Willie Trognitz

Trognitz is most noted for signing with the Stingers on November 7, 1977, just four days after the International Hockey League (IHL) had banned him for life for the damage he inflicted on the Port Huron Flags' Archie Henderson while a member of the Dayton Owls after a match-ending, bench-clearing brawl at the McMorran Place ice arena nine days prior on October 29. He had first come to the defense of teammate John Flesch by jumping Henderson from behind and breaking his nose with one of his punches. When Henderson later charged him looking for a fight, Trognitz swung his stick and cut him across the forehead. He accumulated 63 minutes in penalties, while Henderson ended up with a broken nose, eight stitches to the forehead, a slight concussion and an overnight stay at a Port Huron hospital. Needing an enforcer to protect its younger, skilled players, the Stingers signed Trognitz to a contract in which he was paid $150 for each of ten games.^[3] He dressed for all ten, played in seven, and picked up 37 penalty minutes, which included 25 in one contest against the Quebec Nordiques. He was offered another ten-game contract but rejected it, saying, "What's $150? I got guys making $150,000 hiding behind my back."^[4]

After his playing days ended, he joined the Canadian Coast Guard. For his help in the at-sea rescue of the cruise ship Grampa Woo, he and two other crew members were awarded the Governor General's Medal of Bravery.^[5]

• Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database