Rapide, et une volonté de fer, l'ailier gauche, Sylvain Turgeon a été très efficaces pendant ses 12 années dans la ligue. Il a inscrit  30 buts quatre fois et était l'un des francs tireurs les plus craints dans la NHL sur les jeux de puissance. 

Né à Noranda, Québec, Turgeon a été choisi deuxième globalement par les Whalers de Hartford  après avoir marqué  163 points pour les Olympiques de Hull de la QMJHL en 1982-83. Il a également fait parti de  l'équipe Canada aux Championnats Juniors mondial et a été nommé dans la QMJHL sur la première équipe d'Étoiles. En 1983-84, Turgeon a marqué 40 buts et a été choisi recrue de l'année dans la NHL. Il fut le pilier offensif  pendant six années et a aidé l'équipe à finir 1er au classement de la Division Adams en 1986-87. Pendant ce temps, Turgeon formait un trio des plus dangereux avec Kevin Dineen et Ron Francis. 

En juin 1989, Turgeon a été envoyé aux Dévils de New Jersey en échange de  Pat Verbeek. Il a marqué 30 buts pour son nouveau club mais a été échangé à Montréal Canadiens pour Claude Lemieux avant la saison 1990-91. Turgeon a lutté contre des blessures et d'intenses examens minutieux de la part des Habs. Il produit seulement 14 buts en deux saisons. Il est réclamé par les sénateurs d'Ottawa en 1992  et marque  25 buts pour l'équipe la première année. En 1995-96 il passe avec les  Houston Aeros de l'IHL. En 1996-97, il se dirige en Allemagne et joue une année chacune avec les Wedemark Scorpions et les ECR Revier Lowen. Turgeon a commencé la saison suivante avec les SC Langnau de Suisse mais est bientôt revenu en Allemagne avec les Kassel Huskies.

PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
World Junior Championships: 1983 (bronze medal)
QMJHL Best Professional Prospect: 1982-83 (Hull) (co-winner)
QMJHL Instructeurs Trophy (Offensive Rookie of Year): 1981-82
QMJHL All-Star First Team: 1982-83 (Hull)
QMJHL All-Star Third Team: 1981-82 (Hull)
Miscellaneous: Ranked by NHL Central Scouting Bureau as No. 4 overall prospect for the 1983 NHL draft. ... Rated in The Hockey News draft preview issue as No. 6 overall prospect for the 1983 NHL draft. ... Finished fourth in 1982-83 QMJHL scoring race with 163 points. ... Led Hull with 163 points in 1982-83. ... Also played center in major junior. ... Hull's first-round pick, No. 2 overall, in 1981 QMJHL midget draft.

NHL AWARDS AND HONORS
NHL All-Rookie Team: 1983-84 (Hartford)
All-Star Game: 1986 (Hartford)
Ottawa Molson Cup (Three-Stars Leader): 1992-93 (first winner)
Ottawa Community Service Award: 1993-94 (co-winner)
Hartford/Carolina Records: Most points by a rookie in one season (72 in 1983-84), most goals by a rookie in one season (40 in 1983-84), fastest two goals by one player (6 seconds at 13:59 and 14:05 of second period vs. Pittsburgh on March 28, 1987)
Hartford Points Leader: 1985-86 (79)
Hartford Goals Leader: 1983-84 (40), 1984-85 (31), 1985-86 (45)
Ottawa Goals Leader: 1992-93 (25)
1992-93: Played on Ottawa Senators expansion team.
Miscellaneous: Was highest-drafted player (No. 2 overall) in Hartford/
Carolina franchise history. ... Played on line with Mark Johnson and Ray Neufeld for Hartford in 1983-84. ... Set Hartford/Carolina single-season records (since broken) for power-play goals (18) and goals by a left wing (40) in 1983-84. ... Led all NHL rookies with 238 shots on goal in 1983-84. ...Missed part of 1984-85 season with pulled abdominal muscle, an injury suffered during Hartford's Nov. 2, 1984, game at Buffalo. He did not return to action until Hartford's Dec. 19, 1984, game vs. Boston. ... Played on line with Ron Francis and Kevin Dineen for Hartford from 1984-85 to 1986-87. ... Named to play in 1986 NHL All-Star Game as an injury replacement for Ron Francis. ...  Set Hartford single-season record (since broken) for goals by a left wing with 45 in 1985-86. ... Scored in overtime to give Hartford/Carolina franchise its first postseason win in Game 1 of Hartford's first-round series at Quebec on April 9, 1986. It was also his first career NHL playoff game. ... Missed end of 1986 playoffs with re-aggravation of abdominal muscle injury, suffered during Game 6 of Hartford's second-round playoff series vs. Montreal on April 27, 1986. ...  Missed most of Hartford's 1986 training camp and first half of 1986-87 season with pulled abdominal muscle from lingering injury. On Oct. 20, 1986, doctors found a small hernia in his abdominal wall, and Turgeon required extensive surgery on Nov. 14, 1986. He did not make his 1986-87 debut until Hartford's Jan. 9, 1987, game at Winnipeg. ... Became part of highest-drafted brother combination in 1987, when his brother Pierre was selected No. 1 overall. ... Missed 1987 Canada Cup and start of Hartford's 1987 training camp with broken left arm, suffered when he was slashed by Ron Hextall in Team Canada's practice on Aug. 11, 1987. ... Missed part of 1987-88 season with bruised ankle, suffered during Hartford's Feb. 25, 1988, game at Boston. ... Missed part of Hartford's 1988 training camp with sprained right knee, an injury suffered in September 1988. ... Missed half of 1988-89 season with separated left shoulder, an injury suffered during Hartford's Dec. 21, 1988, game vs. Boston. During this time, he also suffered "welder's burns" in both eyes when he stared at the ultra-violet light produced by his blowtorch while working on his car on Feb. 28, 1989. He finally returned for Hartford's March 14, 1989, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. He scored two goals, including the game-winner, in that game. ... Played on lines with Kirk Muller and Aaron Broten and Kirk Muller and Mark Johnson for New Jersey in 1989-90. ... Missed remainder of 1989-90 regular season and start of 1990 playoffs with pulled groin, an injury suffered during New Jersey's March 20, 1990, game vs. Philadelphia. He did not return to action until Game 6 of New Jersey's first-round series at Washington on April 15, 1990. ... Missed Montreal's 1990 training camp and start of 1990-91 season while recovering from hernia surgery, performed on Aug. 23, 1990. He did not make his 1990-91 season debut until Montreal's Dec. 15, 1990, game at Winnipeg. ... Played on line with Denis Savard and Stephane Richer for Montreal in 1990-91. ... Missed remainder of 1990-91 regular season with fractured right kneecap, an injury suffered during Montreal's Feb. 6, 1991, game vs. Chicago. He did not return to action until Game 2 of Montreal's second-round series at Boston on April 19, 1991. ... Left unprotected by Montreal for 1992 NHL Expansion Draft. He was claimed by Ottawa on June 18, 1992, as the first forward claimed in the expansion draft. ... Scored first game-winner in Ottawa Senators expansion franchise history at 17:51 of third period on Oct. 8, 1992, vs. Montreal. ... Suspended by NHL for one game in 1992-93 (automatic suspension) for receiving two stick-related penalties (slashing major and game misconduct) during Ottawa's Oct. 22, 1992, game vs. Hartford. ... Missed part of 1992-93 season with groin injury, suffered in Ottawa's Feb. 9, 1993, game at Philadelphia and re-aggravated during Ottawa's Feb. 17, 1993, game at Quebec. He did not return to action until Ottawa's March 18, 1993, game vs. Boston. ... Missed half of 1993-94 season with broken bone in lower left arm, suffered while sitting on bench when his arm got caught in a collision between Garry Valk and teammate Dennis Vial during Ottawa's Oct. 25, 1993, game vs. Anaheim. He did not return to action until Ottawa's Jan. 10, 1994, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. ... Played out option with Ottawa in 1995, but re-signed a one-year, $425,000 contract with Senators in August 1995 and reported to training camp. However, he failed to make Ottawa's roster and was put on waivers. After clearing waivers, he was demoted to minors on Sept. 26, 1995. He spent the season with Houston (IHL), but was unable to win an NHL contract the following year. He left North America during the summer of 1996 to continue his career in Europe.

NON-NHL AWARDS AND HONORS
Germany All-Star First Team: 2000-01 (Kassel)
1996-97: Played 23 games for Bolzano team that went on to win Italian championship, but was not with team during postseason.
Miscellaneous: Invited to Canada's training camp for 1984 Canada Cup, but did not make final roster. ... Took business administration courses in Quebec during off-seasons of his playing days in Hartford. ... Did not play in minor leagues until at age 32, when he was demoted by Ottawa to Houston (IHL) for the entire 1995-96 season.
Personal: Nicknamed "Sly." ... Older brother of NHL player Pierre Turgeon.

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