Bay Side
May 28th, 2004, 9:27:57 PM
http://www.sabrefans.com/articles.asp?id=1207&ref=2
Profile - Lee Fogolin
Lee Fogolin has been brought back to the attention of Sabres' fans recently because of the tragic death of his son Michael on May 26th (fans may send their condolences to pgcougars_mikefogolin@yahoo.ca but are asked to otherwise respect the family's privacy).
Lee Fogolin comes from a hockey family, a very successful hockey family. Fogolin was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 15, 1955. Lee is the son of Lidio "Lee" Fogolin, the elder Fogolin played for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. "Lee Sr." was a gritty, physical, hard nosed defenseman known for knocking opponents around. Fogolin played in the 1950 and 1951 NHL All-Star team and won a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 1950. The family moved back to Northern Ontario after Lidio retired from professional hockey.
Lee followed in his father's footsteps, he was one of the better junior defenseman in Thunder Bay and then later in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals. Fogolin's steady defensive style caught the attention of Buffalo Sabres' GM Punch Imlach. The Sabres drafted Fogolin in the first round of the 1974 amateur draft with the 11th selection overall. Fogolin was the first American born player drafted in the first round but by rights his American heritage is by birth only as Fogolin spent most of his life in Canada. The Sabres had immense firepower in the forward lines, what they needed was a stronger defense. Fogolin helped shore things up.
Fogolin started out with the Hershey Bears, the Sabres' AHL farm team at the time. After just 20 games, however, the Sabres recalled Fogolin and he was a fixture on the Buffalo blue line for the next five seasons. Fogolin got his first taste of a Stanley Cup in his rookie year when the Sabres lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Philadelphia Flyers, it would not be the last time Fogolin would have a crack at Lord Stanley's prize.
Steady and solid is the best way to sum up Fogolin's career in Buffalo and his NHL career in general. Fogolin was a defensive defenseman (something of a rarity in today's NHL) who never scored more than 3 goals for the Sabres. Fogolin had an impressive +15 rating in the 1975-76 season, he also played for the American team in the first Canada Cup held that year. The Sabres, however, became a stale team in the late 1970's. The Sabres turned over their front office and when Scotty Bowman was brought on board for the 1979-80 season it was a clear a house cleaning was in order. Fogolin was on the outside looking in with the Sabres so it came as no real surprise that Buffalo left him exposed in the 1979 expansion draft.
Fortune, however, smiled on Fogolin once again. He was claimed by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the expansion draft. The Oilers were a very young team looking for veteran leadership. Their "kids" were about to become some of the greatest players in NHL history and would make the Oilers into one of the greatest hockey dynasties of all time. Fogolin would play an important role in the team's maturation process and became a veteran leader for the young Oilers. Fogolin was named the team captain in 1981 and kept the "C" until 1983-4 when he voluntarily gave it to a young man named Wayne Gretzky.
Not surprisingly Fogolin achieved put up career numbers with the Oilers and their high powered offense. In 1980-81 he scored a career high 13 goals and 17 assists, his penalty minutes also routinely were above 120 for the season as he looked out for his younger team mates. Fogolin reached the Cup finals for the second time in his career in 1983, but lost once again to the New York Islanders. The following season the Oilers and Islanders met once again, this time Edmonton raised the cup (the first of four) to end the Islanders dynasty. Fogolin would win a second consecutive cup with the Oilers in 1985.
By 1986-7 Fogolin was once again an outsider as the Oilers looked to go with younger players on the blue line. On March 6, 1987 Fogolin return to the Buffalo Sabres. Fogolin, Mark Napier and the Oilers 4th round pick in the 1987 expansion draft were sent to the Sabres in exchange for Norm LaCombe, Wayne Van Dorp and the Sabres' 4th round pick in the 1987 draft. Fogolin played just 9 more games before he retired from hockey. Over 13 season in the NHL Fogolin played 924 games, scored 44 goals, 195 assists for 239 points and racked up 1318 penalty minutes. In 108 playoff games Fogolin scored 5 goals, 19 assists for 24 points and 173 penalty minutes. Fogolin, like his father, was a tough, gritty, quality defenseman and a true "warrior" for his teams.
Fogolin was elected to the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the Fogolin family for their tragic loss.
Profile - Lee Fogolin
Lee Fogolin has been brought back to the attention of Sabres' fans recently because of the tragic death of his son Michael on May 26th (fans may send their condolences to pgcougars_mikefogolin@yahoo.ca but are asked to otherwise respect the family's privacy).
Lee Fogolin comes from a hockey family, a very successful hockey family. Fogolin was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 15, 1955. Lee is the son of Lidio "Lee" Fogolin, the elder Fogolin played for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. "Lee Sr." was a gritty, physical, hard nosed defenseman known for knocking opponents around. Fogolin played in the 1950 and 1951 NHL All-Star team and won a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 1950. The family moved back to Northern Ontario after Lidio retired from professional hockey.
Lee followed in his father's footsteps, he was one of the better junior defenseman in Thunder Bay and then later in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals. Fogolin's steady defensive style caught the attention of Buffalo Sabres' GM Punch Imlach. The Sabres drafted Fogolin in the first round of the 1974 amateur draft with the 11th selection overall. Fogolin was the first American born player drafted in the first round but by rights his American heritage is by birth only as Fogolin spent most of his life in Canada. The Sabres had immense firepower in the forward lines, what they needed was a stronger defense. Fogolin helped shore things up.
Fogolin started out with the Hershey Bears, the Sabres' AHL farm team at the time. After just 20 games, however, the Sabres recalled Fogolin and he was a fixture on the Buffalo blue line for the next five seasons. Fogolin got his first taste of a Stanley Cup in his rookie year when the Sabres lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Philadelphia Flyers, it would not be the last time Fogolin would have a crack at Lord Stanley's prize.
Steady and solid is the best way to sum up Fogolin's career in Buffalo and his NHL career in general. Fogolin was a defensive defenseman (something of a rarity in today's NHL) who never scored more than 3 goals for the Sabres. Fogolin had an impressive +15 rating in the 1975-76 season, he also played for the American team in the first Canada Cup held that year. The Sabres, however, became a stale team in the late 1970's. The Sabres turned over their front office and when Scotty Bowman was brought on board for the 1979-80 season it was a clear a house cleaning was in order. Fogolin was on the outside looking in with the Sabres so it came as no real surprise that Buffalo left him exposed in the 1979 expansion draft.
Fortune, however, smiled on Fogolin once again. He was claimed by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the expansion draft. The Oilers were a very young team looking for veteran leadership. Their "kids" were about to become some of the greatest players in NHL history and would make the Oilers into one of the greatest hockey dynasties of all time. Fogolin would play an important role in the team's maturation process and became a veteran leader for the young Oilers. Fogolin was named the team captain in 1981 and kept the "C" until 1983-4 when he voluntarily gave it to a young man named Wayne Gretzky.
Not surprisingly Fogolin achieved put up career numbers with the Oilers and their high powered offense. In 1980-81 he scored a career high 13 goals and 17 assists, his penalty minutes also routinely were above 120 for the season as he looked out for his younger team mates. Fogolin reached the Cup finals for the second time in his career in 1983, but lost once again to the New York Islanders. The following season the Oilers and Islanders met once again, this time Edmonton raised the cup (the first of four) to end the Islanders dynasty. Fogolin would win a second consecutive cup with the Oilers in 1985.
By 1986-7 Fogolin was once again an outsider as the Oilers looked to go with younger players on the blue line. On March 6, 1987 Fogolin return to the Buffalo Sabres. Fogolin, Mark Napier and the Oilers 4th round pick in the 1987 expansion draft were sent to the Sabres in exchange for Norm LaCombe, Wayne Van Dorp and the Sabres' 4th round pick in the 1987 draft. Fogolin played just 9 more games before he retired from hockey. Over 13 season in the NHL Fogolin played 924 games, scored 44 goals, 195 assists for 239 points and racked up 1318 penalty minutes. In 108 playoff games Fogolin scored 5 goals, 19 assists for 24 points and 173 penalty minutes. Fogolin, like his father, was a tough, gritty, quality defenseman and a true "warrior" for his teams.
Fogolin was elected to the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the Fogolin family for their tragic loss.