Dennis Kearns

Dennis McAleer Kearns, born September 27, 1945, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who spent his entire National Hockey League career with the Vancouver Canucks. His playing rights were held by the Chicago Black Hawks, and he served a four-year apprenticeship in the minor leagues, principally with the Portland Buckaroos of the Western Hockey League. Between the 1969 and 1971 seasons, Kearns was named a First or Second Team league All-Star in each of those three years.

In the summer of 1971, Chicago — then deep on defence behind perennial All-Stars Pat Stapleton and Bill White — exposed Kearns in the Intra-League Draft, and he was claimed by Vancouver, for whom he made his NHL debut that fall. Kearns played his next ten years in Vancouver, his entire NHL career, becoming a star playmaker noted for his skill on offence and the power play despite his small size for a defenceman. His best years came between 1976 and 1978, when, having recovered from injuries the previous two years, he averaged nearly fifty assists a season and was named to the Canadian national team at the World Championships twice. He is a cousin of Shawn Evans.