In a career that was perhaps overshadowed by Borje Salming and ended somewhat prematurely by knee injuries, Ian Turnbull was an impressive offensive defenseman that had the ultimate knack for scoring in bunches. Turnbull still owns the record for most goals by a defenseman in a single game with five. Ian scored those five goals on just five shots and remains the only player in NHL history to do just that.
Ian Turnbull – Junior and Minor Pro
Turnbull played four years of major junior hockey in the OHA from 1969-70 to 1972-73. His first three years were spent with the Montreal Junior Canadiens. Montreal switched names in 1972-73 to the Rouge, Blanc et Bleu and switched leagues to the QMJHL. Ian chose to stay in the OHA (OMJHL by that time) and played his final year of junior with the Ottawa 67’s. In all, he played 235 regular season games over the four years, scoring 86 and assisting on 164 for 250 points.
In his rookie season, the Junior Canadiens dominated the ten team league, finishing first overall during the regular season. In the Robertson Cup playoffs, Montreal took out the Toronto Marlboros in seven games in the finals for the championship.
At the time, the Memorial Cup still culminated in a best of seven final series between the best from the east and the best from the west. Montreal took on the Weyburn Red Wings from Saskatchewan and swept the series for the championship. The series took place in Montreal at the Montreal Forum. Teammates of Turnbull’s included Rick Martin and Gilbert Perreault, two thirds of the future French Connection Line with the Buffalo Sabres.
By 1971-72, the Junior Canadiens were a vastly different team. Montreal finished ninth out of ten, 19 points behind the eighth place London Knights and just eight points ahead of the Harry Neale coached Hamilton Red Wings. Turnbull was the lone bright spot on the team, leading the Junior Canadiens with 34 goals, 48 assists and 82 points over 63 games.
Ian was named a Second Team All-Star defenseman. As mentioned, Montreal would jump to the QMJHL for 1972-73. Taking up their spot was the expansion Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
With the Ottawa 67’s, Turnbull scored 25 and assisted on 39 for 64 points over 51 games. What would seem like great numbers for a defenseman humbled in comparison to teammate Denis Potvin and his 123 points. Ottawa reached the semi-finals before being bounced by the Toronto Marlboros. Ian was named again as a Second Team All-Star.
His time in the minors was minimal. He spent eight games with the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League in 1974-75. At the end of his career, he spent 13 games with the AHL’s New Haven Nighthawks in 1981-82 and 13 more American Hockey League games with the Baltimore Skipjacks in 1982-83.
Ian Turnbull – NHL
At the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft, Potvin went first overall to the expansion New York Islanders. Turnbull wasn’t far behind, going 15th overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was also selected in the sixth round of the WHA Amateur Draft by the Vancouver Blazers, 70th overall.
Ian Turnbull Collection
Between 1973-74 and 1982-83, Turnbull appeared in 628 regular season National Hockey League games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins. Over that time, he scored 123 and assisted on 316 for 440 points. In 55 Stanley Cup playoff games, Ian added another 45 points. Most of his time was spent with Toronto, playing just 42 games with the Kings in 1981-82 and six games with the Penguins in 1982-83.
His record five goal game came on February 2, 1977 in a game against the Detroit Red Wings. The Leafs easily handled the ‘Dead Things’ 9-1. It was during that 1976-77 season that Ian also set two Maple Leafs team records that still stand today. His 79 points is the most by a Toronto defenseman and his 22 goals ties him with Al Iafrate for the team single season best by a blue liner. His 57 assists that season placed him eighth in the NHL.
For those of us born just after the 1966-67 Stanley Cup winning season for the Maple Leafs, 1977-78 was as close as it could come. The team, with Roger Neilson as head coach and Johnny Bower as his assistant, played in one of the most thrilling playoff series in club history.
In the semi-finals, Toronto met up with the New York Islanders and Turnbull’s old teammate Potvin. New York finished the regular season in the top three with 111 points. Toronto finished with 92. In the series, the Islanders held 2-0 and 3-2 leads. Yet, the Maple Leafs came back to win in game seven. Games two, five and seven all were decided in overtime.
Toronto then moved on to the semi-finals but their opponents were the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal was in the third year of their NHL dominance and easily handled the Maple Leafs in four games. Turnbull scored six and assisted on ten for 16 points over 13 games in those playoffs. He led the team in each of those scoring categories.
After starting 1981-82 with Toronto, Turnbull was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings on November 11, 1981. Going to Toronto were Billy Harris and John Gibson. It turned out to be a nothing trade with Turnbull’s career quickly fizzling out. Harris played parts of three seasons with the Maple Leafs before returning to the Kings. Gibson played just 27 games with Toronto.
Ian Turnbull – Rookie Card
The Ian Turnbull rookie card appears as number 289 in the 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee set. Despite playing nearly every game in his rookie 1973-74 season, Topps did not include him in their 1974-75 set. Turnbull first appeared on a Topps card in 1975-76.
All his hockey cards showed Ian in a Toronto jersey. His last card, in 1981-82, showed he was a member of the Los Angeles Kings but the photo showed him with the Maple Leafs. Obviously, he never appeared on cardboard as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Ian Turnbull Career Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1969-70 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 53 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 88 |
| 1970-71 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 59 | 17 | 45 | 62 | 85 |
| 1971-72 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 63 | 34 | 48 | 82 | 85 |
| 1972-73 | Ottawa 67’s | OHA | 51 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 90 |
| 1973-74 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 78 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 74 |
| 1974-75 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 1974-75 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 22 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 44 |
| 1975-76 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 76 | 20 | 36 | 56 | 90 |
| 1976-77 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 80 | 22 | 57 | 79 | 84 |
| 1977-78 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 77 | 14 | 47 | 61 | 77 |
| 1978-79 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 80 | 12 | 51 | 63 | 80 |
| 1979-80 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 75 | 11 | 28 | 39 | 90 |
| 1980-81 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 80 | 19 | 47 | 66 | 104 |
| 1981-82 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1981-82 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 42 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 81 |
| 1981-82 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 13 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
| 1982-83 | Baltimore Skipjacks | AHL | 13 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 10 |
| 1982-83 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| NHL Totals | 628 | 123 | 317 | 440 | 736 |