Ron Duguay

Ronald Duguay was one of hockey's most captivating personalities — a gifted scorer, an irrepressible showman, and a man whose love for life was as unmistakable as the flowing, curly hair that streamed behind him every time he took the ice. Born on July 6, 1957, in Sudbury, Ontario, Ron grew up with a stick in his hand and an outsize smile on his face, honing his craft with the Sudbury Wolves of the OMJHL before being selected 13th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1977 NHL Draft. From the moment he stepped onto the Madison Square Garden ice, "Doogie" was something different. He scored 20 goals as a rookie, reached the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, and became a fixture at the very heart of New York's disco-era cultural scene — a regular at Studio 54 who once joked he stayed in shape by doing "extra cardio" there. His career-high 40 goals in 1981–82 earned him a spot in the 1982 NHL All-Star Game, and over six seasons with the Rangers he recorded 340 points in 499 games. He was one of the last players in the NHL to skate helmetless, and that freedom — hair flying, grin gleaming under the Garden lights — became his signature. Traded to Detroit in 1983, Ron discovered a second act, posting 80 and then 89 points in back-to-back seasons with the Red Wings. Along the way he took a young Steve Yzerman under his wing, modeling what it meant to compete with both skill and spirit. He finished his NHL career in 1989 with 274 goals, 346 assists, and 620 points in 864 regular season games before stints in Germany and the San Diego Gulls kept his love for the game alive well into the 1990s. Retirement opened new chapters. As head coach of the Jacksonville Barracudas he guided the club to a playoff championship in 2004, and from 2007 to 2018 he brought warmth and authority to MSG Network's Rangers broadcasts, where a new generation of fans fell for his charm all over again. Off the ice, Ron's greatest joy was his family — his children Shay, Amber, and Noah, and five grandchildren: Aiden, Jayden, Cole, Nora, and Ranger. A man of deep Christian faith, he faced his diagnosis of Stage 4 colon cancer in late 2024 with the same fearless spirit he had shown all his life, and passed away peacefully on October 22, 2026, at age 69. Ron Duguay leaves behind a legacy of goals, laughter, generosity, and a reminder that the best way to play — and to live — is with your hair down.