

In his next four seasons he averaged 36 goals, 80 points and 235 penalty minutes. Gerard's career took off after Jacques Demers was hired as the Red Wings head coach in 1986. The injury required facial surgery and more than two hundred stitches to Salming's face. He was part of an unfortunate incident in a Novemgame between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Red Wings in Detroit.ĭuring a scrum in front of the Leafs net, Gerard accidentally cut the face of Borje Salming with his skate blade after Salming had been knocked down. He ultimately appeared in 52 games, scoring 20 goals with 39 points and 106 penalty minutes. When he returned, Gerard sported a football-style facemask on his helmet. His jaw had to be wired-shut for six weeks, causing him to miss six weeks of games. However, in a Decemgame against the Minnesota North Stars, he suffered a broken jaw during a fight with Dirk Graham.

Gerard opened the 1985-86 season as a full-time regular with the Red Wings. In his second game, he fought Rangers forward Bob Brooke. In his first game, he scored against Islanders goaltender Billy Smith in the second period of a 5-4 Detroit victory that snapped a 12-game Red Wings winless streak. Gerard split the 1984-85 season between the AHL and NHL, making his Detroit Red Wings debut against the New York Islanders on January 22, 1985.
#Gerard gallant full#
Spending the full 1983-84 season in the minors, Gerard finished with 31 goals, 64 points and 195 penalty minutes in 77 games. At the age of 19, he was the youngest regular on the roster.
#Gerard gallant professional#
He made his professional debut with the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League in 1983. Gerard was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the sixth round (107th overall) in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. During his final year in juniors, he served as the team captain.Īfter his first junior season in 1981, Gerard finished as runner-up to Claude Verret in voting for 1980-81 Michel Bergeron Trophy as QMJHL offensive rookie of the year.

While playing for the Summerside Crystals of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League at the age of 16, Gerard netted 60 goals and 115 points in just 45 games.Īs a junior, he played for three teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League: the Sherbrooke Castors (1980-81, 1981-82), the St.
