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Club 1974:
Toronto Toros
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Gilles Gratton
# 33, Team CANADA 1974
Club: Toronto Toros
Position: G Shoots:
Left
Height: 5-11 Weight: 155
Born: 7/28/1952 in LaSalle, Quebec
If there was ever truly an oddball in professional hockey Gilles Gratton ("Gratooney the Looney") was it. Gratton was a very talented player who left hockey early due to his at times bizarre personality.
Gilles was drafted by both the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL and the WHA Ottawa Nationals in 1972, electing to take the Nationals offer. Ottawa coach Billy Harris originally planned on using Gratton as a back up to veteran Les Binkley but when Binkley went down with a serious injury during the 1972-73 season Gratton stepped in and help backstop the young Nationals into the playoff The following season the Nationals moved to Toronto and became the Toros and Gratton was their number 1 goalie. Led by his strong goaltending Toronto advanced to the 7th game of the Avco World Trophy semi-finals in the spring of 1974. Talented though he was Gilles behaved in bizarre ways. During the 1974-75 season he streaked during a Toronto practice going onto the ice wearing only his mask and skates. Another time he missed a game claiming he was suffering an injury from a previous life (he believed in reincarnation.) He then walked out on the team. Toronto weary of his odd behavior allowed him to sign with the NHL St. Louis Blues. He lasted only 6 games with them before the Blues saw him quit their team. Gratton was out of hockey the following year.
Billy Harris put Gilles on Team Canada with the idea Gilles would be the number 3 goalie behind Gerry Cheevers and Don MacLeod. He saw no action in the exhibition games against the juniors. He did play in Team Canada's exhibition games against the Finnish National Team in Helsinki and the Czech National Team in Prague, and played quite well. He saw no action against the Soviets.
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Career Statistics
| Competitions |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
| NHL Reg. Season |
47 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| NHL Playoffs |
15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| WHA Reg. Season |
161 |
0 |
9 |
9 |
46 |
| WHA Playoffs |
13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
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CAREER HIGHLIGTS:
- Played in the professional hockey leagues: 1972-77
- Pro hockey clubs:
NHL: St. Louis, NYR; WHA:Ottawa, Toronto
PERFORMANCE IN THE 1974 SUMMIT
Statistics
| GP |
Goals |
Assists |
Points |
PIM |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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