Esposito, Phil

Esposito, << `EHS ` puh ZEE toh, >> Phil (1942-…), was one of the greatest scorers in National Hockey League (NHL) history. A center, Esposito led the NHL in goals six straight years, from 1969-1970 through the 1974-1975 season. During the 1970-1971 season, he scored 76 goals and 152 points (goals plus assists). Both marks were NHL records until Wayne Gretzky broke them.

Esposito played with the Chicago Black Hawks (later Blackhawks) from the 1963-1964 season through the 1966-1967 season, before being traded to the Boston Bruins. In 1975, Esposito was traded to the New York Rangers, where he played until his retirement in 1981. He was general manager of the Rangers from 1986 to 1989 and also coached the team for portions of those years. From 1990 to 1998, Esposito served as president and general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Philip Anthony Esposito was born on Feb. 20, 1942, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

See also Esposito, Tony.