Mark Kirton
| Mark Kirton | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
February 3, 1958 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada | ||
| Died |
August 17, 2025 (aged 67) Oakville, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings Vancouver Canucks | ||
| NHL draft |
48th overall, 1978 Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
| Playing career | 1978–1989 | ||
Mark Robert Kirton (February 3, 1958 – August 17, 2025) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 266 games in the National Hockey League.
Playing career
Born in Regina, Kirton grew up in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough. He played minor hockey for the Wexford Warriors, then in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League with coach Roger Neilson and the Peterborough Petes, from 1975-76 (with Neilson) to 1977-78 under Gary Green. During his final season, he along with other future NHLers including fellow Scarberian Bill Gardiner, Stouffville's Keith Acton, and goalie Ken Ellacott won the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the OMJHL title over the Hamilton Fincups. They lost in the 1978 Memorial Cup to Kirton's future NHL teammates John Ogrodnick (Detroit) and Stan Smyl (Vancouver) of the defending champion New Westminster Bruins, whom they defeated twice in the round-robin. Kirton was named the tournament's All-Star centre, and won the George Parsons Trophy for most sportsmanlike play.
A month following the Memorial Cup loss, Kirton was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs as the 48th pick, in the third round of the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. He played for the Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks. He also spent several years in the American Hockey League playing for the minor league affiliates of his NHL teams.
Personal life
Following his retirement in 1989, Kirton worked as a realtor in Oakville, Ontario.[1]
Illness and death
In 2018, Kirton was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which eventually left him wheelchair-bound.[2] After Kirton's former teammate and mentor Börje Salming was diagnosed with ALS in August 2022, Kirton provided support and guidance to Salming, after being reconnected through Darryl Sittler.[3] Kirton died at his home in Oakville, on August 17, 2025, at the age of 67.[4][5]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1974–75 | Wexford Warriors | MJBHL | 38 | 18 | 29 | 47 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Peterborough Petes | OMJHL | 65 | 22 | 38 | 60 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Peterborough Petes | OMJHL | 48 | 18 | 24 | 42 | 41 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 1977–78 | Peterborough Petes | OMJHL | 68 | 27 | 44 | 71 | 29 | 21 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 14 | ||
| 1978–79 | New Brunswick Hawks | AHL | 80 | 20 | 30 | 50 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1979–80 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | New Brunswick Hawks | AHL | 61 | 19 | 42 | 61 | 33 | 17 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 16 | ||
| 1980–81 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 50 | 18 | 13 | 31 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 74 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 31 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | ||
| 1983–84 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 26 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Fredericton Express | AHL | 35 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 1984–85 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 62 | 17 | 5 | 22 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Fredericton Express | AHL | 15 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Fredericton Express | AHL | 77 | 23 | 36 | 59 | 33 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 1986–87 | Fredericton Express | AHL | 80 | 27 | 37 | 64 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Newmarket Saints | AHL | 73 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Newmarket Saints | AHL | 37 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 458 | 123 | 202 | 325 | 186 | 35 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 28 | ||||
| NHL totals | 266 | 57 | 56 | 113 | 121 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | ||||
References
- ^ ""I don't want anybody to feel sorry for me": How Mark Kirton is fighting ALS with the hockey world behind him". CHL.ca. June 11, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
- ^ Former NHLer Mark Kirton shares brave journey battling ALS
- ^ Zeisberger, Mike (November 11, 2022). "Salming creates emotional moment for fellow Maple Leafs legends, fans". National Hockey League. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
- ^ "Kirton, who was prominent figure in fight against ALS, dies at 67". NHL.com. August 17, 2025. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
- ^ Hornby, Lance (18 August 2025). "Mark Kirton, ex-Maple Leaf and fighter for ALS treatment, dies at 67". MSN News. Archived from the original on 18 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database