ESPOSITO, PHIL

born Feb. 20, 1942, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Can. byname of Philip Anthony Esposito Canadian-born U.S. professional ice hockey centre (196381) in the National Hockey League (NHL), who was a leading scorer in his day. Esposito played hockey from his youth onward, and after a season (196263) on a Chicago Black Hawk farm team played as a regular on the parent team from the next season, becoming a regular in the 196465 season. He was traded in 1967 to the Boston Bruins and in 1975 to the New York Rangers, retiring in 1981. He was the first hockey player to score more than 100 points (goals plus assists) in a season (196869). In the 196869 season he scored a record-setting 49 goals and 77 assists (126 points) and increased the record in the 197071 season to 152 points, a record tht stood until the 198182 season, when it was broken by the Edmonton Oilers' Wayne Gretzky. Esposito's 1,282 games played was second only to Gordie Howe's total. He won the NHL Art Ross Trophy as top scorer of the league five times (1969, 197174). After retiring as a player, he was an announcer and did television commentary for Ranger games. His brother Tony was a goalie for the Chicago Black Hawks.