Valere “Val” Fonteyne
Hockey Athlete - Inducted 2011
Valere Fonteyne played 13 consecutive seasons in the NHL from 1959 to 1972, with the Detroit Red Wings twice, the New York Rangers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. A smooth-skating, two-way left-winger, Val is considered the NHL’s most gentlemanly player of all time. In 820 regular-season games, he had only 13 minor penalties. He played 185 straight penalty-free games and then had another 157 game streak…the two longest stretches of fair play in NHL history. He recorded five penalty-free seasons. Upon reviewing Val Fonteyne’s career, a writer described Val as “Mr. Clean”. The title has remained.
Val Fonteyne was one of the best penalty killers to play the game and his fair play and unselfish approach to the game earned him the respect of his teammates. He finished his NHL career with 75 goals and 155 assists. Val then played in the World Hockey Association with the Alberta Oilers from 1972 to 1974 before he retired from playing the game. In 149 games in the WHA, he had only four penalties.
After Induction
Val was one of dozens of players to appear in a post-game ceremony when the Edmonton Oilers played their final game at Rexall Place in April 2016 before moving to a new arena.
