Leslie John Binkley (born June 6, 1934 in Owen Sound, Ontario)[1] is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Binkley played goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins and in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros. He later served as a scout for both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets.
| Les Binkley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
(1934-06-06) June 6, 1934 (age 88) Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Right | ||
| Played for |
Pittsburgh Penguins Ottawa Nationals Toronto Toros | ||
| Playing career | 1967–1976 | ||
Les Binkley spent his early career in the minor leagues and did not play in the NHL until his thirties. He won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the American Hockey League's top rookie in 1962, and was awarded the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award four years later for allowing the fewest goals in the league. Binkley was the starting goaltender for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the team's inaugural season in the NHL. During the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs, Binkley won six games--the first postseason victories for the Penguin franchise. After five seasons with the Penguins, he played in the WHA with the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros. Binkley played in 196 NHL regular season games and retired with a career GAA of 3.12.[2]
He won two Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 as a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins.[3]
Binkley currently resides in Walkerton, Ontario. His wife Eleanor passed away in September 2021.[4] He has two children, Randall and Leslie, and five grandchildren, Jana, Jonathan, Curtis, Kara and Jordan. Curtis Binkley is also a goaltender, and was drafted by the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League in 2002.
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967–68 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 54 | 20 | 24 | 10 | 3141 | 151 | 6 | 2.88 |
| 1968–69 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 50 | 10 | 31 | 8 | 2885 | 158 | 0 | 3.29 |
| 1969–70 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 27 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 1477 | 79 | 3 | 3.21 |
| 1970–71 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 34 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 1870 | 89 | 2 | 2.86 |
| 1971–72 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 31 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 1673 | 98 | 0 | 3.51 |
| 1972–73 | Ottawa Nationals | WHA | 30 | 10 | 17 | 1 | 1709 | 106 | 0 | 3.72 |
| 1973–74 | Toronto Toros | WHA | 27 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 1412 | 77 | 1 | 3.27 |
| 1974–75 | Toronto Toros | WHA | 17 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 772 | 47 | 0 | 3.65 |
| 1975–76 | Toronto Toros | WHA | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 335 | 32 | 0 | 5.73 |
| 1975–76 | Buffalo Norsemen | NAHL | 24 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 1195 | 85 | 0 | 4.27 |
| NHL Totals | 196 | 58 | 94 | 34 | 11046 | 575 | 11 | 3.12 | ||