As told to: Staff Writer
From 1979 to 1986, Semenko skated alongside Gretzky on the Edmonton Oilers, a team that would become one of the greatest dynasties in NHL history. While Gretzky was busy rewriting every record in the book, Semenko had one job: make sure nobody touched him.
It was a job he performed so well that he rarely had to fight. The mere threat of facing Semenko was usually enough. This is the story of the man they called "Cement Head" - the enforcer who protected The Great One.
David Semenko was born on July 12, 1957, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Growing up on the Canadian prairies, hockey was destiny. Semenko played junior hockey for the Brandon Wheat Kings, where his combination of size, toughness, and surprising skill caught the attention of professional scouts.
In 1977, the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association drafted Semenko. The WHA was the upstart rival to the NHL, and the Oilers were building something special - though nobody could have predicted just how special.
That same year, the Oilers made another crucial acquisition: a skinny 17-year-old phenom named Wayne Gretzky. From the very beginning, their careers would be intertwined.
When the WHA merged with the NHL in 1979, the Oilers joined the established league as an expansion team. The experts expected them to struggle against NHL competition. Instead, led by Gretzky's otherworldly talent, Edmonton became one of hockey's most exciting teams.
But excitement brought attention, and attention brought trouble. Gretzky was slight - barely 170 pounds soaking wet - and his style of play left him vulnerable. He held the puck, waited for plays to develop, put himself in traffic. Without protection, he would have been destroyed.
Enter Semenko.
"My job was simple," Semenko once explained. "Keep guys away from Wayne. Let him do his thing. If someone took a run at him, they were going to deal with me."
The arrangement was understood by everyone in the NHL. Touch Gretzky, face Semenko. It was that simple.
What made Semenko special wasn't his fight record - it was his reputation. He fought relatively rarely for an enforcer, accumulating "only" 1,175 penalty minutes over 575 games. But the fear he inspired was immense.
Opposing players have spoken about the psychological effect of seeing Semenko on the ice. You might be thinking about finishing a check on Gretzky, about giving him a little extra after the whistle. Then you'd see #27 skating nearby, and suddenly that check didn't seem so important.
"Semenko changed the math," one rival player recalled. "Yeah, maybe you could hit Gretzky. But was it worth what would happen next? For most guys, the answer was no."
This preventive effect was Semenko's greatest contribution. By protecting Gretzky, he enabled The Great One to play his game without fear, contributing to the greatest offensive seasons in NHL history.
The Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s were perhaps the greatest team ever assembled. Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson, Grant Fuhr - the roster read like a Hall of Fame roll call. And Semenko was their protector.
After years of building and heartbreaking playoff losses, the Oilers finally broke through in 1984. They defeated the New York Islanders - the four-time defending champions - to win their first Stanley Cup.
Semenko played a crucial role throughout the playoffs, providing the physical presence that kept opponents honest. While he contributed modestly on offense (3 goals, 4 assists in 19 playoff games), his value couldn't be measured in statistics.
"We don't win that Cup without Semenko," Gretzky has said. "The Islanders had some tough guys, and they tried to intimidate us. Dave made sure that didn't work."
The Oilers repeated as Stanley Cup champions in 1985, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in five games. By now, Semenko's legend was fully established. He was the ultimate bodyguard for the ultimate hockey player.
These two championships cemented Semenko's place in Oilers history. He would never wear another championship ring, but his contribution to the dynasty's foundation was undeniable.
In 1983, Semenko participated in one of the strangest sporting events ever conceived: a boxing match against Muhammad Ali. The legendary boxer, though retired and past his prime, agreed to a charity exhibition bout against the hockey enforcer.
The three one-minute rounds took place at Edmonton's Northlands Coliseum before a packed house. Both men threw light punches - this was entertainment, not a real fight - and the bout ended in a draw.
"I wasn't going to really hit him," Semenko joked afterward. "He's Muhammad Ali. But I wasn't going to let him really hit me either."
The Ali-Semenko bout raised significant money for charity and remains one of sports' most unique crossover moments. It also demonstrated Semenko's status - he was famous enough to share a ring with the most famous boxer in history.
While Semenko is remembered primarily as Gretzky's bodyguard, he was more than a one-dimensional fighter. Over his career, he scored 65 goals and 153 points - respectable numbers for any enforcer. He played regular shifts, killed penalties, and contributed to the Oilers' success in multiple ways.
"People forget Dave could play," noted Glenn Anderson. "He wasn't just out there to fight. He could skate, he could forecheck, he could put the puck in the net. He was a real hockey player."
Semenko's teammates universally praised his character and sense of humor. He was beloved in the Oilers' locker room, known for his wit and his willingness to do anything for his teammates.
In 1986, Semenko was traded to the Hartford Whalers. It marked the end of his time protecting Gretzky - Marty McSorley would soon assume that role. Semenko played one season in Hartford and one in Toronto before retiring in 1988 at age 30.
His departure from Edmonton signaled a transition for both Semenko and the Oilers. Though the dynasty would continue (winning Cups in 1987, 1988, and 1990), the original core was beginning to disperse. Two years after Semenko left, Gretzky himself would be traded to Los Angeles in the most shocking deal in hockey history.
Unlike many enforcers who struggled after retirement, Semenko transitioned smoothly to civilian life. He remained in Edmonton, becoming a beloved figure in the community that had embraced him during his playing days.
Semenko worked in radio broadcasting, sharing his hockey insights and his famous sense of humor with listeners. He ran hockey schools, passing on his knowledge to younger generations. He made countless public appearances, always willing to share stories from the dynasty years.
"Edmonton was home," Semenko once said. "The fans here supported me when I was playing. I wanted to give back to this community."
He was also a fierce advocate for his former teammates and for hockey players in general, speaking out on issues affecting retired players and maintaining close friendships with his fellow Oilers.
In early 2017, Semenko was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The disease moved quickly, and on June 29, 2017, Dave Semenko passed away in Edmonton at age 59.
The hockey world mourned. Tributes poured in from Gretzky, from Messier, from teammates and opponents alike. The Edmonton Oilers organization honored Semenko at the start of the following season, and his memory remains cherished by fans who remember the dynasty years.
"Dave was my protector and my friend," Gretzky said in a statement after Semenko's death. "Without him, I wouldn't have had the career I had. He sacrificed so much for the team, for me. I'll never forget him."
In an era when fighting is disappearing from hockey, Semenko's career raises interesting questions about the enforcer's value. Did his protection of Gretzky contribute to The Great One's record-breaking performances? Would Gretzky have suffered more injuries, missed more games, been less effective without Semenko watching over him?
The answers are unknowable, but Gretzky himself has been clear: Semenko mattered. The peace of mind that came from knowing he had the league's most feared fighter as his wingman allowed Gretzky to play with the creativity and daring that made him immortal.
Perhaps that's Semenko's ultimate legacy. Not his fight record, not his Stanley Cups, but his contribution to the greatest career in hockey history. By protecting Wayne Gretzky, Dave Semenko enabled greatness.
Semenko and Marty McSorley are forever linked as Gretzky's protectors. Both were effective in the role, both won Stanley Cups, both earned Gretzky's lasting gratitude. How did they compare?
Semenko was the pioneer, establishing the template during Gretzky's formative years. He was perhaps more feared than McSorley, though less polished as a hockey player. His impact was largely preventive - opponents simply didn't want to risk facing him.
McSorley was more versatile, a better skater and puck-handler who could contribute more consistently on offense. He followed Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles, serving as protector during a different phase of Gretzky's career.
Both men were essential to Gretzky's success. The Great One was fortunate to have them watching his back.
Semenko protected Gretzky primarily through deterrence. His reputation as one of the toughest fighters in hockey made opponents think twice before taking liberties with The Great One. When teams did target Gretzky, Semenko would challenge the offending player to fight, sending a message throughout the league. His mere presence on the ice changed how opponents played.
Semenko won two Stanley Cup championships with the Edmonton Oilers in 1984 and 1985. He was a key member of the Oilers dynasty that would go on to win five Cups in seven years (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990), though Semenko had moved on by the later championships.
While Semenko lost very few fights during his career, no enforcer went undefeated. His reputation was built less on any single fight and more on his overall dominance and the fear he inspired. Most opponents simply chose not to fight him at all, which was arguably the ultimate measure of his effectiveness as an enforcer.
After retiring from hockey in 1988, Semenko remained in Edmonton and became a beloved figure in the community. He worked in radio broadcasting, ran hockey schools, and made numerous public appearances. Tragically, Semenko was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away on June 29, 2017, at age 59. He was mourned throughout the hockey world.
Yes, in a famous charity exhibition in 1983, Semenko boxed three one-minute rounds against Muhammad Ali. The event raised money for charity and was held at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton. Both fighters threw light punches and the bout ended in a draw. It remains one of the most unique crossover events in sports history.
