Left-winger Kevin Lavallee was a talented offensive player during his seven NHL seasons. His quick hands made him particularly dangerous around the slot and on the power play. In addition to a solid career in North America, he excelled in four different European countries.
Born in Sudbury, Ontario, Lavallee was a fine offensive player on the OHA's Brantford Alexanders. After scoring 65 goals for the club in 1979-80, he was chosen 32nd overall by the Calgary Flames at the Entry Draft. The young forward scored 15 goals as a rookie and helped the team reach the semi-finals in their first year since leaving Atlanta. In 1981-82, he scored 32 goals while playing on a line with Guy Chouinard and Lanny McDonald. He slipped to 19 goals the next season and fell out of the club's plans.
Lavallee was sent to the L.A. Kings for Steve Bozek in June 1983 but spent most of the next season in the AHL. He bounced back after signing as a free agent with St. Louis Blues, scoring 33 goals for the club over two years. He also scored the winning goal in the seventh game of the Norris Division finals versus Toronto in 1986 to propel his team into the semi-finals. Lavallee joined the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent a few weeks later and recorded 28 points in 33 games before he was injured.
After his NHL tenure was complete, the veteran forward spent nine years in Europe. Highlights of this period included scoring 45 goals for ECS Innsbruck of Austria in 1988-89 and scoring 33 times in 36 contests for Italian club Milano two years later. He retired in 1996 after splitting the year between Germany and Switzerland.
