Duguay, popular Rangers player during late 1970s, dies at 69

Ron Duguay, who played 12 seasons in the NHL, mostly for the New York Rangers, died Thursday at the age of 69.

The former forward was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer that he told the New York Post originated in the colon, adding that he battled the disease for more than a year while losing his appendix and gallbladder.

"The New York Rangers organization mourns the loss of Ron Duguay, one of the most popular players in franchise history," the Rangers said in a statement.  "Ron's signature skating style -- with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice -- captivated The Garden Faithful, and his skill, tenacity, and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers. We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron's friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.

Ron Duguay (left) with Rangers teammates Barry Beck, Mark Pavelich and coach Herb Brooks in December 1981.

Duguay is entrenched in Rangers lore and one of the most popular players in team history. He played eight seasons in New York (1977-83, 1986-88) and was on the team that advanced to the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, a five-game loss to the Montreal Canadiens. He had 620 points (274 goals, 346 assists) in 860 regular-season games for the Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins, and 53 points (31 goals, 22 assists) in 89 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He retired from hockey in 2008-09 and was a Rangers analyst on MSG Network for 12 years.

"Ron lived life with an extraordinary passion, an infectious smile, and a heart that was truly larger than life, the NHL Alumni Association said in a social media post. "Above all else, his deepest and most sincere love was for his family. They were his greatest pride, his greatest joy, and always closest to his heart.

"His dedication and passion for the game of hockey were unwavering. Hockey was more than a sport to Ron; it was a part of who he was, a lifelong love that he carried with pride and shared so generously with others. But perhaps what made Ron most special was his humanity. His genuine compassion, kindness, and willingness to help others always extended far beyond himself. He cared deeply, gave generously of his heart, and had a remarkable way of making everyone around him feel valued and appreciated."

Duguay played junior hockey for his hometown Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, his 134 points (42 goals, 92 assists) in 1975-76 helping them win the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the team with the best record in the regular season (47-11 with eight ties) and the OMJHL finals, a six-game loss to Hamilton. He was selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the No. 3 pick in the 1976 World Hockey Association Draft, played for second-place Canada at the 1977 IIHF World Junior Championship and joined the Rangers directly from juniors after they chose him in the first round (No. 13) of the 1977 NHL Draft.

Ron Duguay (center) with fellow Rangers Jean Ratelle (left) and Rod Seiling at Madison Square Garden prior to Ratelle's jersey retirement on February 25, 2018.

The 1978-79 Rangers, guided by coach/general manager Fred Shero with future Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito and a young core that included Duguay, Ron Greschner, Steve Vickers, Dave Maloney, Don Maloney and Don Murdoch, went 40-29 with 11 ties to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in two seasons. Led by goalie John Davidson, New York eliminated the Kings and Philadelphia Flyers and upset the top-seeded New York Islanders in six games of the NHL Semifinals to advance to the Final. Duguay became famous for his long, curly hair flowing while he skated without a helmet, and joined Esposito, Dave Maloney and Anders Hedberg in a 1979 Sasson jeans television commercial known for the jingle, "Oo La La! Sasson."

Duguay scored nine seconds into an 8-3 win against the Flyers at the Philadelphia Spectrum on April 6, 1980, to tie a Rangers record shared by Fred Cook (Jan. 23, 1927) and Jean Ratelle (Nov. 5, 1971). He was traded to the Red Wings on June 13, 1983, reunited with the Rangers via a trade with the Penguins on Jan. 21, 1987, and played the final two seasons of his NHL career after he was sent to the Kings on Feb. 23, 1988.​

Top photo: Ron Duguay #10 of the New York Rangers and Denis Potvin #5 of the New York Islanders during 1981-82 game action at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY USA.