Pit Martin

Pit Martin
Position	Centre
Nickname(s)	Pit
Height Weight	5 ft 08 in (1.73 m) 165 lb (75 kg)
Teams	Detroit Red Wings Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks Vancouver Canucks
Nationality	Canadian
Born	December 9, 1943(1943-12-09), Noranda, QC, CAN
Died	November 30, 2008(2008-11-30) (aged 64), Rouyn-Noranda, QC, CAN
Pro Career	1962 – 1979

Hubert Jacques "Pit" Martin (December 9, 1943 – November 30, 2008) was Canadian professional centre who served as captain of 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.

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

Playing Career

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.

In 1961-62 he won the Memorial Cup with the Hamilton Red Wings.

He joined the Red Wings full time in 1963-64 and was traded to the Boston Bruins in 1965-66.

He is remembered among hockey fans as being involved in one of the most one-sided trades in history. In May 1967, Martin, alongside Gilles Marotte and Jack Norris, were traded from Boston to Chicago for Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield. This has long been considered one of the most lopsided trades in hockey history regarding Chicago, giving up core elements of the future Boston powerhouse teams. However, Martin himself was the sole bright spot of the trade for the Black Hawks, starring for them for ten seasons as a skilled two-way centre and being named 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 scored 61 assists and 90 points, adding ten goals in the playoffs as the Hawks made it to the Stanley Cup finals.

Death

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

Awards

• OHA-Jr. First All-Star Team (1962)
• OHA-Jr. MVP (1962)
• Bill Masterton Trophy (1970)
• National Hockey League All-Star Game (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974)

Career Statistics

				Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1959–60	Hamilton Tiger Cubs	OHA		29	13	12	25	14		—	—	—	—	—
1960–61	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		48	20	21	41	17		10	7	2	9	8
1961–62	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		48	42	46	88	46		10	3	9	12	0
1961–62	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		1	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1962–63	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		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

Gallery

Pit Martin scored at a torrid pace after coming to the Bruins in January 1966.

Bobby Orr, Gerry Cheevers, Pit Martin, Joe Watson, November 10, 1966.

Tom Williams, Harry Sinden, Pit Martin, Bobby Orr, Ron Stewart in the 1966-67 season.

Eddie Shack, Bobby Orr, Pit Martin, Eddie Johnston, January 7, 1968.

External Links

• Pit Martin's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Ted Hampson	Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winner 1970	Succeeded by Jean Ratelle
Sporting positions
Preceded by Ken Dryden	NHLPA President 1974–1975	Succeeded by Bobby Clarke
Preceded by Pat Stapleton	Chicago Black Hawks captains 1975–77	Succeeded by Stan Mikita