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==Disappearance== |
==Disappearance== |
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| + | In the summer of 1989 he went to Europe. The New York Islanders had a couple of months earlier bought out and released the often injured MacPherson.<ref name="HDC">{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1984/84020.html |title=Duncan MacPherson profile |publisher=Hockey Draft Central |accessdate=2010-09-02}}</ref> He never made it to the big club.<ref name="Esquire">{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Chris |url=http://www.esquire.com/features/the-game/ESQ0104-JAN_GAME |title=The man in the ice |publisher=Esquire |date=2004-12-31 |accessdate=2010-09-02}}</ref> MacPherson had intentions of taking a job as a player-coach for a semi-pro hockey team in [[Dundee]], [[Scotland]], commencing in August 1989, though he did have a bad feeling in his gut about the entrepreneur Ron Dixon who was backing the Scottish team.<ref name="Esquire" /> He went to central Europe alone in early August 1989, the plan being to visit old friends and see the sights before going on to Scotland. |
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| − | In the summer of 1989 he was going to Europe to possibly take a job as a player-coach for a hockey team in [[Dundee]], [[Scotland]], and he went on a solo vacation around Europe in August, 1989, before taking up the position. He was scheduled to arrive in Dundee on August 12. When he did not show up, his family went to look for him. His rental car was discovered six weeks later in the parking lot of the Stubaier Gletscher resort in the Stubai Alps in [[Austria]], where he had rented a snowboard and taken lessons. He was last seen late in the afternoon of August 9 on the chairlift. |
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| + | He was scheduled to arrive in Dundee on August 12. When he did not show up, his family went to look for him. A car he had borrowed from a friend was discovered six weeks later in the parking lot of the [[Stubaier Gletscher]] resort in the [[Stubai Alps]] in Austria, where he had rented a snowboard. His last known contact was with an employee of the ski resort on August 9, who reported that he spoke with MacPherson, and last saw MacPherson departing alone to perhaps squeeze in some final snowboarding and hiking before nightfall.<ref name="Esquire" /> |
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| − | An account has him departing on foot alone, at night, into treachorous, icy wilderness that was unfamilar to him. How could a Canadian person who had lived through many cold winters not realize the danger of such a choice? Some speculate it was his way of committing suicide. The prideful former first round draft choice was certainly disheartened by the realization that he would never live his dream. In fact, he would never play even a single shift in the NHL. He would never experience the fame and the big money he was once so sure would be his. He had been released by the New York Islanders, and no other team was interested in him. He was only 23 years old, but no big league club saw enough in him to merit giving him a spot on their minor league team. They all passed on him. Perhaps they felt the ankle and knee injuries he experienced - injuries that saw him miss a substantial number of games in the minor leagues - had accumulated to rob him of his agility. Maybe they were put off by his crazy stories of being recruited by the CIA to be a spy. He had been forced to go to Scotland to stay employed in hockey. He was facing a future of forever being known as a first round bust, a guy who had the talent and had been given the opportunity, but never made it. Or worse, a guy who blew it. He never gained size after being drafted. He didn't work hard enough in the weight room. He weighed only 195 pounds in the end, only a hair more than he did at age 18, and more importantly undersized for someone with aspirations of being an NHL defenceman. He was never able to shake his bad habit of taking undisciplined penalties that often gave power play opportunities to opposing teams. |
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| + | Adding drama to the mystery was the fact that MacPherson claimed he had been contacted by the CIA, and that they were interested in recruiting him as a spy. The story was never confirmed.<ref name="HDC" /> |
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| − | In July, 2003, an employee of the resort discovered his perfectly-preserved body in melting snow. |
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| + | Almost 14 years after MacPherson disappeared, an employee of the [http://www.stubaier-gletscher.com/ Stubai Glacier Resort] discovered a glove sticking out of the ice of a melting alpine glacier, right in the middle of the ski run, where MacPherson's body had lain frozen.<ref name="CBCFifthEstate">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/iceman/ |title=Iceman |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=2010-09-02|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070214115153/http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/iceman/|archivedate=2007-02-14}}</ref> |
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| − | I am Duncan's mother. |
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| − | I don't know the source of your information, but, I can tell you your account of him "departing on foot alone at night into treacorous icey wilderness" has no basis in fact. |
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| − | The facts are: i) Duncan was last seen on the ski slope at 2:30 pm on 9 August 1989. ii) The snowboard, ski boots, and protective clothing he had rented that morning from the ski operator were not returned. iii) His sweater, turtleneck, and belt, which he had left hanging in the ski school, were not picked up at the end of the day. iv) His car sat in the parking lot of the ski resort for 42 days, until we located it, with help only from the Innsbruck ice hocey team, and their sponsor, Gosser brewery. |
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| − | On 18 July 2003, his body was found in the middle of the ski slope, not far from where he had last been seen on 9 August 1989. |
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| − | His left leg, left hand, and right arm show evidence of damage caused by being struck by snow-grooming machine, as does the snowboard, and boot bindings. |
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| − | Police did not attend the death scene; slope maintenance persosnnel conducted unsupervised recovery of the body. The PUblic Prosecutor refused our request for an autopsy on grounds the case was "time-barred from investigation." Police lied about the location of death, lied about cause of death, lied abouot manner of death, and lied about date of death. The Coroner falsified the Death Certificate indicatin an autposy was conducted. |
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| − | While Duncan was disappointed his hockey career didn't work out the way he would have liked, he felt satisfied he had done everything he could; he recognized some things were beyone his control; and he never regretted the time and effort he spent trying to achieve his goal. |
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| − | For a detailed, factual account of his disappearanc/death, please see: |
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| − | CBC 2006 documentary, "Iceman": http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/iceman/ |
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| − | CBC 2011 documenarry, "A Cold Case":http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2011-2012/acoldcase/ |
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| − | John Leake's new book, "Cold a Long Time, An Alpinne Mystery": http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Long-Time-Mystery-ebook/dp/B006DNW4QG |
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==Career statistics== |
==Career statistics== |
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*[http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1984/84020.html Story of his disappearance] |
*[http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1984/84020.html Story of his disappearance] |
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*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8110449 Find-a-Grave Entry] |
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8110449 Find-a-Grave Entry] |
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| − | *[http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/iceman/index.html A documentary] produced for '''the fifth estate''' by the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]. |
+ | *[http://web.archive.org/web/20070227154846/http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/iceman/index.html A documentary] produced for '''the fifth estate''' by the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]. |
{{IslandersFirstPick}} |
{{IslandersFirstPick}} |
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Latest revision as of 08:45, 16 August 2014
| Duncan MacPherson | |
| Position | Defenceman |
| Shot | Left |
| Height Weight |
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (89 kg) |
| Teams | Springfield Indians Indianapolis Ice |
| Nationality |  Canadian
|
| Born | February 3, 1966, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| Died | August 9, 1989 (age 23), Stubai Alps, Austria |
| NHL Draft | 20th overall, 1984 New York Islanders |
| Pro Career | 1986 – 1989 |
Duncan MacPherson (February 3, 1966 – August 9, 1989) was a professional player who died under mysterious circumstances. He was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. A standout defensive defenceman for the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, MacPherson was drafted in the first round, 20th overall, of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. He played minor league hockey for the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League and the Indianapolis Ice of the International Hockey League.
Disappearance
In the summer of 1989 he went to Europe. The New York Islanders had a couple of months earlier bought out and released the often injured MacPherson.[1] He never made it to the big club.[2] MacPherson had intentions of taking a job as a player-coach for a semi-pro hockey team in Dundee, Scotland, commencing in August 1989, though he did have a bad feeling in his gut about the entrepreneur Ron Dixon who was backing the Scottish team.[2] He went to central Europe alone in early August 1989, the plan being to visit old friends and see the sights before going on to Scotland.
He was scheduled to arrive in Dundee on August 12. When he did not show up, his family went to look for him. A car he had borrowed from a friend was discovered six weeks later in the parking lot of the Stubaier Gletscher resort in the Stubai Alps in Austria, where he had rented a snowboard. His last known contact was with an employee of the ski resort on August 9, who reported that he spoke with MacPherson, and last saw MacPherson departing alone to perhaps squeeze in some final snowboarding and hiking before nightfall.[2]
Adding drama to the mystery was the fact that MacPherson claimed he had been contacted by the CIA, and that they were interested in recruiting him as a spy. The story was never confirmed.[1]
Almost 14 years after MacPherson disappeared, an employee of the Stubai Glacier Resort discovered a glove sticking out of the ice of a melting alpine glacier, right in the middle of the ski run, where MacPherson's body had lain frozen.[3]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1982–83 | Saskatoon Blades | WHL | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1983–84 | Saskatoon Blades | WHL | 45 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Saskatoon Blades | WHL | 69 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 116 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1985–86 | Saskatoon Blades | WHL | 70 | 10 | 54 | 64 | 147 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 38 | ||
| 1986–87 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 74 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 213 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 24 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Indianapolis Ice | IHL | 33 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| WHL totals | 189 | 21 | 98 | 119 | 353 | 18 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 42 | ||||
| AHL totals | 124 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 368 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
External links
- Duncan MacPherson's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
- Story of his disappearance
- Find-a-Grave Entry
- A documentary produced for the fifth estate by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
| New York Islanders first-round draft picks |
|---|
| Harris • Potvin • Gillies • Price • McKendry • Bossy • Tambellini • D. Sutter • B. Sutter • Boutilier • Flatley • LaFontaine • Diduck • MacPherson • Dalgarno • King • Fitzgerald • Chynoweth • Cheveldayoff • Chyzowski • Scissons • Lachance • Kasparaitis • Bertuzzi • Lindros • Redden • Dumont • Luongo • Brewer • Rupp • Connolly • Pyatt • Mezei • Kudroc • DiPietro • Torres • Bergenheim • Nilsson • Nokelainen • O'Marra • Okposo • Bailey • Tavares • de Haan |
| This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Duncan MacPherson. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Ice Hockey Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA). |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Duncan MacPherson profile. Hockey Draft Central. Retrieved on 2010-09-02.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Jones, Chris (2004-12-31). The man in the ice. Esquire. Retrieved on 2010-09-02.
- ↑ Iceman. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2007-02-14. Retrieved on 2010-09-02.