Larry Keenan Explained

Position:Left wing
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:177
Birth Date:October 1, 1940
Birth Place:North Bay, Ontario, Canada
Career Start:1961
Career End:1974
Played For:Toronto Maple Leafs
St. Louis Blues
Buffalo Sabres
Philadelphia Flyers

Christopher Lawrence Keenan (born October 1, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left wing. He played in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers between 1962 and 1971.

Playing career

In his NHL career, Keenan appeared in 234 games. He scored 38 goals and added 64 assists. He is 12th in the Blues all-time playoff scoring with 15 goals in 46 playoff games. He was called up for a pair of games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1961-62 before spending six years in the AHL and WHL. When the league expansion in 1967 made journeymen a desirable commodity, Keenan found himself back in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues. He formed a hard-working forward line with Terry Crisp and Jim Roberts.[1]

Keenan scored the first-ever goal in St. Louis Blues history on October 11, 1967, against Cesare Maniago of the Minnesota North Stars.[2] [3] He was also on the ice for Bobby Orr's famous 1970 Stanley Cup Finals clinching goal—a scoring play that began when Orr pinched at the blue line and blocked Keenan's attempt to clear the zone with a pass to Red Berenson.[4]

Keenan was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on November 4, 1970, along with Jean-Guy Talbot for Bobby Baun. His career ended prematurely due to injuries.

Life after NHL

Keenan went on to become president of the North Bay Trappers midget AAA and led the club for 23 years from 1986 to 2009.[5] Keenan and manager Art Tiernay operated the club since the Great North Midget League was formed in 1986.

Personal

Keenan grew up with three sisters.[6] His son Cory played junior hockey for the Kitchener Rangers as a defenceman. Cory was drafted in the sixth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Hartford Whalers, and ended up playing professionally in Europe.[7] Cory was on the 1990 Memorial Cup all-star team.[8] On June 29, 2023, his grandson (also named Larry) was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings to play at defense;[9] he was the 117th draft pick of 2023, a higher selection than the projected 200th pick.[10]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1957–58St. Michael's BuzzersMetJBHL
1957–58Toronto St. Michael's MajorsOHA3 0 1 1 2
1958–59Toronto St. Michael's MajorsOHA48 17 12 29 2415 5 4 9 0
1959–60Toronto St. Michael's MajorsOHA48 21 20 41 3410 8 10 18 0
1960–61Toronto St. Michael's MajorsOHA48 31 38 69 4120 24 13 37 8
1960–61Toronto St. Michael's MajorsM-Cup9 7 6 13 4
1961–62Toronto Maple LeafsNHL2 0 0 0 0
1961–62Rochester AmericansAHL57 11 19 30 122 0 0 0 0
1962–63Rochester AmericansAHL64 11 28 39 242 0 1 1 0
1963–64Denver InvadersWHL66 25 30 55 226 2 2 4 4
1964–65Victoria Maple LeafsWHL67 35 20 55 2712 5 2 7 8
1965–66Victoria Maple LeafsWHL36 8 18 26 614 2 4 6 2
1966–67Victoria Maple LeafsWHL17 4 10 14 6
1967–68St. Louis BluesNHL40 12 8 20 418 4 5 9 4
1968–69St. Louis BluesNHL46 5 9 14 612 4 5 9 8
1968–69Kansas City BluesCHL7 3 1 4 0
1969–70St. Louis BluesNHL56 10 23 33 816 7 6 13 0
1969–70Kansas City BluesCHL6 6 2 8 0
1970–71St. Louis BluesNHL10 1 3 4 0
1970–71Buffalo SabresNHL51 7 20 27 6
1971–72Buffalo SabresNHL14 2 0 2 2
1971–72Philadelphia FlyersNHL14 1 1 2 2
1971–72Richmond RobinsAHL23 3 6 9 0
1972–73Richmond RobinsAHL35 15 18 33 83 1 0 1 0
1973–74Richmond RobinsAHL68 22 37 59 285 1 0 1 0
NHL totals233 38 64 102 2846 15 16 31 12

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Larry Keenan . www.legendsofhockey.net . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150908044850/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13168 . 2015-09-08.
  2. Web site: Keenan's franchise value . The Nugget . Ercit . Jordan . October 8, 2010 . 2015-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151008171035/http://www.nugget.ca/2010/10/08/keenans-franchise-value . 2015-10-08 . dead .
  3. Book: 100 Things Blues Fans Should Know & do Before They die. 9781623682835. Rutherford. Jeremy. October 2014.
  4. Web site: Orr's great goal . ESPN . Schwartz . Larry . July 20, 2022.
  5. Web site: Keenan steps down from Trappers, Kile taking over North Bay Nugget . www.nugget.ca . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151008171359/http://www.nugget.ca/2009/01/22/keenan-steps-down-from-trappers-kile-taking-over-2 . 2015-10-08.
  6. Web site: Read recent and archived obituaries and memorial notices from Postmedia Obituaries.
  7. Web site: Cory Keenan . hockeydb.com . July 20, 2022.
  8. Web site: Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Larry Keenan . www.legendsofhockey.net . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150908044850/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13168 . 2015-09-08.
  9. Web site: Robinson . Tim . 2023-06-29 . Red Wings Go For Defense in Draft’s Second Day . 2023-09-05 . Detroit Hockey Now . en-US.
  10. Web site: 2023-06-29 . Getting to know the Detroit Red Wings No.117 Pick Larry Keenan - Detroit Sports Nation . 2023-09-05 . detroitsportsnation.com . en-US.