MacTavish was intoxicated and drove while impaired, which resulted in vehicular manslaughter. He was incarcerated for a year and suspended from the NHL, but upon his release, the Oilers signed him, as he definitely needed a change of scenery.
Edmonton was a good fit for MacTavish, who was a defensively skilled Center and was outstanding on the penalty kill, scoring 21 Short-Handed Goals for the team. He would help the Oilers win the 1987, 1988, and 1990 Stanley Cups, and would finish in the top ten in Frank J. Selke Trophy voting three times. His time in Northern Alberta ended when he was traded for Todd Marchant late in the 1993-94 Season and would win his fourth Stanley Cup that year with the New York Rangers.
MacTavish might be best known for being the answer to the trivia question, who was the last player not to wear a helmet. When the NHL mandated helmet use for all players in 1979, any player who signed a contract before that date was exempt from wearing one. After his playing career ended, he would go on to have a long career as a coach and executive.
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