Off to the Pros at Age 17

At age 17, Val Fonteyne left Wetaskiwin to play Junior A Hockey in Medicine Hat (1951 ‑ 1954). His professional hockey career started in 1954 ‑ 1955. He played seven games with New Westminster Royals, and the rest of the season  with Kelowna Packers of the OSHL. The next three seasons 1955 ‑ 1958 were played with the Seattle Americans and with the Seattle Totems 1958-59. Val posted impressive offensive stats: 108 goals, 148 assists and Bud Poile of the Edmonton Flyers convinced their parent NHL Detroit Red Wings to purchase Val's rights from the Totems.

Impressive 1420 Games 
Played in NHL

Val Fonteyne, a left-winger, played four seasons with the Red Wings (1959 ‑ 1963), 96 games with New York Rangers, then back to the Red Wings (1965 ‑ 1967). New‑entry Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Val in the Expansion Draft June 1972; Val was selected by the Alberta Oilers.  After much  thought, Val agreed to a two‑year contract with the Oilers. When it expired in 1974, he retired from pro‑hockey. His hockey career started and ended with W.D. (Bill) Hunter. 

Fonteyne was an effective defence forward that played more than 1,400 games in the NHL and is statistically one of the least penalized players to have played pro‑hockey, one of the cleanest players in the history of the NHL.  Val played 1320 regular League games and 100 Playoff games. He was assessed a total of 76 minor penalty‑minutes or 38 minor penalties in his entire pro‑career. He played five complete hockey seasons with zero penalties.   In a further 149 World Hockey Association games he was assessed only two minor penalties.  In his entire professional career, Fonteyne only received a single fighting penalty. 

Though he was not an offensive star, he was instrumental in helping the Detroit Red Wings make it to the Stanley Cup finals in 1961, 1963 and 1966.

Among Fastest Skaters to Play Pro Hockey 

Val was deemed to be one of the fastest skaters to have played pro‑hockey. 

"Without a question, skating was my greatest asset. And because of this  I committed myself to the European style of play, not the 'clutch and grab style'."

When the Alberta Oilers entered the WHA General Player Draft in 1972 he was the first player chosen which says a lot about this Alberta born legend.   He was one of 130 former Oilers to appear in a post-game ceremony when the Edmonton Oilers played their final game at Rexall Place in April 2016 before moving to their new arena