Larry Melnyk was a professional ice hockey player who played as a left winger. He was born on January 1, 1960, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Melnyk started his hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Portland Winter Hawks in the late 1970s. He played for the Winter Hawks for three seasons, from 1977 to 1980, and was a key player in the team's success during that time.
In 1980, Melnyk was drafted by the New York Islanders in the second round of the NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Islanders in the 1981-82 season and played in 14 games, scoring two goals and two assists. Melnyk spent most of the season playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Indians, where he scored 29 goals and 31 assists in 63 games.
Melnyk played for the Islanders for three seasons, from 1981 to 1984, and was a solid contributor to the team's success during that time. He was known for his speed, agility, and scoring ability, and was a key player on the Islanders' power play unit. Melnyk played in a total of 141 games for the Islanders, scoring 28 goals and 35 assists.
In 1984, Melnyk was traded to the Minnesota North Stars in exchange for a draft pick. He played for the North Stars for two seasons, from 1984 to 1986, and was a key player on the team's third line. Melnyk's speed and scoring ability made him a valuable asset to the North Stars, and he scored 24 goals and 28 assists in 129 games for the team.
After two seasons with the North Stars, Melnyk was traded to the Quebec Nordiques in exchange for a draft pick. He played for the Nordiques for two seasons, from 1986 to 1988, and was a solid contributor to the team's success during that time. Melnyk's speed and scoring ability made him a valuable asset to the Nordiques, and he scored 20 goals and 25 assists in 118 games for the team.
Melnyk's final season in the NHL was in 1989-90, when he played for the Hartford Whalers. He played in 54 games for the Whalers, scoring six goals and 12 assists. After the season, Melnyk retired from professional hockey.
Overall, Larry Melnyk had a successful career in professional hockey, playing for four different NHL teams and scoring a total of 98 goals and 125 assists in 442 games. He was known for his speed, agility, and scoring ability, and was a valuable asset to every team he played for.
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