Former National Hockey League centre Mark Kirton of Regina, Saskatchewan passed away on Sunday at the age of 67 according to Paul Griser of Pro Hockey Rumors. The cause of death was Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as ALS). This was a disease Kirton had for seven years.
Kirton played in the NHL for six seasons from 1979 to 1985. He was with the Toronto Maple Leafs for two seasons from 1979 to 1980, the Detroit Red Wings for three seasons from 1980 to 1982, and the Vancouver Canucks for three seasons from 1983 to 1985.
Kirton played 266 NHL regular season games. He had 57 goals and 56 assists for 113 points. He was a -70 with 121 penalty minutes, 10 power-play points, five shorthanded points, five game-winning goals, and 395 shots on goal. In the playoffs, Kirton played in four postseason games. He had one goal and two assists for three points in four postseason games during the 1983 NHL postseason for Vancouver. Kirton was also a +2 with seven penalty minutes and nine shots on goal. The Canucks lost in four games to the Calgary Flames, but Kirton made a contribution in the Canucks only win of the series. He set up defenseman Harold Snepsts of Edmonton, Alberta in a 5-4 Canucks win over the Flames on April 9, 1983 in game three of the Smythe Division Semifinal series.
