First post in a long time, but I have a very good reason for returning to the blog. Former NHLer Joe Paterson reached out to me after reading my post about him. On a past post, I highlighted Joe Paterson's career, and made up a rookie card of him as a Los Angeles King. I mentioned in the post I didn't make a Red Wings card since I couldn't find any Red Wings pictures of him. He contacted me and offered to send a few pictures. I did up a few Red Wings cards for him and he was also gracious enough to answer some questions, and sent some pictures for the Blog.
Cardboard & Me: What is your earliest hockey memory?
Joe Paterson: We played pond hockey , on the street with skates on and at the school all out door hockey.
C&M: Growing up, who was your favorite team or player?
Joe Paterson: Toronto Maple Leafs was favorite team & #8 Jim Dorey favorite player (LD) for the Leafs
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| A young Joe Paterson on the left |
C&M Did you collect Hockey cards when you a child or teenager? Did you have a favorite set or card? If you didn't collect hockey cards, was there something else you collected?
Joe Paterson: Yes, we collected hockey cards and would make trades and put them on our bikes to make noise with the spokes! (and I wish I still had them) My favorite cards were action cards and not the head shots unless it was a Gordie Howe card.
C&M: You were drafted in the 5th round by the Red Wings in 1979. Draft day was a lot different back then. What were your expectations heading into the draft?
Joe Paterson: Not even sure I would get drafted.
C&M: How did you find out you were drafted?
Joe Paterson: Teams would call you the next day after the draft!
C&M: How was your that first game? Any memories that really stick out?
Joe Paterson: Can’t remember first game but I remember first NHL training camp was so fast and a blur!
C&M: What was it like playing for Mike Keenan? Did he have any influence on your coaching style?
Joe Paterson: Mike Keenan was tough but I enjoyed playing for him! He really held his players accountable, if you didn’t have a good first shift or not ready to play! He sat you! Star players had a little longer leash.
C&M: Points wise, you had the most success run of your NHL career playing on a line with Marcel Dionne and Dave Taylor. What has it like getting a chance to be on a line with two future HHOfers?
Joe Paterson: Playing with Taylor & Dionne was the best, both first class guys who treated me real well! I liked that Dionne always talked to me on the ice on the bench & we roomed together on the road! He would tell me to let him carry the puck from the d-zone and through the neutral zone
& go to the net with my stick on the ice ! He’s underrated and at the time just the one team in the west !
C&M: You made an appearance on the sitcom "Who's the Boss", how did that opportunity come about?
Joe Paterson: 😂 That was fun ! Tony Danza was a huge hockey fan and played baseball with player agent Ron Salcer -so Ron asked us as the show was about hockey . Fun time to be on the set for a week!
C&M: Compared to your first NHL game, how were the nerves taping the show?
Joe Paterson: The show is done twice - in front of a live audience at the end of the week on a Friday - they record both shows then splice and put the best one together! We really didn’t have a lot of lines & Tony Danza is a real character. Great person who made us laugh. One episode takes a week to do produce!
(The Who's the Boss episode was S4E3, and titled "There Goes the Bride". Joe Paterson and Dave Taylor are part of the scene starting at 10:00 mark. It was previously available online but has since been taken down)
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| Joe, Moana, and Dave |
C&M: Who are some players you played with or against that are underrated and deserves more recognition? Any minor leaguers that you were surprised they didn't become a NHL regular?
Joe Paterson: Marcel Dionne. He deserves more!! What a great player & a small guy playing in a big league (in terms of the size of players) and now you can’t hook and hold and box guys out like back when he played, it's a penalty.
C&M: After your playing career, you have been a coach and also a scout. At what point in your career, did you start thinking about being a coach? How was the transition to being behind the bench?
Joe Paterson: Toward the end of my career as an older player in the minors I enjoyed sharing experience with the young guys !
C&M: Out of all the jerseys, you wore in the NHL and minors, or also coached, which ones stick out as the best and worst?
Joe Paterson: All the sweaters are great , but my first sweater with the Detroit red Wings, being original 6 team and the history ! It was such an honor to put the sweater on.
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| Joe Paterson wearing the Red Wings Jersey. |
C&M: You never had an official NHL rookie card. Was this something you were aware of, or looked for, while playing?
Joe Paterson: Yes I knew I never had a card & always wanted one!
C&M: Did you keep any memorabilia from your career? if so, what are some of the items you kept?
Joe Paterson: I still have a puck collection from when I was a kid & would add to it 100 -150 pucks. And a Gretzky stick ! Most of my sweaters from the teams I played with!
C&M: Do you get many requests for autographs through the mail? An approximate number per month or year? What are some of the memorable items fans have mailed you?
Joe Paterson: I maybe get one or two cards a month in the mail to sign or a puck!
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Currently, Joe is an assistant coach for the Adirondack Junior Thunder in the Eastern Hockey League Premier. Outside of the rink, he keeps busy by playing pond hockey and painting.
I am always pleasantly surprised when I see one of my custom cards pop up in a Facebook group or when someone actually comment show they enjoyed the blog on one of those posts. Although to have an ex-NHLer reach out is real honour. Thank you Mr. Paterson.
