Ron Duguay, who played nearly 1,000 NHL games from the late 1970s through the '80s, has died of cancer at 69. The Associated Press, in a story by Stephen Whyno, remembered him for long, wavy hair that made him stand out in an era when helmets were not mandatory. Deadspin's version of the AP report says he died Thursday. It also says he spent most of a 12-season career with the Rangers and was known for a celebrity lifestyle.

The outlets differ on a few details. ESPN's headline calls him a "former NHL All-Star," and none of the other summaries we have use that label. Only the Yahoo Sports copy of the AP story mentions his personal life. Its feed summary says he had been dating the Alaska governor and 2008 Republican nominee for several years, and the text cuts off there. Sportsnet's headline says he died "after a bout with cancer." None of the summaries give a cancer type, a place of death or details on survivors.

Our archive backs up the Rangers connection. Ron Duguay has Rangers seasons from 1978 through 1983. He scored 27 goals and 63 points in 79 games in 1978-79 and 28 goals in 73 games the next year. His best year in New York was 1981-82, when he had 40 goals and 76 points in 72 games. The archive lists no 1988 season for him, so we are not giving career totals.

He then moved around. He had 33 goals and 80 points for the Red Wings in 1983-84, then 38 goals and 89 points in 1984-85, his highest point total in our records. In 1985-86 he split time between Detroit and the Penguins. He split 1986-87 between Pittsburgh and New York. His last season in our records is 1988-89 with the Kings, when he had 7 goals and 24 points in 70 games and a +23 rating.

The four clubs in his career are all playing now. The Rangers are 7-4 and second in the Metropolitan Division, but they lost 5-4 at Toronto on Thursday. They play at Ottawa on Saturday in {{game id=nhl_401892569}}

The Kings visit New York on Oct. 26, in a game that will bring Duguay's first and last NHL stops together at Madison Square Garden. The reporting we have does not mention any planned tribute at either game, and we will update if a club announces one.