The 1978-79 Rangers, guided by coach/general manager Fred Shero, with future Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito and a young core including Duguay, Ron Greschner, Steve Vickers, Dave Maloney, Don Maloney and Don Murdoch, went 40-29 with 11 ties to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in two seasons. Led by goaltender John Davidson, New York eliminated the Philadelphia Kings and Flyers and upset the top-seeded New York Islanders in six games of the NHL semifinals to advance to the final. Duguay became famous for his long, curly hair while skating without a helmet, and joined Esposito, Dave Maloney and Anders Hedberg in a 1979 television commercial for Sasson jeans known for the jingle “Oo La La!” Sasson.
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, Duguay’s teammate with San Diego in the International Hockey League in 1990-91, said his death is “a great loss to all of us, the Rangers organization in particular.”
“We know he was a very popular Ranger. I had the privilege of playing with Ron as a teammate for a year in the International Hockey League,” Sullivan said Thursday in Toronto. “A great man and a tremendous hockey player.
“I grew up watching some of those guys when he played with the Rangers and, you know, when I had the opportunity to play with him and Charlie Simer. And two guys who had pretty successful NHL careers. It was the International Hockey League back in the day for those of you old enough to remember.
Duguay scored nine seconds into an 8-3 win over the Flyers at the Philadelphia Spectrum on April 6, 1980, to tie a Rangers record shared by Fred Cook (January 23, 1927) and Jean Ratelle (November 5, 1971). He was traded to the Red Wings on June 13, 1983, returned to the Rangers via a trade with the Penguins on January 21, 1987, and played the final two seasons of his NHL career after being dealt to the Kings on February 23, 1988.
“Ron lived his life with extraordinary passion, an infectious smile and a heart that was truly larger than life,” the NHL Alumni Association said in a social media post. “Above all, his deepest and most sincere love was for his family. They were his greatest pride, his greatest joy and always the closest to his heart.
“His dedication and passion for hockey was unwavering. Hockey was more than a sport to Ron; it was a part of who he was, a lifelong love that he carried with pride and shared so generously with others. But perhaps what made Ron most special was his humanity. His genuine compassion, kindness and willingness to help others always went far beyond himself. He cared deeply, gave generously of his heart and had a remarkable way of making everyone around him feel valued and appreciated.”
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