Don Biggs
When Biggs hung up the skates for the final time in 2001-02, he retired as the no brainer greatest player to dawn the jersey of the Cincinnati Cyclones. Biggs, still after retirement, stayed in Cincy to do community work for youth and junior hockey teams. I actually got to meet him when he was younger and I look back at the Canadian centreman as seeing one of the most talented people to play in Cincinnati.
He finished his Cyclones career with a total of 147 goals along with 297 assists in 376 games played. This made for a total of 444 points.
Paul Lawless
Not just anyone gets their jersey number retired by an organization. Lawless was originally drafted into the NHL back in 1982. He was selected by the Hartford Whalers in the first round (14th overall). Lawless was able to spend a solid five years in the NHL, with the only times he was sent to the minors in the latter two years of his career.
Lawless appeared in a total of 178 NHL games. These games came as 152 with the Whalers, 13 with the Vancouver Canucks, eight with the Philadelphia Flyers and seven with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played for the Cincinnati Cyclones from 1992 through to ’97.
During this time, the left-winger scored 133 goals and 172 assists in 255 games played. This made for a total of 205 points. Lawless departed the Cyclones after 14 games in ’96-’97.
He did so to join the Austin Ice Bats in the WPHL to close out his hockey career. Overall, the native of Scarborough played 713 games before calling it quits. Throughout his professional career, Lawless, a left-handed shooter, claimed a number of awards and accolades. These include being named to the 1993-94 IHL Second All-Star Team.
Lawless also found himself with the Spengler Cup All-Star Team in 1991-92. As for his career in junior, he also had success in the OHL. Lawless, in 1983-1984, was a named a league All-Star. The same season, he was also named to the second All-Star team.
Gilbert Dionne
Left-winger Gilbert Dionne was a prize for Cincinnati to have had. Dionne was selected 81st overall in draft’s fourth round back in 1990. He was chosen by the Montreal Canadiens. Speaking of which, Dionne would debut the same season before winning the cup with them in 1993.
He played 20 postseason games with Montreal as they beat the Los Angeles Kings in five games to clinch it. Dionne would spend much of his career going up and down between the minors and NHL. While at the highest level, Dionne appeared in a total of 223 games which he spanned through six seasons.
In the American Hockey League, the left-handed shooter skated in 236 games. The most games out of any level he played in was in the IHL where he saw 313 games. Dionne would play with the Cyclones from 1997 through to 2001.
That’s where he saw 313 games, scoring 134 goals along with 202 assists. This made for a total of 336 points. The native of Drummondville, Quebec now has his jersey number retired by Cincinnati. After his last season with the Cyclones, Dionne signed a contract overseas to hit the ice in Germany with the Krefeld Pinguine.