Rob Ramage

George Robert Ramage
George Robert Ramage
Born	January 11, 1959 (age 67); Byron, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)	Professional ice hockey defenseman (retired), coach
Years active	1975–1994
Known for	NHL defenseman, two-time Stanley Cup champion

George Robert Ramage (born January 11, 1959) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) over 15 seasons. Throughout his NHL career, he played for the Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, and Philadelphia Flyers. Additionally, Ramage spent one season in the World Hockey Association (WHA) with the Birmingham Bulls and earned two Stanley Cup championships.

Originally from Byron, Ontario, Ramage grew up in London, Ontario.

Playing career

Ramage’s junior hockey tenure was with the London Knights, where he played three seasons as a defenseman and established himself as one of the premier defenders in the league. In his final year with the Knights, he shared the OHL’s Max Kaminsky Trophy awarded to the most outstanding defenseman. The Knights later honored him by retiring his number 5 jersey. Due to his birthdate making him initially ineligible for the NHL draft, Ramage signed with the WHA’s Birmingham Bulls and became part of a talented group dubbed the "Baby Bulls." His rookie campaign earned him a spot on the WHA First Team All-Star roster. Following the dissolution of the WHA, Ramage was chosen first overall in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Rockies.

During his debut NHL season with Colorado, Ramage was involved in a historic moment when a blind pass he made led to goaltender Billy Smith being credited with the first-ever NHL goalie goal.

After spending three seasons with the Rockies, Ramage was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a first-round draft pick. He matured into a dependable and skilled defenseman, achieving a personal best of 66 points in the 1985–86 season—a franchise record for Blues defensemen at that time—and played a key role in their journey to the Stanley Cup semi-finals.

On March 7, 1988, Ramage was sent to the Calgary Flames along with Rick Wamsley in return for Brett Hull and Steve Bozek. This transaction strengthened Calgary’s defensive lineup alongside veterans Al MacInnis, Gary Suter, and Brad McCrimmon. Ramage secured his first Stanley Cup title with Calgary in 1989 but was soon traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a second-round draft selection.

Ramage became Toronto’s 13th team captain and uniquely held this role before appearing in any games for them. After two seasons in Toronto, he was left unprotected during the 1991 Expansion and Dispersal Drafts and was selected by the Minnesota North Stars as part of a complex arrangement involving new expansion franchises.

His time with Minnesota was cut short due to knee surgery. With another NHL expansion in 1992, Ramage was picked by the Tampa Bay Lightning but faced offensive challenges, recording only 17 points over 66 games. Nevertheless, he remained a respected veteran presence and was later traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for younger prospects.

While with Montreal, Ramage recovered from injury to participate in seven playoff games during their victorious 1993 Stanley Cup run. The following season saw diminished ice time due to emerging players such as rookie Peter Popovic. He concluded his professional playing career after a brief period with the Philadelphia Flyers and officially retired on July 26, 1994.

Ramage’s name is engraved on the Stanley Cup twice: once with Calgary in 1989 and again with Montreal in 1993. He also took part in four NHL All-Star Games spanning 1981, 1984, 1986, and 1988.

Personal

Ramage completed his education at Byron Northview Public School and Saunders Secondary School, both located in London, Ontario. In 1982, he wed his high school partner, Dawn Van Diepen; together, they have three children named Tamara, Jaclyn, and John.

Up until January 23, 2009, Ramage was employed as a broker at the Wachovia Securities branch in Clayton, Missouri (previously A.G. Edwards & Sons), which was acquired by Wells Fargo in 2009.

In December 2011, following Dale Hunter's departure to coach the Washington Capitals, Ramage was appointed as assistant coach for the London Knights.

His son John Ramage was drafted in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames. John played NCAA Division I hockey with the Wisconsin Badgers and served as captain of the USA team during the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

On July 30, 2014, Ramage returned to the Canadiens organization in a role focused on player development coaching. He is currently the head coach of the St Louis Blues Warriors.

Death of Keith Magnuson and impaired driving conviction

On December 15, 2003, Ramage was involved in a tragic automobile accident that resulted in the death of former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman and coach Keith Magnuson. Charges were brought against Ramage for impaired and dangerous driving causing death. His defense challenged the validity of the alcohol test results, arguing that contamination occurred due to spilled beer cans.

By October 10, 2007, Ramage was convicted on all charges. The Magnuson family forgave him and advocated for leniency, recommending that he use his experience to educate young people about the perils of drinking and driving. In a civil lawsuit filed in Missouri, both Ramage and National Car Rental were found liable and ordered to pay $9.5 million to Magnuson's family.

In January 2008, Ramage received a four-year prison term—the most severe sentence imposed in Ontario for a first-time offender convicted of drinking and driving—and he remained out on bail until his appeal was rejected in July 2010. He began serving his sentence at Frontenac Institution, a minimum-security facility situated in Kingston, Ontario.

Initial parole applications were denied due to concerns regarding his acceptance of responsibility and ongoing alcohol use. Nevertheless, in May 2011 he was granted day parole under conditions that included abstaining from alcohol, participation in psychological counseling, and refraining from driving.

Ramage’s sentence concluded in July 2014 following amendments to parole eligibility rules for non-violent offenders.

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1975–76	London Knights	OMJHL	65	12	31	43	113	5	0	1	1	11
1976–77	London Knights	OMJHL	65	15	58	73	177	20	3	11	14	55
1977–78	London Knights	OMJHL	59	17	47	64	162	11	4	5	9	29
1978–79	Birmingham Bulls	WHA	80	12	36	48	165
1979–80	Colorado Rockies	NHL	75	8	20	28	135
1980–81	Colorado Rockies	NHL	79	20	42	62	193
1981–82	Colorado Rockies	NHL	70	13	29	42	201
1982–83	St. Louis Blues	NHL	78	16	35	51	193	4	0	3	3	22
1983–84	St. Louis Blues	NHL	80	15	45	60	121	11	1	8	9	32
1984–85	St. Louis Blues	NHL	80	7	31	38	178	3	1	3	4	6
1985–86	St. Louis Blues	NHL	77	10	56	66	171	19	1	10	11	66
1986–87	St. Louis Blues	NHL	59	11	28	39	106	6	2	2	4	21
1987–88	St. Louis Blues	NHL	67	8	34	42	127	—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Calgary Flames	NHL	12	1	6	7	37	9	1	3	4	21
1988–89	Calgary Flames	NHL	68	3	13	16	156	20	1	11	12	26
1989–90 \| Toronto Maple Leafs \| NHL \|80 \|8 \|41 \|49 \|202 \|5 \|1 \|2 \|3 \|20
1990–91 \| Toronto Maple Leafs \| NHL \|80 \|10 \|25 \|35 \|173 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|—
1991–92 \| Minnesota North Stars \| NHL \|34 \|4 \|5 \|9 \|69 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|—
1992–93 \| Tampa Bay Lightning \| NHL \|66 \|5 \|12 \|17 \|138 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|—
1992–93	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	8	0	1	1	8	7	0	0	0	4
1993–94	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	6	0	1	1	2	—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL	15	0	1	1	14	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals			1,044	139	425	564	2,224	84	8	42	50	218

International

Year	Team	Tournament	Games Played	Goals	Assists	Points	Penalty Minutes
1977	Canada	WJC	7	0	1	1	6
1978	Canada	WJC	6	1	3	4	6
1981	Canada	WC	8	0	1	1	0
Junior career totals			13	1	4	5	12
Senior career totals			8	0	1	1	0

External links