By Brian Kopycinski
Born and raised in Montreal, former Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Michel Dion began his professional career not in hockey, but with his hometown Montreal Expos. Following a notable junior hockey career, Dion went undrafted and later signed with the Expos, hoping to make it as a big-league catcher. His skills as a goalie translated well behind the plate, but it would not be long before he recommitted fully to hockey. Selected by the Indianapolis Racers of the rival WHA, Dion found immediate success at the professional level.
As the NHL and WHA eventually merged, Dion caught on with the Quebec Nordiques in his native province. After quitting on his team mid-game, he was soon traded to the Winnipeg Jets. Later becoming a free agent, Dion signed with Pittsburgh and enjoyed a career year, making the All-Star Game and finishing third in Vezina Trophy voting. That postseason, the Penguins nearly upset the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the New York Islanders, at the height of their dynasty. Through both triumph and turmoil, Dion’s strong faith sustained him.
Dion first found success in junior hockey before signing with the Expos. He excelled between the pipes for the Junior Canadiens of the OHA and the Red White and Blue of the QMJHL, both based in Montreal. After turning pro in baseball, Dion headed south. In 1972, he reached Class A with the West Palm Beach Expos of the Florida State League. Following a brief stint with the Cocoa Expos, he was promoted to West Palm Beach, where he backed up a future Hall of Famer, Gary Carter.
Dion showed promise at the plate, hitting .300 in ten at-bats. However, as a singles-hitting catcher lacking the power of Johnny Bench, he realized his future likely lay in hockey. Returning to the QMJHL with the Montreal Juniors, Dion was eventually drafted 121st overall by the Racers in the 1974 WHA Draft. He began his pro hockey career with the Mohawk Valley Comets before earning a call-up to Indianapolis.
The Racers’ inaugural season was 1974–75, and Dion appeared in just one game before opening the following year back in Mohawk Valley. His return to the WHA during the 1975–76 season proved spectacular. Dion posted a league-best 2.74 goals-against average and captured the Ben Hatskin Trophy as the WHA’s top goaltender. Indianapolis finished first in the East Division but fell in seven games to the New England Whalers in the quarterfinals.
Dion spent the entire 1976–77 season with Indianapolis as the team improved and returned to the playoffs, defeating the Cincinnati Stingers before losing to Quebec in the division finals. As a free agent, Dion signed with Cincinnati for 1977–78, winning 21 games and leading the league with four shutouts. After another season with the Stingers, he was selected by the Nordiques in the 1979 Dispersal Draft, returning home as the franchise entered the NHL.
Quebec faced its soon-to-be rival, the Montreal Canadiens, for the first time on October 13 at the Montreal Forum. Despite a 3–1 loss, Dion was named the game’s first star. Two weeks later, the Nordiques earned their first victory in the rivalry with a 5–4 win at the Quebec Coliseum. Still, Quebec struggled overall, finishing fifth in the Adams Division.
The following season brought excitement with the arrival of Peter Šťastný, but also one of the lowest moments of Dion’s career. In a home game against the Boston Bruins, Dion surrendered four goals before throwing his gear aside and leaving mid-game, driving straight to Montreal. He was eventually traded to Winnipeg in February.
After just 14 games with the Jets, Dion’s tenure ended. Pittsburgh took a chance on him in June 1981, desperate for stability in goal after Greg Millen struggled the previous season. With the opportunity to reclaim a starting role, Dion exceeded all expectations.
The 1981–82 season marked the pinnacle of Dion’s career. He won 25 games—his personal best—and was named the starting goaltender for the Wales Conference at the 34th NHL All-Star Game at the Capital Centre. The Wales Conference defeated the Campbell Conference 4–2, with Mike Bossy earning MVP honors. Dion finished third in Vezina voting, behind Islanders goaltender Billy Smith.
That postseason, Pittsburgh came within one game of eliminating the powerhouse Islanders in the division semifinals. New York jumped to a two-game lead before the Penguins rallied to force a decisive Game 5 at Nassau Coliseum. The Islanders prevailed 4–3 in overtime on a goal by John Tonelli.
Following the heartbreaking loss, both Dion and the Penguins declined. By 1984–85, Dion had been demoted to the Baltimore Skipjacks and appeared in just 10 NHL games. After that season, his professional career came to an end.
Dion retired following the 1984–85 season and later settled in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where he became a certified golf instructor. Drawing from his time in the Expos organization, Dion embraced life in the South and discovered a new passion in teaching.
His legacy in Pittsburgh also includes introducing the team chapel concept alongside teammate Paul Baxter. First exposed to the idea in Cincinnati, Dion later brought it to Quebec and continued the tradition with the Penguins—an enduring reflection of the faith that guided him throughout his career.