) (aged 64)
Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for NHL
Detroit Red Wings
Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
Vancouver Canucks
AHL
Pittsburgh Hornets
Playing career 1962–1979

Martin played seventeen seasons in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks and Vancouver Canucks.

Playing career

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Nicknamed Pit after a comic strip character in a French newspaper, Martin was scouted by former NHL goaltender Wilf Cude and joined the Red Wings organization. He is remembered among hockey fans as being involved in one of the most one-sided trades in history.

Martin got his first NHL goal as a member of the Detroit Red Wings in his team's 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on December 7, 1963.

Martin scored four goals in a single game on January 27, 1966 in Boston's 5-3 victory over Chicago.

In May 1967, Martin, along with Gilles Marotte and Jack Norris, was traded from Boston to Chicago for Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield, who would become core elements of future Boston powerhouse teams. However, Martin himself was a bright spot of the trade for the Black Hawks, starring for them for ten seasons as a skilled two-way centre. He was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game in four straight seasons.

Martin played 1101 career NHL games from 1961–62 to 1978–79. He recorded 324 goals and 485 assists for 809 points. His best statistical season was the 1972–73 season when he set career highs with 61 assists and 90 points, adding ten goals in the playoffs as the Hawks made it to the Stanley Cup finals. He wore number 7.

Death

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On November 30, 2008, Martin was reported missing following a snowmobile accident on Lake Kanasuta near Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec.[1] He was riding a snowmobile behind a friend when the ice on the lake collapsed shortly after his friend had passed over it.[1] Martin was pronounced dead on December 1, 2008.[2] On December 2, 2008, Quebec Provincial Police divers recovered Martin's body from the lake.[3]

Awards

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Career statistics

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1959–60 Hamilton Tiger Cubs OHA-Jr. 29 13 12 25 14
1960–61 Hamilton Red Wings OHA-Jr. 48 20 21 41 17 10 7 2 9 8
1961–62 Hamilton Red Wings OHA-Jr. 48 42 46 88 46 10 3 9 12 0
1961–62 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 0 1 1 0
1961–62 Hamilton Red Wings M-Cup 14 12 11 23 22
1962–63 Hamilton Red Wings OHA-Jr. 49 36 49 85 67 5 1 1 2 10
1962–63 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 5 1 2 3 0
1963–64 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 21 3 7 10 2
1963–64 Detroit Red Wings NHL 50 9 12 21 28 14 1 4 5 14
1964–65 Detroit Red Wings NHL 58 8 9 17 32 3 0 1 1 2
1965–66 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 16 6 6 12 26
1965–66 Detroit Red Wings NHL 10 1 1 2 0
1965–66 Boston Bruins NHL 41 16 11 27 10
1966–67 Boston Bruins NHL 70 20 22 42 40
1967–68 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 63 16 19 35 36 11 3 6 9 2
1968–69 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 76 23 38 61 73
1969–70 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 73 30 33 63 61 8 3 3 6 4
1970–71 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 62 22 33 55 40 17 2 7 9 12
1971–72 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 78 24 51 75 56 8 4 2 6 4
1972–73 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 78 29 61 90 30 15 10 6 16 6
1973–74 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 78 30 47 77 43 7 2 0 2 4
1974–75 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 19 26 45 34 8 1 1 2 2
1975–76 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 80 32 39 71 44 4 1 0 1 4
1976–77 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 75 17 36 53 22 2 0 0 0 0
1977–78 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 7 1 1 2 0
1977–78 Vancouver Canucks NHL 67 15 31 46 36
1978–79 Vancouver Canucks NHL 64 12 14 26 24 3 0 1 1 2
NHL totals 1,101 324 485 809 609 100 27 31 58 56

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Hubert "Pit" Martin porté disparu" (in French). Réseau des sports. 2008-11-30. Retrieved 2008-12-01.
  2. ^ "Pit Martin pronounced dead after snowmobile accident". TSN. 2008-12-01. Retrieved 2008-12-01.
  3. ^ "Quebec police find body of ex-NHLer Martin". TSN. 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winner
1970
Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by NHLPA President
1974–1975
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chicago Black Hawks captain
197577
with Stan Mikita, 1976–77
Succeeded by