Wilf Paiement

Wilf Paiement (born October 16, 1955, in Earlton, Ontario) is a former professional right winger in the NHL from 1974 to 1988. He played for seven different NHL teams.

Playing career
Wilf Paiement was selected in the first round 1st (2nd overall) of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft by the Kansas City Scouts of the NHL, the first-ever draft chice by the club. He played two seasons in Kansas City before the team moved to Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies. He would be the last active player to have played for the Scouts.

Paiement was a member of the Canadian team which returned to the World Championship 1977 in Austria after seven years of absence.

On October 25, 1978, Paiement attacked Detroit Red Wing's journeyman Dennis Polonich with his stick. The dimunitive five-foot-six-inch Polonich was trash-talking with Paiement, when Paiement struck Polonich's across the face with a two-handed slash, which resulted in severe facial lacerations, a smashed nose that required extensive reconstructive surgery, and a severe concussion. Along with a match penalty, Paiement was given the longest (at the time) suspension in NHL history - 15 games. Polonich sued, and was rewarded with a settlement of $850,000 in 1982. Polonich suffered with breathing problems from then on.

Paiement was traded from the Rockies to the Toronto Maple Leafs along with Pat Hickey for Lanny McDonald and Joel Quenneville on December 29, 1979. While in Toronto, he became the last player (aside from Wayne Gretzky to wear #99.

Paiement played in Toronto for the next three seasons before again being traded to the Quebec Nordiques for Miroslav Frycer and a 7th round pick in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft (Jeff Triano). After five seasons in Quebec, he was traded to the New York Rangers for Steve Patrick where he only played eight games.

The Buffalo Sabres claimed Paiement off waivers on October 6, 1986. He only played one season in Buffalo before rounding out his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins and finally, the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL in 1987–88.