With the 245th pick in ATD2010, The Regina Pats are pleased to select:
Dean Prentice, LW
- 5'11", 180 lbs
- Stanley Cup Finalist (1966)
- Memorial Cup (1952)
- NHL 2nd All-Star Team (1960)
- Top-20 in Goals 8 Times (4th, 8th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th)
- Top-20 in Assists 6 Times (8th, 13th, 14th, 14th, 15th, 15th)
- Top-20 in Points 7 Times (10th, 12th, 18th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 20th)
- 2nd in Playoff Goals, 5th, in Assists, 4th in Points (1966)
- NHL All-Star Game Participant (1957, 1961, 1963, 1970, was named to the 1960 game but did not play)
loh.net said:
...Prentice eventually settled onto a line with Andy Bathgate and ***** ******. The trio became the Rangers' most successful unit. Prentice became the two-way standout who excelled at backchecking, killing penalties, working the corners and jumping onto the powerplay. But his quiet, unassuming personality took a back seat to the more colourful Bathgate who was the dipsy-doodler and scorer among the trio. As such, Prentice has been characterized as the most underrated forward of his era.
In his eleventh season with the Rangers, he was traded to the Boston Bruins for Don McKenney in 1963. Prentice was not unhappy to join the Bruins, but he did feel a twinge of regret when, shortly thereafter, McKenney and Bathgate were traded to the Leafs, a lineup he'd wanted to join.
In 1966, Prentice was traded to the Detroit Red Wings where he continued to skate with the league's elite, this time with Alex Delvecchio and Gordie Howe. He also picked up shifts with his old Ranger teammate Andy Bathgate who had also joined the Wings.
Two seasons later, however, Bathgate had moved on to the Pittsburgh Penguins. And in keeping with the program, Pens coach Red Kelly claimed Prentice in the Intra-League Draft to skate along side Bathgate. Prentice clicked in his new setting, leading the team in scoring. He lasted with the Pens until 1971 at which time he was sold to the Minnesota North Stars where he continued to score even at the age of 40.
By 1974, however, at age 41, Prentice finally closed out his 22-year NHL career.
New York Rangers Greatest Moments and Players said:
He's not in the Hockey Hall Of Fame, but many believe that Dean Prentice is a worthy candidate for the shrine. Certainly those who played alongside the left wing would attest to that... Indefatigable, Prentice was known as "Deano the Dynamo" for his tenacious checking and excellent speed. He was as good a two-way forward as the Rangers owned in that era... always one of the best and most reliable Ranger forwards... Prentice's first two years were statistically unimpressive, but the left winger's hard work at both ends of the ice soon paid off... When he was not out on the offensive prowl, Dean found himself playing strong defense - he was even placed as a forward among defensemen when the Blueshirts were playing with a five-on-three disadvantage... A fearless skater, Prentice even played the immortal Gordie Howe so thoroughly that a frustrated Gordie threatened to knock out his teeth... Prentice played the game as it should be played. He wasn't afraid to go into the corners and dig the puck out; he could skate, stickhandle, pass, and shoot. Though Dean may have lacked size, he was always the consummate team player, displaying both grit and determination.
The Trail Of the Stanley Cup said:
Dean Prentice was a strong and aggressive left wing... not a spectacular player, but a solid performer who could be relied on for consistent play. He was a good checker and not intimidated by the "hard rocks" in the league.
Fischler's Hockey Encyclopedia said:
One of the most underrated skaters in NHL history
Heroes: Stars Of Hockey's Golden Era said:
A good skater, although underrated by many... "I did a lot of work and had a lot of dedication to perfect those skills", he says. "I was blessed to stay that long."
The Man They Call... Mr. Goalie said:
The NHL All-Star Game said:
But it was Dean Prentice who stole the show with his determined play. (in the 1957 ASG) He was in on three of the all-stars; setting up the one that led to a tie and scoring the insurance marker on a blistering shot to the top corner.
Hockey All-Stars said:
Although he picked up injuries along the way, Weekend Magazine writer Andy O'Brien noted that Prentice "would bust through a brick wall if he thought it would help him score." Prentice made the 2nd all-star team in 1960. "They once called him punchy and puck-happy," wrote Stan Fischler late that season. "Now they respect him."... When Prentice retired in 1974, only three other players had enjoyed longer NHL careers.
Matt Dibiase on the Hockey History Yahoo Group said:
Both Harry Howell and Andy Bathgate pointedly made a case for Dean Prentice to be inducted into the HHOF.
The New York Rangers: Broadway's Longest Running Hit said:
Prentice Was a Smart Hockey Player who knew what it took to stay in the NHL... became a reliable checking forward and penalty killer... Prentice averaged 18 goals a season, but he was most noted for his defensive play, and that, along with his excellent penalty killing capabilities, is what kept him employed in the NHL for such a long time.
100 Ranger Greats said:
In his typically modest and soft-spoken way, Dean Prentice almost blushes at the mere suggestion, which he hears on a somewhat regular basis. "Dean Prentice," his boosters clam, "is simply the best player not in the Hockey Hall Of Fame."... A sturdy left wing, Prentice was known for his robust bodychecks and his hard shot... Prentice was charged with keeping Bathgate's cannon loaded, providing the ammunition for Andy to become one of the game's best right wings... Durability was a Prentice Trademark, Particularly during his Ranger years.
The Rangers said:
When I was in Boston I was with ******** and Prentice and we played against Beliveau's line or Mikita's line or Delvecchio's line.
Prentice is a better skater and more aggressive than Gaye Stewart:
New York Daily News said:
It's hard to believe any big league team would pay $7500 for a Ranger castoff, but that's what happened when the last place locals yesteray decided not to withdraw veteran LW Gaye Stewart from the waiver list after the Canadiens had claimed him the night before.
No tears have been shed over Gaye's goodbye, because Dean prentice, the 20-year old rookie who beat him out of a regular job, leaves the injured list tonight in time to face the Bruins here tonight.
Prentice missed last Sunday's game because of a wrenched knee, but he had scored three goals in his last six games, so the punch-seeking Rangers will welcome him back tonight. He's more aggressive than the 29-year old Stewart and can skate faster - an important asset with the Rangers, who so often allow the enemy to fast-break against them.
Globe and Mail said:
****** calls Dean prentice one of the most valuable players on the team. The Dean has not only scored 10 goals, but he is also a gifted penalty killer.
Globe and Mail said:
****** will place ***** ****** on right wing, with **** ********* and Dean prentice. They'll be assigned the chore of handling the Beliveau Line.
Globe and Mail said:
Rangers supporters were greatly disturbed yesterday to learn that Dean Prentice, one of the most industrious left wingers in the NHL, will not play with the New Yorkers tonight... Prentice has been one of the Rangers' most consistent players for the past two seasons, while doing a variety of jobs. There are few better checkers, he is a fairly high scorer and he does a commendable job of killing penalties. He is the kind of player you miss most when you don't have him on the bench for emergency chores.
Globe and Mail said:
Out of it all the most industrious player was that honest workman, Dean prentice. He scored the all-stars' clinching goal, assisted on two others and played a robust checking game throughout.
Globe and Mail said:
Prentice, a hard-skating, strong-checking left winger...
Prentice's coach said that he looked even better in games that he didn't score than when he did:
Globe and Mail said:
Dean Prentice, Rangers' hard-skating left winger, has been playing terrific hockey, according to ****. "Funny thing about prentice, he scored two goals in Montreal and was picked as a star. I didn't think he had played as well as he had in other games."
Glowing praise from a man who was years ahead of his time:
Lloyd Percival in Montreal Gazette said:
Dean Prentice of the New York Rangers, who became a top star last season when he scored 32 goals and a total of 66 points to finish in the top ten scorers, is a smooth, smart player who takes care of his left wing spot as if he had been born there. There is much a young player can learn from Prentice but perhaps the key lesson is the way he gets free to take a pass and flash in on a goal scoring threat. Watching Prentice I am constantly reminded of a great pass catching end in football who runs his patterns so well that he is nearly always able to take a pass regardless of the defensive check on him. If you watch the average game of hockey you will notice that most plays made to an open wing are possible because some defensive player lagged or was caught out of the play. It was not because the wing had worked to get free. Prentice is always working, constantly alert for any chance to get free, and is never content, as so many players are, to submit to a close cover. The Ranger star builds his scoring chances, he doesn't wait for them to happen.
Not bad company to be mentioned with:
Globe and Mail said:
Five NHL scouts scoured the area recently. They didn't expect to find another Frank Mahovlich. They'd have been overjoyed to find an Allan Stanley or a Dean Prentice...
What's a forward doing making the save on an empty net?
Globe and Mail said:
Howe scored Detroit's 2nd and 3rd goals and just missed a hat trick in the final minutes of play when, wth Gump Worsley off the ice, Dean Prentice made a spectacular save on Howe's hard shot.
Prentice worth an Olmstead? Not too shabby.
Globe and Mail said:
Rumours persist here that Rangers are also trying to arrange a deal with the Leafs that would see Bert Olmstead go to play with his old Buddy Doug Harvey. but Leaf spokesmen insist Rangers don't have a hope, unless they are willing to part with players like Andy Bathgate or Dean Prentice. And surely Rangers can't be that naive.
Globe and Mail said:
"I'd make any deal I think would help the Leafs," said Imlach last night. "I've named Bathgate or Prentice. I'm interested in anything Muzz can arrange to that end."
It was the forwards' fault the Rangers were bad defensively, but not Prentice's:
Montreal Gazette said:
The Rangers score enough goals, but their goals against record is poor. Whose fault is it? "It's not Worsley's fault and it's not the fault of the defense", says GM Muzz Patrick. "The forwards just aren't checking the way they should. they come back, but they don't come back deep enough. They seem to let up when we're behind our own blue line and leave everything to the defense. Another thing, they're not checking with enough pressure. you have to put some muscle into it if you're going to take away the puck from the other guy."
Was there any particular player or players who are playing well for the Rangers? "Dean Prentice has been the best of the forwards," he said. "Prentice can skate. There are too many slow skaters on the team."
We know Don McKenney is a good defensive player, but Prentice was acquired as a defensive and physical upgrade on McKenney:
Ottawa Citizen said:
Dean Prentice has been acquired by boston for Don McKenney in an effort to get more thump in the Bruins' checks... Retired goal king Maurice Richard said "The two are similar because they're steady and try hard every game."...Boston GM Milt Schmidt tipped his hand on the deal when he said yesterday: "With his style of play he should fit well with ******* and ******. Prentice is strong in the corners and a good passer, and has been one of the better checkers among left wings since he has been in the league."... "Prentice is a durable player", said Rangers GM Muzz Patrick. "But we're desperate for centremen and had to give him to get McKenney."
Globe and Mail said:
Schmidt's aim was to restore a defensive attitude... Don McKenney was sent to New York in exchange for the two-way talents of Dean Prentice.
Globe and Mail said:
Prentice, bleeding freely from a cut behind his right ear, had refused to come off the ice just before he fired home the game's first goal...
Interesting quote about Bathgate's on-ice relationship to Prentice. Bathgate was known to have trouble fitting into Toronto's system, and not having a guy like Prentice probably hurt:
Globe and Mail said:
**** *******'s appearance here last night revived rumours that Dean Prentice, Boston Left Winger, and a former teammate of Bathgate's in New York, would be traded to the Leafs this summer. The Boston GM had no comment, but quipped: "Bathgate needs Prentice, and I've got him."
More evidence that he was desired by other teams:
Globe and Mail said:
The Leafs covet Boston left winger Dean Prentice...
1965-01-06 said:
The Bruins suffered their first major injury of the season when leading scorer Dean Prentice was ruled out for the remainder of the season... Weston Adams described the loss as tragic.
Globe and Mail said:
Prentice gave the Wings the lead on a nice second effort. He appeared to lose control of the puck right in front of the goal and Bower dropped to block the crease. However, Prentice stretched far to his left to regain the puck and slide it past Bower's skate.
Globe and Mail said:
The extra man in a February trade between Detroit and Boston played the commanding role in the Red Wings' dismissal of the Blackhawks from Stanley Cup contention last night.
Hawks, leading 2-1, were fewer than four minutes away from their third win when Prentice deadlocked the score at 18:25 of the final period. Prentice was back 63 second later to lash the winner beyond goalie Glenn Hall's grasp...
Until Prentice struck, the Hawks seemed muscular enough to sustain their lead and force a deciding game in Chicago.
39-year old Prentice, still a scorer:
Toledo Blade said:
What started out as the checking line in training camp turned out to be Minnesota's top scoring line this season... Prentice continued to play last night despite being shaken up by a hard check along the boards... "After we aquired Prentice, we had the three of them together from the start. I might have thought they would be the checking line. But they've been the most consistent line all the way through."
FUN FACTS:
Most Goals by a player 40 or older:
Gordie Howe | 44
John Bucyk | 36
Gordie Howe | 31
Dean Prentice
|
26
Mark Messier | 24
Gordie Howe | 23
Mark Recchi | 23
Dave Andreychuk | 21
John Bucyk | 20
Gary Roberts | 20
If Prentice can't play in your top-6, neither can these guys:
Name | G1 | G2 | G3 | A1 | A2 | A3 | Total
Patrik Elias | 93 | 80 | 74 | 81 | 77 | 67 | 472
Pete Mahovlich | 70 | 69 | 69 | 100 | 92 | 68 | 468
Ace Bailey | 105 | 77 | 60 | 87 | 70 | 68 | 467
Woody Dumart | 100 | 80 | 71 | 75 | 69 | 65 | 460
Reg Noble | 68 | 65 | 56 | 100 | 92 | 75 | 456
Charlie Simmer | 100 | 97 | 79 | 60 | 59 | 56 | 451
Kevin Stevens | 100 | 78 | 72 | 79 | 59 | 56 | 444
Dean Prentice
|
82
|
67
|
66
|
79
|
73
|
71
|
438
Herbie Lewis | 74 | 64 | 61 | 88 | 84 | 67 | 438
Bill Barber | 89 | 77 | 74 | 87 | 60 | 51 | 438
Baldy Northcott | 81 | 74 | 65 | 81 | 78 | 52 | 431
Sid Smith | 87 | 87 | 71 | 71 | 64 | 49 | 429
John Tonelli | 59 | 55 | 50 | 91 | 82 | 77 | 414
Gary Roberts | 98 | 72 | 63 | 84 | 51 | 43 | 411
Rod Brind'Amour | 69 | 61 | 61 | 75 | 74 | 67 | 407
Bun Cook | 81 | 67 | 60 | 66 | 63 | 61 | 398
Brian Propp | 70 | 69 | 66 | 64 | 62 | 61 | 392
Clark Gillies | 66 | 60 | 59 | 73 | 69 | 55 | 382
Billy Burch | 76 | 73 | 71 | 60 | 53 | 47 | 380
Wayne Cashman | 58 | 56 | 50 | 77 | 76 | 61 | 378
Esa Tikkanen | 59 | 53 | 48 | 61 | 52 | 52 | 325
Brian Sutter | 53 | 53 | 44 | 59 | 51 | 44 | 304
This is a selection of some of the less-talented top-6 wingers in ATD2010. Some are on first lines, some are on second lines. The list shows each player's three best goalscoring seasons, demonstrated as a percentage of the 2nd-place's total (i.e. if 2nd place had 50 and the player had 35, that is 70%) It also does the same for the player's three best playmaking seasons. The final column is the total of the six percentages.
Note that many well-known and well-appreciated players score far below Prentice. Among the players who placed ahead, Pete Mahovlich had his best seasons as Lafleur's center and has very little career value beyond those years; Charlie Simmer and Kevin Stevens also did very little outside of their peaks that were partially manufactured by elite centers. (on the other hand, Prentice played a lot with Bathgate, who was said to "need" Prentice and whose nine best seasons were with Prentice)
This list is made up mostly of two-way players, which Prentice was. Very few had such strong career value, and as you can see, not many had better peak value either. There are only two players I would take over Dean Prentice on the above list, and they are Patrik Elias, who had an excellent two-way game and partially crippled offensive numbers in New Jersey's system, and Reg Noble, whose numbers are just as strong overall (weaker in goals, better in assists) but is absolutely packed with intangibles. Bailey, Barber and Dumart would be close, but they lack Prentice's longevity-driven career value.
