Paul Garnet Henderson (born January 28, 1943) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A left winger, Henderson played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames and five in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Toronto Toros and Birmingham Bulls. He played over 1,000 games between the two major leagues, scoring 376 goals and 758 points. Henderson played in two NHL All-Star Games and was a member of the 1962 Memorial Cup-winning Hamilton Red Wings team as a junior.
Henderson is best known for playing for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. The series was viewed as a Cold War battle for both hockey and cultural supremacy. Henderson scored the game-winning goal in each of the final three games, the last of which has become legendary in Canada and made him a national hero: it was voted the "sports moment of the century" by The Canadian Press and earned him numerous accolades. Those three wins secured the series for the Canadians by the narrowest of margins. Henderson has twice been inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame: in 1995 individually and in 2005 along with all players of the Summit Series team. He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2013.
A born-again Christian, Henderson became a minister, motivational speaker and author following his playing career. He has co-written three books related to hockey or his life. Henderson was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2013 and of the Order of Ontario in 2014.
Early life
Henderson was born January 28, 1943, near Kincardine, Ontario. His mother, Evelyn, went into labour while staying at his father's parents' farm in the nearby community of Amberley during a snowstorm. She gave birth to Paul while the family was crossing Lake Huron via horse-drawn sleigh attempting to reach the hospital in Kincardine. – moved frequently to different posts in Ontario before settling in Lucknow. Paul's first experiences with hockey came at a young age in the basement of a local restaurant serving western fare operated by Charlie Chin, an immigrant from China who settled in Lucknow. Henderson played with Chin's youngest sons using a ball instead of a puck. The Chin family gave Henderson his first set of hockey equipment; he had been using old catalogues as shin pads. His father coached his youth teams, and at one minor hockey tournament, told his teammates simply to "just give the puck to Paul and get out of his way". That incident remained with Henderson throughout his life: while it embarrassed him at the time to be singled out in front of his friends and teammates, he later realized it stood as an affirmation and expression of his father's pride in him and his abilities.
It was in Lucknow where Henderson met his future wife, Eleanor, at the age of 15 while he was working at a grocery store. They married in 1962 and, wanting to ensure he could provide for his wife, he considered giving up the game to become a history and physical education teacher. His father convinced him to remain in hockey, warning him that he would regret it for the rest of his life if he never tried to make the National Hockey League (NHL). After considering his father's advice and talking with Eleanor, Henderson decided to play two additional years, and if he had not reached the NHL by 1964, he would quit the game and focus on his education. The junior affiliates of both the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings offered him tryouts. He chose to sign with the Red Wings as their junior teams were based in Hamilton, which was closest to his home. He played the 1959–60 season with the Junior B Goderich Sailors and was the youngest player on the team. Henderson moved up to the Junior A Hamilton Red Wings in 1960–61 where he was an extra forward for much of the season. Returning to Hamilton in 1961–62, he became a regular player on the team, and recorded 24 goals and 43 points in 50 games.
Hamilton won the Ontario championship that season, then defeated the Quebec Citadelles in four consecutive games to win the eastern Canadian championship. Henderson scored a goal in the clinching game, a 9–3 win, that propelled the Red Wings to their first Memorial Cup final in the team's history. They faced the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 1962 Memorial Cup final series. The Red Wings won the best-of-seven set 4–1 to capture the national championship. Henderson scored a goal in the deciding game, a 7–4 victory before over 7,000 fans at Kitchener, Ontario. He finished with seven goals and seven assists in 14 Memorial Cup playoff games. Henderson played his first two NHL games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with only one shift in each game. In his first game, Henderson elbowed Dick Duff in the head, sparking a fight. He spent the rest of the game on the bench after several Toronto players threatened retaliation against him. In his second, he incurred a slashing penalty during his only time on the ice. Henderson estimated that he was on the ice for only 20 seconds over the two games, but drew nine penalties in minutes.
Detroit and Toronto
thumb|1970 card of Henderson for Toronto Maple Leafs
After failing to make the Detroit roster out of training camp, Henderson was assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Pittsburgh Hornets, to begin the 1963–64 season. He appeared in 38 games for the Hornets and his speed and aggressive nature helped him score 10 goals and 24 points. Henderson earned a brief recall to Detroit in November, then joined the NHL team permanently early in the new year. He scored his first NHL goal on January 29, 1964, against the Chicago Black Hawks. It came late in the game against goaltender Glenn Hall and resulted in a 2–2 tie. In 32 regular season NHL games, Henderson recorded three goals and three assists, then appeared in 14 playoff games where he added five more points.
Henderson established himself as a full-time NHL player in 1964–65, though with limited ice time. He was used primarily in a defensive role and to kill penalties, scoring 8 goals and 21 points, while appearing in 70 games. Switching to the left wing in 1965–66, Henderson played a more offensive role and scored 22 goals. He added three more in 12 playoff games as the Red Wings reached the 1966 Stanley Cup Finals versus the Montreal Canadiens. After winning the first two games in Montreal, Detroit lost four straight and the series.
Seeking to double his $7,000 salary from the previous season, Henderson became embroiled in a contract dispute with the Red Wings prior to the 1966–67 NHL season, before the team acceded to his demands. He then spent the year attempting to overcome injuries; a case of tracheitis forced him to miss several early season games and led the team to consider having him play wearing a surgical mask to protect against the cold air of the arena. Henderson eventually spent time in the dry air of Arizona to cure the ailment, but he also suffered from torn chest muscles and ultimately missed a third of the season. On the ice, Henderson scored 21 goals and 40 points in 49 games. Henderson finished the season with 11 points in 13 games for Toronto, then scored 27 goals and 59 points in 1968–69. Healthy in 1970–71, he scored 30 goals and an NHL career-high 60 points.
Canada had long been at a disadvantage in international ice hockey tournaments as its best players were professionals in the NHL and therefore ineligible to play at the ostensibly amateur World Championship and Olympic Games. The Soviets masked the status of their best players by having them serve in the military or hold other jobs affiliated with the teams, so they retained amateur status, even though playing hockey was their only occupational responsibility. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) promised to allow Canada to use a limited number of professional players at the 1970 tournament but later reneged, causing the nation to withdraw from all international competition. Officials in Canada and the Soviet Union subsequently negotiated an arrangement that would see the top players of each nation – amateur or professional – play in an eight-game "Summit Series" in September 1972 between the world's two greatest hockey nations. Canadian fans and media approached the series with confidence; many predicted that the Canadian professionals would win all eight games.
Henderson's 38-goal season in 1971–72, a career high, He scored a goal early in the first game, in Montreal, that gave Canada a 2–0 lead. The Soviet team then humbled the Canadians by scoring the next four goals and winning 7–3. A 4–1 Canadian win followed in the second game at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, but the Soviets overcame a 4–2 deficit, the fourth goal scored by Henderson, to tie the third game in Winnipeg. Canada lost the fourth game, 5–3, and were jeered by the fans in Vancouver as they headed to Moscow for the final four games with a series deficit. Henderson, like most of his teammates, was frustrated by his team's play and the negative reaction they received from the crowd.
In the first game in Moscow, Henderson scored a goal to help Canada establish a 4–1 lead, but also suffered a concussion when he was tripped into the boards and knocked unconscious. He returned to finish the game, but the Soviets came back to win, 5–4, and were one victory shy of winning the series. In game six, Canada overcame what coach Harry Sinden called "the worst officials I have ever seen in my life" to win by a 3–2 score, with Henderson scoring the game-winning goal. The game was also notable for Bobby Clarke using his stick in a two-handed slash that broke Valeri Kharlamov's ankle. Henderson later called the event "the low point of the series" during the 30th anniversary celebration, but apologized for his comments after Clarke took umbrage. Canada drew even in the series at three wins apiece, plus one tie, with a 4–3 victory in game seven. Henderson again scored the winner despite being tripped as he took the shot.