Richard Zemlak (Born - March 3, 1963 in Wynyard, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 5 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Quebec Nordiques, Minnesota North Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and Calgary Flames.
Playing career[]
Zemlak was drafted in the 10th Round, 209th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft.
The Blues sold his rights to the Quebec Nordiques in 1984.
His role while playing for the Fredericton Express of the AHL was to dissuade bigger opponents from picking on the Express's smaller, skilled players. Zemlak brought an abrasive attitude to the rink and parlayed that style of play into portions of five NHL seasons with Quebec, Minnesota North Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Calgary Flames.
He was a decent skater and was well liked for his willingness to protect his teammates at all costs.
Awards & achievements[]
Records[]
Career statistics[]
NHL Regular Season
- Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes
| YEAR | TEAM | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–87 | Quebec Nordiques | 20 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 47 |
| 1987–88 | Minnesota North Stars | 54 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 307 |
| 1988–89 | Minnesota North Stars | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 1988–89 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 135 |
| 1989–90 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 19 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 43 |
| 1991–92 | Calgary Flames | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 42 |
| NHL | Regular Season Totals | 132 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 587 |