Saginaw Gears Hockey Team

Turner Cup Champion 1980-81
The 1980-81
Saginaw Gears
team was already talented before they got a major influx of players during the season. Leading the Saginaw squad was Don “Fred” Perry, one of the top coaches in all minor league hockey, and Trainer
Ken “Gunner’ Garrett, one of the best trainers in all minor league hockey. General Manager Wren Blair
had a keen eye for talent (having discovered Bobby Orr) and a great knowledge of how to put together a
quality team. Leading the offensive charge during the season were Marcel Comeau, Scott Gruhl, and Mike
Hartman. Comeau won the league MVP during that 1980-81 season scoring 126 points on 44 goals and 82 assists which helped the squad win the East Division. Between the pipes, Bob Froese and Ted Tucker split the time at goalie almost evenly. The Gears set a franchise record of 98 points while going 45-29-8 and scoring 392 goals. By the time the IHL playoffs began, they had gelled with the influx of new players. One of the factors contributing to their championship was the folding of the Houston Apollos team in January 1981. They were, like Saginaw, a farm team for the Los Angeles Kings. Blair brought in some of their talent from a league above Saginaw’s competition. Players who came to Saginaw include Don Waddell, Claude Larochelle, and Warren Holmes. The squad was now deep with talent. The three lines featured Mike Brisebois, Doug Crawford, Gordie Brooks, and Chris Langevin bringing a balanced attack that could play with anyone. Peter Luksa, Larry Goodenough, Don Waddell, Bob Gladney, and John Gibson were a defense corps that was skilled and physical. Larry Goodenough won a Stanley Cup with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1975 while Bob Gladney and John Gibson both played in the NHL after leaving Saginaw. Chris Langevin, Warren Holmes, and Scott Gruhl (who later would become one time the
greatest goal scorers in the history of minor professional hockey) also had stints in the NHL after this Cup win. During the Turner Cup playoffs of 1981 with balanced scoring, stingy defense, and great goaltending, the Gears defeated the Port Huron Flags, the Fort Wayne Komets, and the Kalamazoo K-Wings en route to the Turner Cup Championship. During these playoffs, they won 12 of 13 games with the only loss being in double overtime to the Fort Wayne Komets. The following season, many of the players moved up a league to better competition. Coach Don Perry would be coaching the NHL’s LA Kings before the subsequent season ended. This was the final Turner Cup that Saginaw won under Wren Blair and Don Perry.