Rick Middleton

Rick David Middleton ( born December 4, 1953 in Toronto, Ontario ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played from 1974 to 1988 for the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League.

Career

As a junior he played for the Oshawa Generals of the OHA in 1973 and was top scorer in the league. So it was no surprise when he chose the New York Rangers in the NHL Amateur Draft 1973 already in the first round as the 14th. In the WHA he was drafted. Here the Minnesota Fighting Saints tried to secure his rights as 21 in the second round. After a year with the Providence Reds in the AHL, he played from the season 1974/75 for the Rangers in the NHL.

After two ordinary years in New York, he moved in exchange for Ken Hodge to the Boston Bruins. While Hodge after a year in New York ended his career, Middleton was in Boston for the star. In his first game he scored a hat-trick. His best time he had when he arrived in the years 1979-1984 five times in a row over 90 points scorer. But his strengths lay not only on the attack, he was one of the few attackers who included both offensively and defensively as the absolute elite of the league. Coach Don Cherry promoted Middleton's defensive work early in his career. 1981, 1982 and 1984, he played in the NHL All-Star Game. And also for the Canadian national hockey team, he was nominated for the Canada Cup in 1981 and 1984. Here he played in 1984 in a forward line with Wayne Gretzky and Michel Goulet. From 1985, he was together with Ray Bourque team captain of the Bruins. After the 1987/88 season, he finished his NHL career with over 1,000 games and only slightly less points.

He played in Switzerland for EHC Bülach 1998 and completed three more games for the roller hockey team the Toronto Tornados.

Today, he works as a commentator and expert Bruins for the New England Sports Network ( NESN ).

NHL stats

Records

Awards

  • Red Tilson Trophy: 1973
  • OMJHL Second All-Star Team: 1973
  • AHL First All -Star Team: 1974
  • Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award: 1974
  • Second All-Star Team: 1982
  • Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: 1982
  • Participate in the NHL All-Star Game: 1981, 1982 and 1984
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