Dave Michayluk was a Canadian ice hockey player who had a successful career in the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 1980s and early 1990s. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Michayluk began his hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Portland Winter Hawks. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut in the 1982-83 season.
Michayluk played primarily as a left winger and was known for his physical play and scoring ability. He spent the majority of his NHL career with the Penguins, playing for the team from 1982 to 1988. During his time with the Penguins, Michayluk was a consistent scorer, with his best season coming in 1985-86 when he scored 32 goals and 28 assists for a total of 60 points. He was also known for his toughness on the ice, racking up over 100 penalty minutes in each of his first five seasons with the Penguins.
In 1988, Michayluk was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, where he played for two seasons. He then spent one season with the Winnipeg Jets before finishing his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers in 1992. Michayluk played a total of 509 NHL games, scoring 127 goals and 135 assists for a total of 262 points. He also accumulated 1,238 penalty minutes over the course of his career.
After retiring from professional hockey, Michayluk remained involved in the sport as a coach and scout. He worked as an assistant coach for the WHL's Kamloops Blazers from 1993 to 1995 and then served as a scout for the NHL's Dallas Stars from 1995 to 2002. In 2002, he joined the scouting staff of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, where he worked until 2019.
Overall, Dave Michayluk had a successful career as an NHL player, known for his physical play and scoring ability. He played for four different teams over the course of his career and accumulated over 1,200 penalty minutes. After retiring from playing, he remained involved in the sport as a coach and scout, working for several different teams over the years.
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