Dennis McAleer Kearns (born September 27, 1945) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who spent his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Vancouver Canucks. He is the cousin of Shawn Evans.
Playing career
His rights being held by the Chicago Black Hawks, Kearns served a four-year apprentice in the minor leagues, principally with the Portland Buckaroos of the Western Hockey League. Between the 1969 and 1971 seasons, Kearns was a First or Second Team league All-Star all three years.
In the summer of 1971, Chicago – then being deep on defence, behind perennial All-Stars Pat Stapleton and Bill White – exposed Kearns in the Intra-League Draft, and he was claimed by Vancouver, for whom he made his NHL debut that fall. Kearns played his next ten years in Vancouver, his entire NHL career, becoming a star playmaker with noteworthy skill on offense and the power play despite his small size for a defenceman. His best years were between 1976 and 1978, when, having recovered from injuries the previous two years, he averaged nearly fifty assists a season, was named to the Canadian national team at the World Championships twice, and was called by The Hockey News the "Denis Potvin of the West."The Hockey News 1978 Yearbook, ed. Ken McKenzie, Toronto, Canada, p. 54 His feats on the ice never translated to success in the playoffs; during his career Kearns played in only eleven playoff games, and the Canucks won only three playoff matches during his tenure.
His production declined sharply after the 1979 season, and no longer a frontline defenceman as the team moved younger players into prominence, retired after the 1981 season.
International career Kearns was a member of Team Canada at the 1977 and 1978 World Ice Hockey Championships.
Retirement Kearns finished his career with 31 goals and 290 assists for 321 points in 677 games, adding 386 penalty minutes. His 55 assists in 1977 remained the franchise record for defencemen until surpassed by Quinn Hughes in 2022 with 60 assists. His 321 career points was the all-time mark for Canucks defencemen for over three decades until surpassed by Mattias Öhlund at the end of the 2009 season. His 290 career assists stood as the franchise record for defenceman until being overtaken by Alexander Edler in 2020.
In retirement, he and his family live in Vancouver, where he owns an insurance business. His son, Bracken Kearns, also played hockey professionally with the Florida Panthers, San Jose Sharks, and New York Islanders before retiring in 2019.
Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1965–66Kingston FrontenacsEJHL 1966–67Kingston AcesOHA-Sr.4017143147————— 1967–68Portland BuckaroosWHL685152062122462 1968–69Portland BuckaroosWHL7424244811126813 1969–70Portland BuckaroosWHL721142536781679 1970–71Dallas Black HawksCHL6584452651025714 1971–72Vancouver CanucksNHL733262959————— 1972–73Vancouver CanucksNHL724333751————— 1973–74Vancouver CanucksNHL524131730————— 1974–75Vancouver CanucksNHL49111123140004 1975–76Vancouver CanucksNHL80546514820110 1976–77Vancouver CanucksNHL805556060————— 1977–78Vancouver CanucksNHL804434727————— 1978–79Vancouver CanucksNHL78331342831122 1979–80Vancouver CanucksNHL67118192420002 1980–81Vancouver CanucksNHL461141528————— NHL totals 677 31 290 321 386 11 1 2 3 8
International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1977 Canada WC 10 0 1 1 2 1978 Canada WC 10 0 1 1 14 Senior totals 20 0 2 2 16
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